Mantras In Thai Buddhism?

[cyberbudha]

We all know diferent mantras but most of them is in sanskrit.Also diferent buddhism schools have different mantras.I would like to know if Thai Buddhists use sanskrit mantras or own in thai language.

I am practising muay tai and also i would like to recite some thai budhism mantras with japa-mala.

And i couldnt find any special information on the web.

Can you offer me some.

Thanks in advance!

[thaibebop]

Thai Buddhism ( Theravada ) is based in Pali. There are vast amounts of mantras, which, if I am correct, people only really learn by being a monk. That is the difference between Theravada and Mahayana, Theravada is a monastic based practice, where Mahayana is more of a community thing. I am sure that some members here you know a great deal of Buddhism might be able to supply you with some examples. But it isn't stuff you chant while casually, it's hard stuff.

[sabaijai]

If you mean mantras used for meditation, there are a few that are used quite a lot by Thais, both monks and laypeople. This most common of all is Buddho, meaning 'Buddha' and pronounced by the Thais a phuttho. It's often prescribed for silent recitation timed with each in-breath or out-breath. The late Ajahn Cha taught this one, in fact.

[cyberbudha]

If you mean mantras used for meditation, there are a few that are used quite a lot by Thais, both monks and laypeople. This most common of all is Buddho, meaning 'Buddha' and pronounced by the Thais a phuttho. It's often prescribed for silent recitation timed with each in-breath or out-breath. The late Ajahn Cha taught this one, in fact.

Thanks for your answer. But can you sugest some other mantras for meditation. For example favourite mantra of Mahayana is Om mani padme hum. I would like to know some of these but in thai. Or maybe there is some special mantras for meditation which use muay-thai practicioniers?

Thanks in advance.

[zzap]

I don't know any, it is uncommon for laypeople in Thailand to use mantras.

But the 3 jewels are referred to in everyday practice when lighting incense or making offerings.

Sorry I don't know the Thai language for it, and not sure how useful this would be for you.

[sabaijai]

If you mean mantras used for meditation, there are a few that are used quite a lot by Thais, both monks and laypeople. This most common of all is Buddho, meaning 'Buddha' and pronounced by the Thais a phuttho. It's often prescribed for silent recitation timed with each in-breath or out-breath. The late Ajahn Cha taught this one, in fact.

Thanks for your answer. But can you sugest some other mantras for meditation. For example favourite mantra of Mahayana is Om mani padme hum. I would like to know some of these but in thai. Or maybe there is some special mantras for meditation which use muay-thai practicioniers?

Thanks in advance.

The Thai mantras are mostly one or two words only. The previously cited 'Buddho' is the most common mantra in Thailand, probably 80% or more of those who practice samatha (tranquility/concentration) meditation here use it at one point or another.

The Dhammakaya meditation (aka Vijja Dhammakaya) referenced in another thread here uses Samma Arahang (Full Arahant or Enlightened One) as a mantra.

I don't know of any others personally, but perhaps someone else knows some.

Om mani padme hum is a case of a mantra used as an incantation, to create a certain effect in the cosmos, whether recited during meditation or not. Thai Buddhism has this concept in everyday chanting, but not in meditation, as far as I know. There are many chants used, probably the most common is Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahanto Sama Sambuddhasa, more or less 'Homage to the Venerated, Fully Enlightened Buddha'. In fact 'Samma Arahang' may be an abbreviation of this phrase (just a guess).

I can imagine that muay thai fighters might have sets of mantras used in this way but I don't know what they might be.

[zzap]

Since it's a special day (full moon Tamarind harvest festival), I've just been to the Wat, and we were given one 'mantra' for each of the 3 walks around the temple:

"Buttho" "Tammo" "Sangko"

[camerata]

Apart from Buddho, the other mantra I've heard about is Araham, which is used as a protective mantra by forest monks when confronted with dangerous wild animals such as tigers and elephants. But as far as I recall, there is a kasina meditation practice associated with it.

[sabaijai]

Apart from Buddho, the other mantra I've heard about is Araham, which is used as a protective mantra by forest monks when confronted with dangerous wild animals such as tigers and elephants. But as far as I recall, there is a kasina meditation practice associated with it.

Sounds like the one Dhammakaya favours, Samma Arahang (arahang is the Thai pronunciation of the Pali araham), which I'd accidentally left out of my previous post.

[camerata]

Ajahn Thate mentions it in a talk on buddho. I wonder if this was LP Sodh's technique?

"Only after you have inspired confidence in your heart as already mentioned should you go to the teacher experienced in that form of meditation. If he is experienced in repeating samma araham, he will teach you to repeat samma araham, samma araham, samma araham. Then he'll have you visualize a bright, clear jewel two inches above your navel, and tell you to focus your mind right there as you continue your repetition, without letting your mind slip away from the jewel. In other words, you take the jewel as the focal point of your mind."

[fabianfred]

the words are merely a tool to help concentration..... you could try 'number nine double-decker bus' and it has the same result

[bina]

the words are merely a tool to help concentration..... you could try 'number nine double-decker bus' and it has the same result

that doesnt quite trip off the tongue the same way does it though?..........

the double decker part that is... hard to breathe properly that way....

anyhow, if u study mueay thai then u have to ask your teacher they know ...

bina

[fabianfred]

Apart from Buddho, the other mantra I've heard about is Araham, which is used as a protective mantra by forest monks when confronted with dangerous wild animals such as tigers and elephants. But as far as I recall, there is a kasina meditation practice associated with it.

a good one to remember for this (protection) is the one by Phra Somdet 'Toh' of Wat Rakang (the monk with one fist on top of the other)... " Metta Khunang Arahang Metta" ...very effective .... against dogs whilst cycling, immigration officers who do not appear very friendly... etc.... called gata mahaniyom in Thai.