Thai Buddhists pray? Why? To whom?

[Typingdog]

I couldn't quote fang37, but he said in Post # 1

"I have observed Thais pray - particularly women.

Each night, they get into bed, kneel & do it.

Incidentally, I see Thai women, in the main, more at peace, less materialistic & sleep like babies.

Is there a correlation?"

Fang, there must be thousands of posts on TV that would take issue with "more at peace, less materialistic". Don't ever stand between an Isaan bargirl and the potential to strip a foreign man of everything he owns................or even $50.00.

Maybe it's because that isan girl is not a good Buddhism

Panca-sila

Pânâtipâtâ Veramani Sikkhâpadam Samâdiyâmi.

Adinnâdânâ Veramani Sikkhâpadam Samâdiyâmi.

Kâmesu Micchâcârâ Veramani Sikkhâpadam Samâdiyâmi.

Musâvâdâ Veramani Sikkhâpadam Samâdiyâmi.

Surâ Mêraya Majja Pamâdatthânâ Verami Sikkhâpadam Samâdiyâmi

Imâni Panca Sikkhâpadâni Samâdiyâmi (3x)

Translation: The Five Precepts

I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from destroying living beings.

I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from taking things not given.

I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from sexual misconduct.

I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from false speech.

I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from liquor causing intoxication and heedlessness.

I undertake to observe the Five Precepts to the best of my ability.(3x

Those are one of Buddhism chanting and also meaning in English

What all bar girl doing is wrong for Buddhism

Because we have 5 rule and those rule including you will not cheat on your husband or even your boyfriend

And also you will not try to seduce or try to take a man who already have relationship. May it be wife or girlfriend

Those who do will go to hell.

Also including drinking is wrong in Buddhism too you can read.

Bhudhist also teach people about

7 types of wife

1) killer wife

2) theif wife

3) master wife

4) mom wife

5) sister wife

6) friend wife

7) servant wife

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1438911803.592696.jpg

"Maybe it's because that isan girl is not a good Buddhism"

I undertake to observe the precept to abstain from false speech.

I refer to those isan bar girl he mention above

Sorry for not being clear

But I go back to read again.

I already type "that isan girl" which mean the isan girl he mention

Not all

Sorry for my bad English skill

.

Edited August 7, 2015 by Typingdog

[elgenon]

My Thai friends who go to temple do so to make merit for themselves and others.

I would like to believe in reincarnation as I like the idea. But if you are reincarnated and don't remember you messed up in your previous life you might just think you are lame because of bad luck.

[Kondiao]

A simple answer to the question is that Buddhists sometimes pray to Hindu gods. In Thailand I have known Buddhists to pray to Hanuman, Ganesha.... and I know that they are familiar with Kwan Yin - because whenever I have mentioned her name they corrected my pronounciation.

And to those who try to say that Buddhists are forbidden to pray - well, they are not permitted to lie, cheat either, you know? How many Thais do you know who do not lie? If they think they can get ahead by hedging on the rules.... how big a step is it from there to get around the strict rules and pray to other gods in order to attain merit that they do not deserve - sort of like officials - while knowing the rules - take bribes to do things outside of the rules.

And as far as being enjoined not to pray there is a whole country of Buddhists - some say it is an off-shoot of Mayanna Buddhism, others see it as a development of Theraveda - who pray all the time. Whether you want to argue it is Greater Raft or Lesser Raft or Diamond Raft you cannot deny that Tibetans are Buddhists and you cannot say they don't pray.

So why claim that Thais are not supposed to pray? The Hindu deities are still around and the custom of praying to them - or other spiritual beings - remains in the culture.

[elgenon]

I couldn't quote fang37, but he said in Post # 1

"I have observed Thais pray - particularly women.

Each night, they get into bed, kneel & do it.

Incidentally, I see Thai women, in the main, more at peace, less materialistic & sleep like babies.

Is there a correlation?"

Fang, there must be thousands of posts on TV that would take issue with "more at peace, less materialistic". Don't ever stand between an Isaan bargirl and the potential to strip a foreign man of everything he owns................or even $50.00.

I cry "foul"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I created a post saying good things I have observed about bar girl deeds. And it was banned saying TV doesn't talk about such careers even though we know they exist. <deleted>!

[elgenon]

My Thai friend whom I've known for 30 years says she prays to the special monk.

[Typingdog]

My Thai friends who go to temple do so to make merit for themselves and others.

I would like to believe in reincarnation as I like the idea. But if you are reincarnated and don't remember you messed up in your previous life you might just think you are lame because of bad luck.

You do remember

Hard to explain. It's complicated.

Budhism teach people to stay with present. That is how to live without fear and worried

Edited August 7, 2015 by Typingdog

[billd766]

Christians pray to an invisible God, as do Moslems.

What difference does it make what religeon you are as long as YOU believe and don't interfere with other religeons.

My wife and son rarely pray and they are nominally Buddhist.

As for me, I am am retired Christian yet every time I open a bottle of whisky I offer the first capful to the spirits of the land where we live as a token of thanks.

Would you call that praying? If so, what religeon would you call it?

Um. A spiritualist religion?

If whisky is a religeon then why not?

[fang37]

My Thai friends who go to temple do so to make merit for themselves and others.

I would like to believe in reincarnation as I like the idea. But if you are reincarnated and don't remember you messed up in your previous life you might just think you are lame because of bad luck.

You do remember

Hard to explain. It's complicated.

Budhism teach people to stay with present. That is how to live without fear and worried

Interesting that you make the comment "How to live without fear & worry."

I commenced a thread with that exact title.

My motivation- I read a book - same title - by Venerable Dhammanada.

[Shawn0001]

I have observed that, in the Nth, the Thais are very superstitious. In doing so, a little prayer seems appropriate - not hurting anyone.

The locals all think that the Buddha was born in Thailand. There has been only one exception.

I have sought literature from The Buddhist Educational Foundation (Taiwan). My MIL is enjoying the read.

So many up this way know very little about Buddhism let alone apply same. Even the local monks are short on knowledge.

My latest project is to form a library at the local wat for monks, adults & children.

"The locals all think that the Buddha was born in Thailand."

Nonsense, it's probably your poor way of asking, do you say Buddha or do you say Phuthth? If you say Buddha they probably think you mean Buddhadasa who was born in Thailand, all Thais know that Phuthth was born in India!

"My latest project is to form a library at the local Wat for monks, adults & children"

Do they not have one already? If not then go to the nearby larger Wat and take a look at the ceiling, if you could read Thai you would see that the Wat's libraries do generally teach where Buddha came from as well as teaching the whole Dharma. There is no shortage of literature regarding the Buddha Dharma, no need to import from Taiwan, those books in Thai that the Buddhist Educational Foundation have were actually made in Thailand after being written by Thai monks, and you could pick one of them up in 7-Eleven!

[fang37]

Shawn0001

You are well informed!

My Thai is passable after 13 years.

Buddha - I thought India too. I was proven incorrect - Nepal it seems. But who really cares?

Library - pitiful. I have already donated literature in Thai & English.

Recently, I had some more literature impoerted. My MIL is currently reading same.

Are you aware of which wat I am referring to?

In CNX, I had a truckload imported - literally a truckload. The literature was then redistributed amongst other wats.

[timber]

I believe the self mindedness is the focal point of Buddhist, and showing relevance to to Buddha is one way of obtaining that state of mind

which is a spiritual state which also involves and incredible state of awareness of the present. . To Buddha there is no religion involved in

Buddhism, as it is a lifestyle living under certain beliefs which makes you humble in the truest sense of the word.. Human beings, being human

have made it a religion for many, as it is a need, for the majority of the human race to have an entity that will make life better and be accountable

for problems the human race has created. Most people need a crutch, or scapegoat. As with all religion, and beliefs, interpretations significantly

alter the visions of the initiators.

[fang37]

I believe the self mindedness is the focal point of Buddhist, and showing relevance to to Buddha is one way of obtaining that state of mind

which is a spiritual state which also involves and incredible state of awareness of the present. . To Buddha there is no religion involved in

Buddhism, as it is a lifestyle living under certain beliefs which makes you humble in the truest sense of the word.. Human beings, being human

have made it a religion for many, as it is a need, for the majority of the human race to have an entity that will make life better and be accountable

for problems the human race has created. Most people need a crutch, or scapegoat. As with all religion, and beliefs, interpretations significantly

alter the visions of the initiators.

"To Buddha there is no religion involved."

"Lifestyle"

"Make it a religion...... make life better."

"Most people need a crutch, or scapegoat."

The above - excellent!

[Maggusoil]

Christians pray to an invisible God, as do Moslems.

What difference does it make what religeon you are as long as YOU believe and don't interfere with other religeons.

My wife and son rarely pray and they are nominally Buddhist.

As for me, I am am retired Christian yet every time I open a bottle of whisky I offer the first capful to the spirits of the land where we live as a token of thanks.

Would you call that praying? If so, what religeon would you call it?

ISHABIFOMTAFL. The religion of Ishabifomtafl was formed around the time the western medical profession started performing brain surgery and electo magnetic impulse therapy on people with so-called psychological problems such as alcoholism and psychosis and for whistle blowers who knew too much about government dirty business.

Many people know this religion for its principal precept. "I'd sooner have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy."

When Ishabifomtafl followers utter this mantra, it is normally spoken by slightly slurring the words to get the full effect. Smiling and dribbling at the same time is considered to be the highest expression of Ishabifomtafl's benefits.

Personally I can neither understand why my girlfriend can get up really early to go to the local Buddhist monastery, to feed the monks and invoke good luck for the day and then spend the next 12 hours drinking whiskey white with her alcoholic family. Personally I think a conversion to something like Ishabifomtafl would be a more coherent choice, but I am hesitant to suggest this as I value my life. Sodden as it may be.

[rockyysdt]

Personally I can neither understand why my girlfriend can get up really early to go to the local Buddhist monastery, to feed the monks and invoke good luck for the day and then spend the next 12 hours drinking whiskey white with her alcoholic family.

The answer to this is conditioning.

Your Girlfriend observed as an infant and child a custom that has been performed for centuries.

Adherents, particularly those who have very limited, if not no knowledge of the Buddhas teachings, observe these practices in order (as they were taught) to have good luck and a more fortunate next life, and eventually a place in paradise with the Buddha.

Every Nationality will have there own set of customs and rituals.

What your girlfriend doesn't know is that the only way to Awakening is through knowledge and through dedicated practice.

It does needs to be said that there is nothing wrong with assisting those who have dedicated their lives to the Buddhas teachings.

This can be linked to the Brahmaviharas or Sublime Attitudes which can attune the mindset of a person to enhance their practice towards Awakening.

They include:

Metta: Wish well upon all sentient beings.

Karuna: Wish that all sentient beings are free from suffering. To feel the pain of another as if it was yours.

Mudita: Joy in the accomplishment of others or oneself.

Upekkha: Learning to accept loss or gain, sorrow or happiness. All are equal in a clear tranquil state of mind.

To take care of the needs of those who dedicate their lives to practice cannot be undervalued.

Your Girlfriends act allows a mindset perfectly aligned to the practice of Concentration & Mindfulness.

She just doesn't recognise it as she allows herself to be influenced by the alcohol.

Edited August 7, 2015 by rockyysdt

[Skeptic7]

Generally, I would classify myself as an atheist - formerly agnostic.

However, prior to a medical procedure, I find that a small prayer to "God" has a calming effect.

I feel sorry for you.

You feel sorry for someone who rejects the ridiculously absurd superstitious notion of at god??? As a lifelong atheist who resides in the natural, amazing, wonderful, REAL world...I feel sorry for YOU.

[csabo]

Passengers pray to their God before boarding flight 370 for a safe flight no doubt. Their God ignores them as evidence apparently shows the pilots (mere men) chose to kill all on board. Their God ignores their prayers and the fight vanishes. Family members pray to the same God for answers. A year passes with nothing. God ignores them. A wing part washes up on a beach. Still the part is not confirmed as being from the missing plane. The families pray for closure. He ignores them. Confirmation will no doubt come after prolonged agony of waiting and wondering. Then they will thank their God for answering their prayers and continue a life of blind faith and use this as an example of the power of prayer. If that is a picture of sanity or mental well being or comfort to you, you suffer delusion and should immediately commit yourself for psychiatric counseling. If you are about to reply to the contrary, don't. There is no logical response to this obvious example to abandon a belief in a fictitious being who has both the power to save the innocent victims and the malice to fail to prevent their tragic frightening demise.

[nidieunimaitre]

Generally, I would classify myself as an atheist - formerly agnostic.

However, prior to a medical procedure, I find that a small prayer to "God" has a calming effect.

I feel sorry for you.

You feel sorry for someone who rejects the ridiculously absurd superstitious notion of at god??? As a lifelong atheist who resides in the natural, amazing, wonderful, REAL world...I feel sorry for YOU.

What makes you think I feel sorry for him rejecting god?

I feel sorry for him for going back to his god belief when he has medical problems.

Quite the opposite!

PS "ni dieu" is obviously far beyond your linguistic skills.

I feel sorry for you too.

[rocketboybkk]

I have observed Thais pray - particularly women.

Each night, they get into bed, kneel & do it.

Incidentally, I see Thai women, in the main, more at peace, less materialistic & sleep like babies.

Is there a correlation?

No, I think Thais don't give a monkeys about tomorrow

Money today, spend it, tomorrow, worry then

I don't know any Thais who care about money

Us is the west want to try & secure out future financial security for retirement

Thai people rely on others - like 'stupid farang'

That's why they sleep like babies

It's nothing to do with praying - unless they pray while jogging 5km & it tires them out

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fang37]

Thai-Thai v Chinese-Thai - very different.

The CTs dominate ownership of assets in LOS?

[elgenon]

Generally, I would classify myself as an atheist - formerly agnostic.

However, prior to a medical procedure, I find that a small prayer to "God" has a calming effect.

Comedian Bill Mahr , who is an atheist, says an atheist and an agnostic are the same. So I am curious as to the difference.

[elgenon]

Every religion I can think of prays to entities other than gods. Why does the OP think people only pray to "god"? Muslims, Catholics, Buddhists, all Christians do it.

[elgenon]

My Thai friends who go to temple do so to make merit for themselves and others.

I would like to believe in reincarnation as I like the idea. But if you are reincarnated and don't remember you messed up in your previous life you might just think you are lame because of bad luck.

You do remember

Hard to explain. It's complicated.

Budhism teach people to stay with present. That is how to live without fear and worried

TypingDog- I agree there are many good ideas in Buddhism. Living in the present(mindfulness), if you can't do anything about it don't worry about it, be respectful, etc. I wish I could remember lessons of past lives. I do have a friend who can read the Akashic Records. You can remember?

[Typingdog]

My Thai friends who go to temple do so to make merit for themselves and others.

I would like to believe in reincarnation as I like the idea. But if you are reincarnated and don't remember you messed up in your previous life you might just think you are lame because of bad luck.

You do remember

Hard to explain. It's complicated.

Budhism teach people to stay with present. That is how to live without fear and worried

TypingDog- I agree there are many good ideas in Buddhism. Living in the present(mindfulness), if you can't do anything about it don't worry about it, be respectful, etc. I wish I could remember lessons of past lives. I do have a friend who can read the Akashic Records. You can remember?

Nope lol I was in corse that I did terraced walking 1 hour then meditate 1 hour 4 times a day. And I feel great. Feel real happiness . I don't wanna see thing while I meditate. I'm scared

[Maggusoil]

Generally, I would classify myself as an atheist - formerly agnostic.

However, prior to a medical procedure, I find that a small prayer to "God" has a calming effect.

I feel sorry for you.

You feel sorry for someone who rejects the ridiculously absurd superstitious notion of at god??? As a lifelong atheist who resides in the natural, amazing, wonderful, REAL world...I feel sorry for YOU.

I feel a little sorry for anyone who has not had the opportunity of seeing is believing. If you had ever seen God, you would know. OK OK OK

No. . . not a big, heavily muscled, half clad, bearded man reaching down from a cloud, not quite, not even remotely.

Anyway, if you had you would know. I was similarly inclined. Yes the natural, amazing and wonderful real world is ok, but God is something else and everything at the same time.

For those that have seen it, or experienced it . . . . its pretty bloody awesome . . .not to forget easily

[IMA_FARANG]

They do not technically "Pray" but many do offer devotions and praises to Buddha and others who are renowned for following Buddha's path.

You are free to interpret that any way you wish.

[fang37]

I was brought up/dragged up as a Christian but have applied Buddhist principles for 30 years.

When I am in hospital, about to be operated on or am in extreme pain, only then do I pray to God.

What have I got to lose? You never know!

[nidieunimaitre]

I was brought up/dragged up as a Christian but have applied Buddhist principles for 30 years.

When I am in hospital, about to be operated on or am in extreme pain, only then do I pray to God.

What have I got to lose? You never know!

If I was god, you would not get away with praying to me only when you need me.

[fang37]

Thankfully, you are not God - not even on the shortlist I hear.

[thehelmsman]

Who decided Buddha was a fan of Red Fanta? If a small incident of bad luck occurs I'm always quick to point out that perhaps Buddha needs more red fanta.

[elgenon]

Who decided Buddha was a fan of Red Fanta? If a small incident of bad luck occurs I'm always quick to point out that perhaps Buddha needs more red fanta.

Why would he not be??? 5555