Johnniey Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 I find it incredible that so many Thais, even ones going tot the temple regularly, don't know what this day means.Nearly every year I ask people and always get "the day Buddha was born/died" or "the day he gained enlightenment". A few years ago, I asked a group of 30 university students what the day meant and only 1 seemed sure. It's like asking someone in my country what Easter celebrates. I know because I've been to the place where the Buddha gave his first sermon - Sarnath, India. I'd be interested to know many expats, here for over 3 year, knew the significance of this day. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post travelmann Posted August 2, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted August 2, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sketcher Posted August 2, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted August 2, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. Easter means chocolate eggs and a long weekend off work. As for Asanha Bucha Day, I guess its the same thing just without the eggs! Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnniey Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. You're joking, yeah? Nearly all the Thai people I know take this day to be very important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 It is the day big Buddha told to punish everyone who sells beer. (Sarcastic remark about the hypocrites who bends the ideas of religions (not only Buddhism) to fit their own interests) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookedondhamma Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Asalha Puja - overall I find that questioning isn't too frequent an activity at temples (or at least the ones I've been to), so that may explain something. I don't know how many expats would know if they weren't Buddhist or did a little dabbling about what it is about; same as Easter for a Thai coming over to a non-Buddhist area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelmann Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. You're joking, yeah? Nearly all the Thai people I know take this day to be very important. Not joking, I dont think it has any relevance in my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jamescollister Posted August 2, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted August 2, 2012 Well I didn't know, but have been to the Wat with the wife and kids. Got sprinkled with water and got sore knees. Happens every year and I just go with the flow. This year it will cost me a bit more, must have been a bad man, as wife tells me we are going to buy a concrete pole, 5000 Baht for the new building at the Wat. All the blessings must have worked, as I am still around and it keeps the wife happy. Jim 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooked Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Asalha Puja Day Commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon in the Deer Park in Benares and the founding of the Buddhist sangha. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sketcher Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Asalha Puja Day Commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon in the Deer Park in Benares and the founding of the Buddhist sangha. As i said, easter without the eggs. Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Well I didn't know, but have been to the Wat with the wife and kids. Got sprinkled with water and got sore knees. Happens every year and I just go with the flow. This year it will cost me a bit more, must have been a bad man, as wife tells me we are going to buy a concrete pole, 5000 Baht for the new building at the Wat. All the blessings must have worked, as I am still around and it keeps the wife happy. Jim 5000 baht, the temple is lucky if I give them 50 baht. If it keeps your buddhist wife happy fair enough however I always think how much I would donate to my own faith and that would be nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelmann Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Well I didn't know, but have been to the Wat with the wife and kids. Got sprinkled with water and got sore knees. Happens every year and I just go with the flow. This year it will cost me a bit more, must have been a bad man, as wife tells me we are going to buy a concrete pole, 5000 Baht for the new building at the Wat. All the blessings must have worked, as I am still around and it keeps the wife happy. Jim 5000 baht, the temple is lucky if I give them 50 baht. If it keeps your buddhist wife happy fair enough however I always think how much I would donate to my own faith and that would be nothing. I always think any money given to the temple is obscene, all they do is build a more shiny temple, its nothing more than a business. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somtamnication Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Asanha Bucha: Oxford Dictionary for expats definition. On days prior to anything ending with Bucha, run to your local beer shop and buy in quantities of 3 (1 for day prior, and 2 days for holidays). Curiously, the same definition is for "Thai voting day". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. Easter means chocolate eggs and a long weekend off work. As for Asanha Bucha Day, I guess its the same thing just without the eggs! Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App I find it incredible how many Westerns dont know the real significance of the 25th of December Edited August 3, 2012 by Soutpeel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whistleblower Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. Easter means chocolate eggs and a long weekend off work. As for Asanha Bucha Day, I guess its the same thing just without the eggs! Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App I find it incredible how many Westerns dont know the real significance of the 25th of December How many care??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. Easter means chocolate eggs and a long weekend off work. As for Asanha Bucha Day, I guess its the same thing just without the eggs! Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App I find it incredible how many Westerns dont know the real significance of the 25th of December How many care??? Exactly...this is why I cant understand what the OP is on about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daoyai Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Dec. 25, winter solstice, (or therabouts) Easter, spring ferility celebration, hence the rabbits and eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villagefarang Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Exactly...this is why I cant understand what the OP is on about Probably just being sanctimonious. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soutpeel Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) Dec. 25, winter solstice, (or therabouts) Easter, spring ferility celebration, hence the rabbits and eggs. So nothing to do with a big fat farang in a red suit who likes children sitting on his knee then ? Edited August 3, 2012 by Soutpeel 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shot Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mca Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. Easter means chocolate eggs and a long weekend off work. As for Asanha Bucha Day, I guess its the same thing just without the eggs! Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App I find it incredible how many Westerns dont know the real significance of the 25th of December It always amazes me how Jesus was born on Christmas Day. Now there's a coincidence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. Easter means chocolate eggs and a long weekend off work. As for Asanha Bucha Day, I guess its the same thing just without the eggs! Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App .....and without the alcohol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Well I didn't know, but have been to the Wat with the wife and kids. Got sprinkled with water and got sore knees. Happens every year and I just go with the flow. This year it will cost me a bit more, must have been a bad man, as wife tells me we are going to buy a concrete pole, 5000 Baht for the new building at the Wat. All the blessings must have worked, as I am still around and it keeps the wife happy. Jim 5000 baht, the temple is lucky if I give them 50 baht. If it keeps your buddhist wife happy fair enough however I always think how much I would donate to my own faith and that would be nothing. I always think any money given to the temple is obscene, all they do is build a more shiny temple, its nothing more than a business. I think its quite nice to have physical reminders that there is more to life than personal gratification and our immediate temporal challenges. If people need a big shiny building like St Paul's Cathedral or the Parthenon to remind them of this, then maybe its money well-spent. I imagine that Paris might be a poorer tourist destination without Notre Dame, and so forth. SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitrevie Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. Easter means chocolate eggs and a long weekend off work. As for Asanha Bucha Day, I guess its the same thing just without the eggs! Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App I find it incredible how many Westerns dont know the real significance of the 25th of December The day of Isaac Newton's birth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daoyai Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I agree with streetcowboy on that one, without superstitious faith, the world would have much less remarkable art and buildings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overherebc Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I dont see why its important at all to know. I dont know what Easter means because for me its all claptrap and therefore irrelevant. Easter means chocolate eggs and a long weekend off work. As for Asanha Bucha Day, I guess its the same thing just without the eggs! Sent from my GT-P7500 using Thaivisa Connect App I find it incredible how many Westerns dont know the real significance of the 25th of December It always amazes me how Jesus was born on Christmas Day. Now there's a coincidence! And, In Ireland if it's on a Friday many panic until they check and find out it's not the 13th. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitrevie Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I agree with streetcowboy on that one, without superstitious faith, the world would have much less remarkable art and buildings. possibly and probably more advanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StreetCowboy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I agree with streetcowboy on that one, without superstitious faith, the world would have much less remarkable art and buildings. possibly and probably more advanced. I think you'll find that a lot of our great inventors and scientists started off in church schools. Out of interest, are there any societies that started out atheist, rather than giving up on deification late in their development? Presumably, if religion is a hindrance to development, such godless societies would have overtaken their more pious and ecclesiastical neighbours. I can't think of any such society, but then I'm not an expert anthropologist. Perhaps our kerryk could shed some light on this, when he comes back off his holiday - or when he sees the light and is born again, like the Dalai Llama SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitrevie Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I agree with streetcowboy on that one, without superstitious faith, the world would have much less remarkable art and buildings. possibly and probably more advanced. I think you'll find that a lot of our great inventors and scientists started off in church schools. Out of interest, are there any societies that started out atheist, rather than giving up on deification late in their development? Presumably, if religion is a hindrance to development, such godless societies would have overtaken their more pious and ecclesiastical neighbours. I can't think of any such society, but then I'm not an expert anthropologist. Perhaps our kerryk could shed some light on this, when he comes back off his holiday - or when he sees the light and is born again, like the Dalai Llama SC You are quite right for example Isaac Newton was a very religious man but then in order to study at Cambridge he had to be a Protestant in the same way that Galileo had to be a Catholic. I guess it must be the same in Iran, I don't think a lecturer would get very far announcing he was an atheist. Newton and Galileo were men of their times and would have been religious. There is no doubt that as the power of the church waned so science thrived. However I would never want to be without those magnificent buildings that were built because of religion even though the human cost of building them must have been great. In much the same way I would hate to lose any of the religious music of Mozart, Beethoven etc, I have always thought that the Catholics had the best tunes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisinth Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) I agree with streetcowboy on that one, without superstitious faith, the world would have much less remarkable art and buildings. possibly and probably more advanced. I think you'll find that a lot of our great inventors and scientists started off in church schools. Out of interest, are there any societies that started out atheist, rather than giving up on deification late in their development? Presumably, if religion is a hindrance to development, such godless societies would have overtaken their more pious and ecclesiastical neighbours. I can't think of any such society, but then I'm not an expert anthropologist. Perhaps our kerryk could shed some light on this, when he comes back off his holiday - or when he sees the light and is born again, like the Dalai Llama SC Well, apart from our own society (British), I can't think of many more, but am sure there are a few. Those Celts and Picts and the rest of them didn't believe in much more than you could take or kill....................... Yes, our religious beliefs are based on atheism, or rather believing in Gods that are not the ones that some believe in today. They didn't give up; the beliefs were changed by invaders. Edited August 3, 2012 by chrisinth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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