Thailand Priests

[Leo_Moscow]

What are the role orange budda priests in Thailand society? They gestured and look like the are powerfull, is i right at my feeling?

[Abandon]

[chownah]

They are Buddhist monks. They all wear the same robes whether they are beginners (called novices) to the highest monk in Thailand. Some are powerful and some are still children who might only wear the robes for one month.

[thaibebop]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Come on now, the green one has to start somewhere.

[astral]

There is even a section in the forum for him to look in!!

PS you can be a monk for a day, if you wish.

Quite common when someone in the family dies.

[steppenfaerie]

Monks in Thailand are technically supposed to stand outside of the material world of money, power and politics. According to the doctrine of Theravada Buddhism, which teaches that ALL life is suffering, they renounce all social ties in order to pursue the path towards Nibbana, or nonexistence. This entails a life of refraint and meditation, learning the scriptures, and practicing the the dharma according to the Buddha.

However, herein lies the paradox.

Because they are not immersed in the mundane world of humans, they acquire a certain charismatic power which is often taken advantage of by those who do wish to pursue political power. This is done through association - public merit-making rituals, sponsorship of a prominent and famous monk, etc. These people then have their power legitimated and justified as a function of the doctrine of karma, ie. that those in power got there because they have "bun" or good karma.

[richb2004]

Monks?

Surely they are just men in orange robes.

What kind of powers do they have? Can they fly or fire lazers from their eyes?

Can I say that in this forum?

[Leo_Moscow]

Monks in Thailand are technically supposed to stand outside of the material world of money, power and politics. According to the doctrine of Theravada Buddhism, which teaches that ALL life is suffering, they renounce all social ties in order to pursue the path towards Nibbana, or nonexistence. This entails a life of refraint and meditation, learning the scriptures, and practicing the the dharma according to the Buddha.

However, herein lies the paradox.

Because they are not immersed in the mundane world of humans, they acquire a certain charismatic power which is often taken advantage of by those who do wish to pursue political power. This is done through association - public merit-making rituals, sponsorship of a prominent and famous monk, etc. These people then have their power legitimated and justified as a function of the doctrine of karma, ie. that those in power got there because they have "bun" or good karma.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

thanks, very interesting. how much respect of citizen they got? I mean attitude most of local people to them?

[steppenfaerie]

Monks?

Surely they are just men in orange robes.

What kind of powers do they have? Can they fly or fire lazers from their eyes?

Can I say that in this forum?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

there are lots of different types of monks at different levels of immersion into buddhist practice, as chownah pointed out. many thai men becomes monks for short periods of time and then return to normal lay life. at the other end of the spectrum, there are a few monks - the ascetic forest monks, who renounce the social and material world completely. they aren't normally the ones to claim power for themselves; rather it is laypersons who attribute them with power because they have been so successful in cultivating the Buddhist dharma. some very famous ascetic forest monks like phra ajarn mun were believed by their followers to be able to fly, teleport, tame wild animals, etc, and the hagiographies of these monks are replete with such tales of supernatural feats.

so you are not too far off the mark!

Edited November 25, 2005 by steppenfaerie

[steppenfaerie]

thanks, very interesting. how much respect of citizen they got? I mean attitude most of local people to them?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

monks are absolutely sacred in thai society and most people revere them, although there has been widespread concern in the past few decades that the sangha (monkhood) is degenerating, morally.

nonetheless, monks are still a powerful symbol of buddhism and buddhism is one of the corner-stones of thai society, hence the almost absolutely sanctified position of monks in thailand.

example - thaksin hasn't got the guts to sue the monk who "slandered" him and is instead aiming his guns at those who published the remarks. the backlash against him would be incredible.