Do Owls have symbolic meaning

[THAIPHUKET]

We have this cute baby Owl in our Garden. Is there any symbolism attached to the Owl like wisdom for Farang?

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[Morakot]

Not sure if there is any specific symbolic meaning, but it looks great.

Very impressive.

[growe237]

Not sure if there is any specific symbolic meaning, but it looks great.

Very impressive.

Wisdom, yes, plus Kwakwaka'wakw nation (in Canada) believe hearing an owl foretells imminent death. A good book is "I Heard the Owl Call My Name."

[T_Dog]

In the animistic beliefs of the north, it is a harbinger of death.

[notmyself]

In the animistic beliefs of the north, it is a harbinger of death.

That belief is quite widespread.

[srn89]

I understood that Owls in Thailand are considered Bad Luck.

[THAIPHUKET]

That makes sense because Owls need blood not water and don't feed on seeds but on mice etc.

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[notmyself]

I understood that Owls in Thailand are considered Bad Luck.

Only when they hoot.

You need to disembowel a goat and spread its entrails about the house for protection.

[T_Dog]

This owl visited a few years back. Right now we have a large owl that feeds on mice and frogs around the house.

[THAIPHUKET]

Is that what the legend says or your invention?

Would be historically interesting

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[THAIPHUKET]

Was referring to disembolment

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[notmyself]

Was referring to disembolment

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Not sure if I read it somewhere or it came to me in a dream.

[brianP]

Owls are the night hunter, their feathers are so soft as to make no noise during flight. Eyes can penetrate the darkness, heads can do a 300.

[poweratradio]

Not sure if there is any specific symbolic meaning, but it looks great.

Very impressive.

Wisdom, yes, plus Kwakwaka'wakw nation (in Canada) believe hearing an owl foretells imminent death. A good book is "I Heard the Owl Call My Name."

Where might one find a band member of this nation in Canada???

[THAIPHUKET]

Owls are the night hunter, their feathers are so soft as to make no noise during flight. Eyes can penetrate the darkness, heads can do a 300.

That is interesting. I noticed that the eyes were following me with a turn of 180 degrees which gave them an even more memorizing touch. Nature does not do anything without a purpose, I wonder what the 300 degrees are good for. Keeping watch without moving the body while sitting on a branch? That would fit the silent feathers.

Fascinating subject

[thaiowl]

As a long-suffering Sheffield Wednesday supporter, I can confirm that the Owls are definitely bad luck!

[recycler]

There night animals, Thais connect them with ghosts and bringers of bad luck.

Had one like this before, found it next to my car on the parking lot, probably fallen out of a nest. I think it's a Collared Scops Owl.

Amazing creatures, very silent and skill full flyers and rather easy to domesticate, not that they belong in the house. Mine died out of eating raw meat during the bird flue period.

[wandasloan]

In the animistic beliefs of the north, it is a harbinger of death.

Indeed. And there are other owl beliefs among Buddhists, and not just in Thailand. And none of them have any connection whatsoever to Buddhism. The Tripitaka has no position on owls, heh.

.

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[SDM0712]

Depends if you've seen "The Fourth Kind" with Milla Jovovich. I've seen and laughed at some scary movies in my time but I didn't sleep properly for a week after this. Supposedly based on a true story.

It's not an owl.

SDM

[bankei]

Not symbolic in Buddhism. I can't think of any reference to them in any sutta or vinaya.

[Lazybones]

This one's ok but the grey owl found in the garden is considered a harbinger of death in Thailand and should be frightened away. We had one sitting in a tree about 40m from the house last Friday and the tree next to it was zapped by lightning. The owl flew off but the tree caught fire. The next day the monks came and blessed the area - true. The tree had to be cut down - a very old and tall sugar palm.

[notmyself]

This one's ok but the grey owl found in the garden is considered a harbinger of death in Thailand and should be frightened away. We had one sitting in a tree about 40m from the house last Friday and the tree next to it was zapped by lightning. The owl flew off but the tree caught fire. The next day the monks came and blessed the area - true. The tree had to be cut down - a very old and tall sugar palm.

Therefore it must be true.

[IMA_FARANG]

Old African American voodoo tradition also.

When a Owl hoots at night with a Who you must answer with your name like this, "This is me, Jim, Mister Owl".

That's because the Owl is supposed to know who will die that night because it is a creature of the night with eyes that see in the night.

I believe it is from voodoo religious beliefs brought from Africa also.

But I haven't any idea what that tradition has to do with Buddhism.

[notmyself]

Old African American voodoo tradition also.

When a Owl hoots at night with a Who you must answer with your name like this, "This is me, Jim, Mister Owl".

That's because the Owl is supposed to know who will die that night because it is a creature of the night with eyes that see in the night.

I believe it is from voodoo religious beliefs brought from Africa also.

But I haven't any idea what that tradition has to do with Buddhism.

It has nothing to do with Buddhism any more than it does with animism it is superstition based upon fear of the dark.

[Dumbfounded]

We're looking after this little bloke who we found in our garden 2 months ago with a broken wing. Thai wife feeds him pigs liver and gives him water and calcium (with a syringe). Wife doesn't know of any symbolism or omen regarding him. Anyway he is a pet now as won't survive alone.

[sabaijai]

Moving to General, as this has little to do with Buddhism. Interesting stuff though.

[marko kok prong]

Not sure about the Owl,though they are beautiful birds,personally i love them,but it gets me when people talk of Kon Thai as buddists,this is a very thin veneer,over their predominatley animist beliefs,for instanace my wife prayed too an burnt a candle next to a big fungi that has grown from a tree stump the other day,she swore smoke was coming off it ,[probably steam in the early morning],but however she did win 5000 b ,in the lotto,with which she sponsored me a can of beer,i was ecstatic as you can probably understand,a whole can of beer,i looked at the fungi again today,some one has scratched 23 into it,at least it's not 50,which i will be next month,if an owl appears and drops a fifty b,note then i shall be worried.

[BillyBobThai]

Now let's see, who's going to die next?

[notmyself]

she swore smoke was coming off it ,[probably steam in the early morning]

Spores I should think.

[wileycoyote]

Sadly,not a good supersition .Howevere your kindness to the bird will bring you good luck