Thais And Meditation

[ChickenTonight]

I understand meditation is part of buddhism - at least from the original buddhist teaching which im not sure is what they really use in Thailand.

But I have never seen a Thai meditate, or tell me that they are going somewhere to meditate or something like that.

Is meditation just something they do in Nepal or India or in the west? Is this something they have "lost" in Thailand?

[craigt3365]

I understand meditation is part of buddhism - at least from the original buddhist teaching which im not sure is what they really use in Thailand.

But I have never seen a Thai meditate, or tell me that they are going somewhere to meditate or something like that.

Is meditation just something they do in Nepal or India or  in the west? Is this something they have "lost" in Thailand?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They usually meditate after a few bottles of 40 degree...for hours! That is about the only meditation I have ever seen!

When I was in Nepal and India I did not see many meditate...other than those holy men...

[Abandon]

yep - seen hundreds of them meditate.

Most obvious is Wat Dhammakaya which has had 200 000 people on some of their mediation retreats.

I have been to lots of places where there are regular, even twice daily, meditation sessions.

Not only that, but as a general rule, so far as outside observation can determine, the Thai's have much more of a knack for it than Westerners.

[taxexile]

thais do meditate a lot , but you wont notice it so much because they tend not to make a fuss about it like some western buddhists tend to do.

thais will just get on with it. irrespective of what is going on around them.

i once stayed in a house in the uk with some wannabe western buddhists , whenever one of them wanted to meditate they would shout loudly

"i'm want to meditate now so will you turn off the tv and will you all be quiet."

its just done with so much more class here in thailand

[Neeranam]

True, I don't see Thais sitting at the side of the road like India and Nepal.

I wonder if most Thais meditate for a period of time before they start their day or end their day?

I know one or two thais who tell me about their neditation, that's all.

Are Thais secret meditators?

Sometimes I try to meditate, in the lotus position in a public area. I have heard comments, but surprisingly none of them negative. When I jog there are quite a few 'negative' comments.

[sabaijai]

Generally speaking Thailand doesn't have a strong lay tradition of meditation, but you do see Thais at mediation retreats around Thailand, held at wats that specialise in meditation instruction or at modern meditation retreat centres.

Here in Chiang Mai Province, for example, you'll find Thais meditating on retreat or on full-moon days at Wat U Mong, Wat Ram Poeng, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Wat Phrat That Jom Thong, Wat Tham Thong, to name a few. Up at Wat Phra Thai Doi Suthep, there's a regular contingent of lay Thais who meditate every evening after sunset, or at least there was the last time I checked.

In Bangkok on most days you can see a few lay Thais meditating in the main wihaans at Wat Mahathat and Wat Bowonniwet, to name two.

All monks are supposed to spend some portion of the day meditating but in everyday practice only those staying at meditation wats meditate regularly.

Older Thais often meditate during the night on full-moon days, either at home or at a local temple.

[bina]

actually, i've seen thai just sitting and when u ask what they are thinking about they say, nothing.... when asked if they are bored, no.... i think that they sort of just meditate without making a big fuss... no lotus position, tv on or off, etc... but many tell me that meditation is for old people to do when 'bai wat'....

[Darknight]

I think it's a popular misconception that to be able to meditate you have to sit on your ass in a lotus type of position and close your eyes.

Meditation can be done in many different forms. I meditate when i look at my computer screen, i sometimes meditate on the toilet, i meditate when driving a car. At first the quiet position helps to focus. but rarely you get no distraction at all. Once you can integrate the distractions, you can meditate in any place, position or time you want.