Do Buddhists pray to mystical trees?

[finy]

There is a Buddhist shrine close to where I live and next to it is a huge tree.

There are orange ribbons wrapped around the trunk of the tree with some Buddhist stuff sitting beside it.

The branches stretch out quite a considerable distance from the tree shrine and I was hoping to hang gymnastic rings from one of the branches to do stuff like pull ups etc.

I was just wondering if the whole tree is a shrine to Buddha because I don't want to be offending anyone wrapping my straps around one of those huge branches if it's a sacred tree.

The straps would be around 3/4 meters away from the actual shrine, so I just want to make sure there is no such thing as a sacred tree. It looks pretty normal to me apart from the fact it's a little bigger than normal and it's in a car park behind an area with lots of late night bars.

Cheers

[CharlieH]

So, of all the places and trees in Thailand, you want to use this one ?, idiot troll !

With any luck they'll hang you from it!

[AYJAYDEE]

they are buddhists but they are also still animists and believe that spirits live in trees and you better ask around before you do anything like that.

[Seastallion]

I strongly suggest you keep away from it. Someone or some people, believe there is a spirit living in the tree. They would have gone to a monk who would have prayed to that spirit, then they would have put the spirit house or shrine there.

There is a similar tree at the end of my soi, but after the worshipper won the lottery, apparently the spirit left that tree. Personally I think a younger spirit has re-occupied it. I promised it that if I win the lottery, I will clean up the rubbish dump that is below the tree, and if I win enough, I will buy the land and make it into a park.

[Soutpeel]

Ask your self this question, imagine your in your own country and you suggested the same thing at a local mosque, church, synagogue.... Do you think the local punters using these facilities would be miffed ?

[BB1950]

It's a spirit tree. The whole tree is sacred. I suggest you leave it alone. I have one on my land. Thais come from all over to pray to it, usually asking the spirit for the next winning lottery number. Although I've been told the spirit that lives in mine doesn't tell the truth.

[Chao Lao Beach]

It's a spirit tree. The whole tree is sacred. I suggest you leave it alone. I have one on my land. Thais come from all over to pray to it, usually asking the spirit for the next winning lottery number. Although I've been told the spirit that lives in mine doesn't tell the truth.

We had real problems knocking down one tree where we built a house, it conveniently died finally. Many offerings and Red Fantas were given to the tree.

[Display]

"I was hoping to hang gymnastic rings from one of the branches"

Lol they will also be saying "Farang baa"

Stage too will be the introduction of the Muay Thai monk that will kick your ass. lol

[finy]

So, of all the places and trees in Thailand, you want to use this one ?, idiot troll !

With any luck they'll hang you from it!

Wow, I don't know what personal issues you're dealing with, but I hope you get better and I wish you the best.

[Soutpeel]

"I was hoping to hang gymnastic rings from one of the branches"

Lol they will also be saying "Farang baa"

Stage too will be the introduction of the Muay Thai monk that will kick your ass. lol

Farang monkey more like, maybe learning to pick coconuts

[finy]

"I was hoping to hang gymnastic rings from one of the branches"

Lol they will also be saying "Farang baa"

Stage too will be the introduction of the Muay Thai monk that will kick your ass. lol

That would actually be pretty cool to say I'd been messed up by a Muay Thai Monk.

[kannot]

I couldnt possibly comment, but I will..... Im always staggered by the insanity of religion.

Having said that the Wife says we should grow a Eucalyptus Deglupta ( look it up) and people will come for miles to see the lucky tree.....5 baht per view!!

[Soutpeel]

"I was hoping to hang gymnastic rings from one of the branches"

Lol they will also be saying "Farang baa"

Stage too will be the introduction of the Muay Thai monk that will kick your ass. lol

That would actually be pretty cool to say I'd been messed up by a Muay Thai Monk.

Not if he puts you in ICU it wouldn't

[Soutpeel]

I couldnt possibly comment, but I will..... Im always staggered by the insanity of religion.

Having said that the Wife says we should grow a Eucalyptus Deglupta ( look it up) and people will come for miles to see the lucky tree.....5 baht per view!!

Pieces of the true cross, saints bones, etc no different in any other religion, all scams IMHO

[T_Dog]

Just ask the locals and they might be fine with it. Or, they might be totally aghast that you would even ask. They might have a small ceremony to allow you to hang the swing. The beliefs in various areas of Thailand vary so you really have to ask the folks living there.

Animism is quite prevalent in Thailand and it seems to preclude Buddhism in some places. Here is a photo of a Lisu shrine for a deceased person. The people that placed this shrine go to a Christian church on Sundays, call themselves Buddhists, and practice animism. Only in Thailand can you find this kind of diversity and flexibility!

[Seastallion]

Just ask the locals and they might be fine with it. Or, they might be totally aghast that you would even ask. They might have a small ceremony to allow you to hang the swing. The beliefs in various areas of Thailand vary so you really have to ask the folks living there.

Animism is quite prevalent in Thailand and it seems to preclude Buddhism in some places. Here is a photo of a Lisu shrine for a deceased person. The people that placed this shrine go to a Christian church on Sundays, call themselves Buddhists, and practice animism. Only in Thailand can you find this kind of diversity and flexibility!

Don't forget the many Buddhists with shrines to Hindu gods, Ganesh is a common one.

[marko kok prong]

There would definatly be a pee,or spirit in the tree,my wife and her female relatives and friend,s go to one,after it gave them a winning lotto ticket,they brought a dress for the spirit,and hung it on the tree,there are many dresses ribbons etc on this tree,i would err on the side of caution here and find somewhere else,though my wife tells me they cannot see falang's [the spirits] only kon Thai,but you may upset people ,and if they start getting bad lotto numbers they may blame you,so i would find another one op.

[marko kok prong]

Just ask the locals and they might be fine with it. Or, they might be totally aghast that you would even ask. They might have a small ceremony to allow you to hang the swing. The beliefs in various areas of Thailand vary so you really have to ask the folks living there.

Animism is quite prevalent in Thailand and it seems to preclude Buddhism in some places. Here is a photo of a Lisu shrine for a deceased person. The people that placed this shrine go to a Christian church on Sundays, call themselves Buddhists, and practice animism. Only in Thailand can you find this kind of diversity and flexibility!

Don't forget the many Buddhists with shrines to Hindu gods, Ganesh is a common one.

I agree seastallion,it is sort of a combination of Buddhism,hinduism and animism in Thailand.

[finy]

I actually already use another tree in the car park along with a few others dotted around the city, so maybe this tree is just special for some reason.

The main shrine is actually at the side of the tree and it's just one of your regular ones. Then next to the shrine they've wrapped some orange tape around the truck and stuck a few decorations on it.

But I'll stick with the other tree for now.

[scorecard]

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"I was hoping to hang gymnastic rings from one of the branches"

Lol they will also be saying "Farang baa"

Stage too will be the introduction of the Muay Thai monk that will kick your ass. lol

That would actually be pretty cool to say I'd been messed up by a Muay Thai Monk.

Please don't feed the troll.

[bankei]

Tree cults have been a part of Buddhism since Shakyamuni sat under the fig tree for 9 nights before his enlightenment. The tree was a Fig tree - Ficus Religiousa. Since then the tree has been propagated and grown all over the Buddhist World. The tree at Bodhgaya is supposed to be a direct decendent of this tree or a tree planted by Asoka in 300BC. There are lots of references to trees in the Pali Suttas too 0 flowerig out of season and there was something that happened when the Buddha died too - can't remember what now.

However in the Thai situation it is the local spirits that are probably at work. Spirits inhabit the land and love to live in trees. This is why Thai houses have little spirit shrines as the building of a house destroys the homes of spirits

[khunPer]

»I was just wondering if the whole tree is a shrine to Buddha because I don't want to be offending anyone wrapping my straps around one of those huge branches if it's a sacred tree.«

Don't – it's a sacred tree...

[JensKjerSommer]

finy - you are a Senior Member here with a lot of posts, living in Thailand and still does not know anything about Buddhism and Thailand?? You act like a troll to me, no pun intended

[Emster23]

"Do Buddhists pray to mystical trees?"

No, but animists do.

Buddha had some remarks in similar vein about Ganges as holy river, saying if this were so then all the fish be very spiritually evolved. Buddha also said not to pray to him, so I suppose one could infer that praying to a tree would "bear no fruit".

[finy]

troll

It doesn't half get on my tits when I see this word mentioned online.

It's been overused to the extreme.

And why would I know anything about Buddhism after living in Thailand for a few years? I've lived in Scotland 27 years and couldn't tell you the first thing about anything Gaelic traditions. The only thing I can tell you about Catholics and Protestants is that one group support Celtic and the other Rangers.

My lack of knowledge in regards to religion hasn't done me any harm so far and luckily I can post on here so I don't come face to face with a Muay Thai Monk.

[Greg Nixon]

And here I thought Thais were irrational.

[Greg Nixon]

I recommend before putting up your gymnastic rings, that you go to India and shoot a cow in the public market or saddle a cow and ride it through the streets.

[Paulzed]

Funny stuff

[luckytrev]

My wife say's that the tree has been ordained to prevent any one from cutting it down. Maybe not wise to swing with a monk

[Skuttlefish]

These Spirit-trees pre-date Buddhism, officially this kind of worship is frowned upon by the Monks but in reality it is an intrinsic part of Thai culture. Avoid doing anything that like what you described.