String around the wrist related to buddhism?

[catweazle08]

sometimes i see a thai wearing a String around the wrist.

is this related to buddhism? given by a monk?

or is there another story behind this?

thx in advance.

[CharlieH]

Yes, usually white. Given by monk for many reasons, also part of a wedding ceremony where guests tie white cotton type string around the wrist of bride & groom.

Edited May 1, 2014 by CharlieH

[cooked]

We got yellow when we married. Given by friends and relations.

[marko kok prong]

Yea many reasons it when they start putting them around your dick,like what happened to a friend of mine that you start wondering i mean he started wondering!

[elgenon]

I've seen monks cruising through streets giving blessings for a donation. They give you a string. Also, get them in temples for donations. A badge of courage? 555 If you believe something works, there is a good chance it does.

[Docno]

I believe that it's not just monks who do this. I've have family members in the past do this upon visiting them for the first time as a form of welcome/greeting. Indians also do this (a lot)... very common to see Indians with a string around their wrist (most often white, yellow or red, from what I can tell). So like many things in Thai culture, there are likely to be Indian--and perhaps Hindu--origins to this.

What I have been told is that you should not remove the string before three days have elapsed ... otherwise you can simply let it 'rot off' (presuming that you're following the 2-shower-a-day regimen).

[thailiketoo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baci

[sae57]

Nothing to do with Buddhism. (Monks do a lot of things that have nothing to do with Buddhism. They eat. They give excess gifts away to lay people...).

I've been asking the question for upwards 20 years. First answer: doesn't really meaning anything, just a welcoming guesture. Second answer: It binds you to the family/community. Third answer (but this took some prodding): It binds the spirits that inhabit your bodily organs into the body.

Widespread (probably universal) belief among the Tai (Thai, Lao, Shan, Yuan) is that just as trees, rocks, and rivers each has its own spirit, "khwan" the 32 organs of the body each has a spirit, and without the spirit, the organ may not function properly and the person becomes ill. (Buddhism also counts 32 organs, probably from ancient Indian anatomy--though nobody I've asked makes the connection of 32 with the Buddhist count). The khwans may go on excursions however, say sporting with river and tree spirits, leaving the human individual incomplete. Part of any wedding in Isan (and some other major events) is calling in the khwan so that the bride and groom are complete. The strings would appear both to bind in the khwan and to bind the couple each to his/her new family. Weddings, BTW, are performed by phrams (from "Brahmin")--shamans/practioners/priests of the animist cult. There is no such thing as a perse Buddhist wedding.

--S, from Roi Et

[Zendo]

for the question asked by the OP : "String around the wrist related to buddhism? "

I will tell you YES, related to "Thai Buddhism", because the coton string have to be blessed by the monk before somebody do it for you, usually it happens for birthdays, departures.. etc and is about wishing good luck and protection, etc.. but about the "32 organs story", that I never heard of that, even the monk was not aware at all of that.

Actually it comes from India, but there only bhramans do it for pujas and most often ask for money, so it was imported in siam long before buddhism and has been included in Thai tradition, so into thai buddhism too.

In Thailand when they wrist it, they have to say some mantras in sanskrit, and note that if a monk give it to you it can be way more complicated as if you're a women he can't touch you... so try to wrist without touching the body.. so crazy situation.. it takes long time and the string is loosed of course.

[Donnievino]

Got a string around my right wrist from a monk in a Isaan temple in early February. Back in US and still have it on. My Thai gf has hers on too and we will keep them on until we reunite in June. gf says it is good luck. Saw a village monk put one one a three year old for his birthday blessing. I like the tradition.

[wileycoyote]

Bonds that tie to your heart,should help you focus on what is important

[stickylies]

They do it in India too (hindus) and burma (budhists). Etc. File under: Circle symbolism. There are many symbolic meanings of a circle since it is a universal symbol present in all cultures. Circles often mean completions, or cycles.

[Nokawou]

This is not unique to Asia I have seen is many times in South Africa and Mozambique (indigenious population only) has to do with spirits and good luck mostly animistic believes.

[Bababooey]

help you focus on what is important

It reminds me that simplicity is a virtue.

I would rather be given a piece of string than a Rolex (assuming I couldn't resell or give away the Rolex).

[sae57]

for the question asked by the OP : "String around the wrist related to buddhism? "

I will tell you YES, related to "Thai Buddhism", because the coton string have to be blessed by the monk before somebody do it for you, usually it happens for birthdays, departures.. etc and is about wishing good luck and protection, etc.. but about the "32 organs story", that I never heard of that, even the monk was not aware at all of that.

Actually it comes from India, but there only bhramans do it for pujas and most often ask for money, so it was imported in siam long before buddhism and has been included in Thai tradition, so into thai buddhism too.

In Thailand when they wrist it, they have to say some mantras in sanskrit, and note that if a monk give it to you it can be way more complicated as if you're a women he can't touch you... so try to wrist without touching the body.. so crazy situation.. it takes long time and the string is loosed of course.

Traditions vary widely from place to place. In my neck of the woods, it is not /necessary/ for the string to have been blessed by a monk(s)--but anyway, cotton string is somehow very special, and it is used at Buddhist ceremonies as a sort of bun conducter or recepticle (this is common throughout Thailand & almost certainly Lao), wound around gifts and across the chanting monks, each holding the string with one hand while chanting. The "blessed" or, better, energized with bun, string is then given to the sponsor of the event--say the family of the deceased at funerals. I've never heard anyone, monk or lay, recite anything in sanskrit (and I've participated in many of these), but it seems likely to me that a monk may recite a short and very standard Pali blessing. Lay people recite standard phrases in the local language, in a mantra-like tone and rhythm: e.g. "be well, be strong, live long and prosper".

I have not seen monks involved in ceremonies involving this practice. However, they may occasional bestow (for want of a better word) strings. With women they simply drape the string across the wrist, leaving her to tie it herself, or get someone else to do the deed.

The boundaries between Buddhism and indigenous animism are very fluid, but I would cast this practice more on the non-Buddhist animist side.

Remember, however: customs vary.

--S

[The Deerhunter]

It definitely is a Thai Buddhist thing but as thai buddhism contains so many pre Buddhist traditions, who knows the origin. Monks can do it & even My ma-in-law would to it to us as we left to go back overseas as a good luck talisman. Yes, meant to stay there till it falls off. Even with 2 showers a day and lots of tugging & picking at it it can stay on for months.......... And wifey will complain if yours has fallen off & hers is still there. Been there got the tee-shirt (and string around the wrist.)..... BTW, Usually the right wrist.

Edited May 2, 2014 by The Deerhunter

[khunpa]

I normally get in contact with the "string-thing", when we every year meet with family and friends to honor my deceased in-laws. The string is first blessed by some invited monks and then later cut up, shared and people then "tie" each other up, while wishing each other good luck, a happy life etc.

Later on at night, I will normally start drinking with the guys and we when are most drunk and "super friends", then a guy will normally find some of the string and we then do it again. To me it is a very good tradition. I heard it is Isaan, Lao, Cambodia, Chang Mai style/tradition and mostly done in those areas, but not sure if that is true.

[purushanti]

My own experience, naive me, first day in Thailand:

Had met a lady 11 years ago on the internet, Thai, somewhat high up in the government bureaucracy, arranged to meet on my arrival in BKK. She shows, with a witness I guess, we go to the temple, monk ties white strings around our wrists.

Good sport me, no problem in kneeling before the monk, figuring this is some exotic (to me) procedure, and want to be respectful in this culture new to me.

No discussion of what it meant, and we soon went our separate ways.

Hey, am I married?-----or was it just a general or friendship blessing?

If it was a marriage, it brings up another topic, perhaps for another thread: Why do so many other women, with house and car, want you/me to move in the first night here, and stay? It does not seem like money is the answer.

In India, the ancient custom is, apparently, to first be acquainted for four seasons, and then make your move. In Thailand:------ another mystery for me.

[dighambara]

HMMMM...???

It seems you haven't noticed most shrines are dedicated to Brahma - not Buddha...

The string is a Hindu concept - the tenuous thread that connects us to God, It is carried to the point of tying a wedding couple together.

In the West the idea grew into a ribbon as the 'tie that binds'...

Hinduism, is tied to Judaism, as Judiasm is tied to Christianity.

Monasteries, Monk's robes, chants, scriputres, all have a common root.

[thailiketoo]

HMMMM...???

It seems you haven't noticed most shrines are dedicated to Brahma - not Buddha...

The string is a Hindu concept - the tenuous thread that connects us to God, It is carried to the point of tying a wedding couple together.

In the West the idea grew into a ribbon as the 'tie that binds'...

Hinduism, is tied to Judaism, as Judiasm is tied to Christianity.

Monasteries, Monk's robes, chants, scriputres, all have a common root.

What country do you live in?

[Zendo]

HMMMM...???

It seems you haven't noticed most shrines are dedicated to Brahma - not Buddha...

The string is a Hindu concept - the tenuous thread that connects us to God, It is carried to the point of tying a wedding couple together.

In the West the idea grew into a ribbon as the 'tie that binds'...

Hinduism, is tied to Judaism, as Judiasm is tied to Christianity.

Monasteries, Monk's robes, chants, scriputres, all have a common root.

Well well, well...

why not after all, you can believe everything you want.. but as far as the thai are concerned nobody knows anything about brahma anymore here.

And hinduism is tied to judaism ?? please explain me that ^!

[bina]

sae57 is closest; the strings dont hvae to be blessed by a monk as we have no thai monks in israel but anyone who is an 'elder' of the particular group will do the initial 'blessing' and then everyone will do the 'peace good luck happiness' chant... in variations...with or w/o money tied in to the string (like before a long voyage/trip)...

strings in general are popoular among all cultures: here in israel the red string is practically the same: a rabbie or a 'wise women' or blessed woman will give u a red string (for a few shekels donation to whatever cause or to a beggar)against evil eye, for good luck, for fecundity, for health, whatever (the one madonna was wearing for a while, a kabbalistic thing)....

hubby takes his off after three days and doesnt like to wear in general

[dotpoom]

Every year I attend a children's Songran party at the local convent.
The children put a dab of water on each of our hands and tie the string around our wrists. The nun says it's a friendship string.

Edited May 3, 2014 by dotpoom

[Johpa]

The use of the strings arise from animist beliefs. Thai Buddhism is an almagamation between Buddhism and Animism in the same way that South American Catholicism is an amalgamtion between Catholicism and Animism.