Why does Buddhism in Thailand have such greed for money?

[michaeltheR]

https://www.facebook.com/v.vajiramedhi?ref=ts&fref=ts

If you want to know more about Thai buddhism.............This is real thai buddhism teaching

Too bad not many Thais understood His Excellency's teachings and only consult monks for lottery numbers.

[michaeltheR]

https://www.facebook.com/v.vajiramedhi?ref=ts&fref=ts

If you want to know more about Thai buddhism.............This is real thai buddhism teaching

Too bad not many Thais understood His Excellency's teachings and only consult monks for lottery numbers.

this portays Buddhism the way is really supposed to be

[billsmart]

Thai Buddhism is a joke. Pure Disney. It is hardly related to the teachings of Buddha who said:

1. Don't build statues of me.

2. Don't build temples.

3. Don't restrict yourself to "Religion".

Just sit under a tree and think.

However the Religion that they call Buddhism as practiced in Thailand is ideal for the population that live in this country.

Although you didn't number this one, Buddha didn't teach "Just sit under a tree and think." If anything his teaching in this area would have been, 'When sitting, just sit'.

[cms22]

I have said it many times. Thais certainly are not religious.

They are superstitious. And there is a big difference.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[uncola]

i went to italy on tour last year. we went to the vatican one day. talk about greed!! i could not help but wonder where all the money came from and how over the centuries they squeezed it out of the poor and how the still do... the church is even now trying to be rid of corruption at the highest level. i would say in comparison the thai buddhist religion does not hold a candle to the catholics as far a the scope of corruption allowed to go on. they are just getting started one might say.

i have lived in thailand almost 30 yrs. i am not religious in that i don't belive in a god. i became a monk here for just awhile longer than most thais remain in the temple. i saw everything in the temple. one monk had a gun, another a stereo system and another was on heroin most of the time. it was just real life though in a temple setting. who says you have to be perfect to fit in?

maybe the thais are confused with their religion. but couldn't the reason be because western missionaries showed up and over time the thai buddhist religion evolved into something other buddhist don't quite recognise anymore? works for me!

[marioc]

Buddhism in Thailand is SO far from what the Tibetans call Buddhism.

Buddha taught about enlightenment, not greed.

Thais pray for personal gain, and wear Buddha amulets to protect them from harm.

It's a great big laughing stock to real Buddhists.

Thais are very hypocritical, but that's because they see Buddhism as a religion instead of a philosophy of life, which is what it was intended to be.

It's the same as preachers bangin' on the congregation about whoring and then he's in a brothel on Sunday afternoon.

"...... they see Buddhism as a religion instead of a philosophy of life, which is what it was intended to be."

Well said.... you couldn't be more explicative in just one sentence.

I totally agree with you and, as already mentioned, Thai tend to be hypocrites, but anyway I wouldn't blame them so much for it because it is just their way to see life, to live, to educate their children...it is rooted in their culture.

[GBK]

they learned from the Catholic church !

You beat me to it!

;-)

[samjaidee]

https://www.facebook.com/v.vajiramedhi?ref=ts&fref=ts

If you want to know more about Thai buddhism.............This is real thai buddhism teaching

Too bad not many Thais understood His Excellency's teachings and only consult monks for lottery numbers.

this portays Buddhism the way is really supposed to be

An inspiration. Thank you.

[bankei]

That is a very 'western' potestant interpretation of Buddhism - firstly, how do you know what the 'true' teachings of the Buddha were? You don't and cannot know.

Buddhist monks have been associated with money from the very beginnings. This is evidenced in the archaeological records of money presses being discovered in early monasteries and the evidence of Bhikkhu making donations as recorded on 3rd century BC inscriptions at Sanchi etc. And not just any old monks, but Vinayadhara in some case - experts in the Vinaya. There is also the evidence in the Theravada Pali canon. If monks didn't closely associate money there would be no rules about it. Also in the vinaya are the stories of the 1st and second councils - sanghati - Mahadeva and his 10 points etc.

Maybe no touching money is an idealism which has never really existed in Buddhism and has been read back into history.

bankei

[LomSak27]

Why does Buddhism in Thailand have such greed for money?

Maybe you should ask ... Where does Buddhism not have a greed for money?

[jimbeam1]

Why does Buddhism in Thailand have such greed for money?

It's called religion.

jb1

[ehw200]

Buddism or Bahtism???

[mimi9000]

It is unfortunate that a large percent of Thai people know little to nothing about Buddhism. A couple hours of reading about Buddhism conformed my suspicions a couple months after I arrived here.

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[White Tiger]

... I live in a fairly poor village......

During the last big festival (can't remember the name) this wat collected a mind boggling 1,000,000 baht from this poor village....

1,000,000 THB - it's not that poor a village then.

[flyingdoc]

I am appalled by Ticketmaster's revelations, but he is so right!

Religions, wrongly used and abused, just leads to corruption with little or no care as to the plight of the donors.

Then , as the Catholic church was mentioned in several posts, we have the abuse of children scandals as well!

Going into the rights and wrongs of religion or religions per se, is far too huge a subject for here, but greed on the scale described is totally unacceptable by any standards!

[bigtime]

This is why so many people who do not necessarily consider themselves atheists reject organized religion. Because let's face it - no matter how pure your religion's figurehead (jesus/mohammed/buddha etc) was, the people presiding over the church are mere humans, and we humans have a long and rich history of folks doing things in their own best interests and using the umbrella of religion to justify it. Not just money - you want to demonize your enemies, or legitimize yourself? say that god said so.

This is what gets the thais. The monks tell them that to gain merit they must help out. Nobody dares question whether any of the projects are needed or even sensible. From all my years in Thailand, the only thing I've seen separating the truly shameless temples and the wonderful ones, is the character of the monks in charge. The sad bit is, it's a commonly known fact that if you're a greedy and ambitious young kid from the village with no prospects, there are three places you can go where if you're lucky and you work your ass off you could be in a position to drastically improve your lot in life : police, military, and being a monk.

[CIHUAHUA]

Row your own boat.

[colomboserb]

I think all religiion and socities are infected with capitalism and materalism "GREED". Best example is that Thailand allows prositution. Soon also casino .Just give the head monks some big cash amounts they will be happy.

And dont forget many criminals convert to become devoted monks.....just to get back to the socitty or make money, or get the woman. And its not only in Thailand, the powerfull hindu leaders are the same in India. The buddist monks ( not all) in Sri Lanka world oldest buddist nation ...also. They have alot olf criminal monks. Specially this new BBS (Buddist Power ) Its kind of a Neo-Buddist-Nazi Party who making headlines to attack muslims and christians. With violence , Spread to Burma aswell. And the Sri lankan page promotes Indo-Aryan supremacy , cos Buddism was started in Aryan lands , (afganistan,Iran,Pakistan)

And the sinhalese (lion people) is the southers aryan people on the earth that is why they play this card...gainst Tamils/dravidian.

All cornerrs far right,money , greed, erther its in europe or Asia is growing.

Edited November 18, 2013 by colomboserb

[squarethecircle]

Same as Christianity. A pure teaching got polluted and corrupted. Doesn't mean that Buddha or Jesus's basic teachings about the universe or flawed. I think they are no more obsessed with money in Asia than we are in the west, but the difference is they don't hide it here. Money is the god in Asia. Also the Buddha statues and little spirit houses are a layover from the animistic hindu hoodoo religion that was in SE Asia before Buddha's teachings arrived.

Hell. I could do with some more money myself. Know any good monks?

[colomboserb]

Same as Christianity. A pure teaching got polluted and corrupted. Doesn't mean that Buddha or Jesus's basic teachings about the universe or flawed. I think they are no more obsessed with money in Asia than we are in the west, but the difference is they don't hide it here. Money is the god in Asia. Also the Buddha statues and little spirit houses are a layover from the animistic hindu hoodoo religion that was in SE Asia before Buddha's teachings arrived.

Hell. I could do with some more money myself. Know any good monks?

I dont think its a layover. Lod Buddah, Was born hindu, (all hindu temples) he is imaged as one of the great hindu teachers. But he walked away from Hinduism cos he saw the flaws and injustice against lower cast /racial devide. Aryan this aryan that, ..

That is the reason why he started buddism....To fix all faults that was with hinduism. By the way watch an intresting BBC documentary "Jesus was buddist" on youtube... Many things in Christiantity seams to be comming from buddism,and it can be so that jesus actualy went to India ...and learded buddism and took it to Jerusalem and started his own thing

[simple1]

I am appalled by Ticketmaster's revelations, but he is so right!

Religions, wrongly used and abused, just leads to corruption with little or no care as to the plight of the donors.

Then , as the Catholic church was mentioned in several posts, we have the abuse of children scandals as well!

Going into the rights and wrongs of religion or religions per se, is far too huge a subject for here, but greed on the scale described is totally unacceptable by any standards!

A few months back there was an article in the BKK Post claiming it is estimated that around 120 billion baht a year is donated to the monks by way of merit making, this equals to approx US$3.8 billion a year; there is no oversight/audit on how this money is used.

[bankei]

It is unfortunate that a large percent of Thai people know little to nothing about Buddhism. A couple hours of reading about Buddhism conformed my suspicions a couple months after I arrived here.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Are you saying you know more about Buddhism than the Buddhists and that you gained this knowledge by reading a few books - in English no doubt???

Edited November 18, 2013 by bankei

[silent]

https://www.facebook.com/v.vajiramedhi?ref=ts&fref=ts

If you want to know more about Thai buddhism.............This is real thai buddhism teaching

Or you can watch the sometimes graphic cartoon sermons on DMC every day for the real truth. Notably, I recall that says are designed for Kindergarden and makes it easy.

[colomboserb]

Anyhow real buddist and Thai people you dont find in Bangkok, You find those in the poor vilages, far away from the malls, restaurants, tourist areas.

They still have the heart , and non greed for materalistc things. We all get fyked up in the brain when we enter the fantasy world of Bangkok and Pattaya.

Really that is the truth ...My experince in Thailand. And most of the forigners does not meet these people.

Edited November 18, 2013 by colomboserb

[bankei]

Same as Christianity. A pure teaching got polluted and corrupted. Doesn't mean that Buddha or Jesus's basic teachings about the universe or flawed. I think they are no more obsessed with money in Asia than we are in the west, but the difference is they don't hide it here. Money is the god in Asia. Also the Buddha statues and little spirit houses are a layover from the animistic hindu hoodoo religion that was in SE Asia before Buddha's teachings arrived.

Hell. I could do with some more money myself. Know any good monks?

I dont think its a layover. Lod Buddah, Was born hindu, (all hindu temples) he is imaged as one of the great hindu teachers. But he walked away from Hinduism cos he saw the flaws and injustice against lower cast /racial devide. Aryan this aryan that, ..

That is the reason why he started buddism....To fix all faults that was with hinduism. By the way watch an intresting BBC documentary "Jesus was buddist" on youtube... Many things in Christiantity seams to be comming from buddism,and it can be so that jesus actualy went to India ...and learded buddism and took it to Jerusalem and started his own thing

Hinduism was a western investion - about the 18th century or so.

There is no such thing really. The Buddha wasn't a Hindu. The Buddha, legend has it, followed many different teachers, with different teachings. None of whom could be described as being hindu as you would imagine it. There were probably no hindu temples back then - or temples of any sort.

it is also a mistake to say that the Buddha was a caste reformer. He has a few digs at caste, but early Buddhism was dominated by Brahmin caste and Kshatriya caste as well. Modern Sri Lankan Buddhism is very caste conscious too and is broken up into sects based on caste

[Lancelot]

I understand what the OP is saying; however, Thais or Buddhists don't have a monopoly on greed. I'm from the US and I have personally witnessed plenty of non Buddhists line up at the trough (greedy pig reference) and seek unjust enrichment with not an ounce of shame.

[Suradit69]

they learned from the Catholic church !

Yep, it's big business.

How one looks at the Catholic Church seems to say more about how one wants to see things than the reality. There have been many revelations about the behavior of individuals in the church that have been disheartening, discouraging and disappointing. I spent nearly 25 years working in rural Africa (not with the Catholic Church but never far from its outreach) in countries that were supposedly governed by European colonial administrations for very long times ... and the same applies to countries in Asia. In many of these places the only education or medical care available to the indigenous populations was provided by the Catholic Church or the Salvation Army or other church organizations. The colonials provided care on every level to their expatriate population, but little more.

I am Catholic, and I know there's plenty to criticize. It is a very human institution. But when you blithely dismiss the institution, you also dismiss the vast majority of people who make up the working church. That is manifestly unjust Quite aside from the strictly religious function of the church, the service offered to so many in need by so many dedicated people is indeed big business and it's a big business in terms of its success, in what it has done and what it is doing, all because of the honest faith of the many dedicated workers in the field.

The Big Business you're talking about looks like this in many places:

I'm pretty sure the majority of Buddhist adherents and Buddhist monks are sincere in their beliefs and the way in which they wish to conduct their lives, and that they feel disheartened and saddened by the behavior of some of the high profile individuals that make the headlines. It would be wonderful if every priest or monk or nun was indeed a living saint. I'm more impressed by the many who are a great deal more saintly than I am, than by the few who fail to fulfill the very high expectations we have for them.

"Why does Buddhism in Thailand have such greed for money?"

Why do some people find such pleasure in these few unfortunate examples rather than the many positive examples?

[colomboserb]

Same as Christianity. A pure teaching got polluted and corrupted. Doesn't mean that Buddha or Jesus's basic teachings about the universe or flawed. I think they are no more obsessed with money in Asia than we are in the west, but the difference is they don't hide it here. Money is the god in Asia. Also the Buddha statues and little spirit houses are a layover from the animistic hindu hoodoo religion that was in SE Asia before Buddha's teachings arrived.

Hell. I could do with some more money myself. Know any good monks?

I dont think its a layover. Lod Buddah, Was born hindu, (all hindu temples) he is imaged as one of the great hindu teachers. But he walked away from Hinduism cos he saw the flaws and injustice against lower cast /racial devide. Aryan this aryan that, ..

That is the reason why he started buddism....To fix all faults that was with hinduism. By the way watch an intresting BBC documentary "Jesus was buddist" on youtube... Many things in Christiantity seams to be comming from buddism,and it can be so that jesus actualy went to India ...and learded buddism and took it to Jerusalem and started his own thing

Hinduism was a western investion - about the 18th century or so.

There is no such thing really. The Buddha wasn't a Hindu. The Buddha, legend has it, followed many different teachers, with different teachings. None of whom could be described as being hindu as you would imagine it. There were probably no hindu temples back then - or temples of any sort.

it is also a mistake to say that the Buddha was a caste reformer. He has a few digs at caste, but early Buddhism was dominated by Brahmin caste and Kshatriya caste as well. Modern Sri Lankan Buddhism is very caste conscious too and is broken up into sects based on caste

Casts in Sri Lanka not really?, The british use to give Royal kandyan names to the locals that did a good job. But its 10 times worse in india about cast . Trust me i have been in sri lanka for 10 years before i came to Thailand.

And that Lord Buddah was not hindu is ,, so wrong .....just walk into any hindu temple...even Sri Vihar you can see Lord Buddah on the thusand years old stones.

I dont know where did you get that from that Hinduism is a western invesion i think that is a very sick comment, i actually take offence against it as a Buddist.

Hinduism is the first real religion. Islam, Buddism, Christianity all grow out of it .

Edited November 18, 2013 by colomboserb

[trihent]

I don't know about all the folks making posts but somethings I do know. Almost every Wat I've visited (and thats many) runs the local pre-school. Some of them run the local 2nd schools also (my son is in one) At least 4 Wats local to me administer villages clean water supplies. I personally know 8 poor Thai rice farmers that have either been given rice seed and/or cash loans by the local Wat interest free. In past days the Wat did (and some still do) the local birth and death statistics for the Tambon. Almost every Wat I've been to acts as the local funeral parlor. I have personally slept in Wat's and have taken many broke Expats to them for temporary lodging and meals. As a safety net for Thai society they do a very good job. I do have problems with the way Buddhism is practised here but it appears to me that they do an awful lot behind the scenes that most expats don't observe.

[napawan28]

If you want to know more about Thai Buddhism, you should learn Thai language. Thai people can't explain you because of their english skill.

If you want to know more about Thai buddhism.

https://www.facebook.com/v.vajiramedhi?ref=ts&fref=ts

Edited November 18, 2013 by napawan28