Back to PH485 Table of ContentTheravada Buddhism in ThailandThe history of Buddhism in Thailand is a mystery. Nobody really knows when the tradition was imported into this region of the world. There has not been any record about the first mission of Buddhism into the Southeast Asian peninsula. Nevertheless, Buddhists in Thailand believe that the tradition was a result of the royal mission instigated by the famous Buddhist emperor of India, Asoka, in 2 BCE.Different Theravada Buddhist countries in Southeast Asia also claim their direct affiliation with the Asokan mission. Moreover, some regions of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka have vivid legends describing the visits of Gotama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, to their lands. It was said that the Buddha had earlier forecast the popularity of his teachings in these countries, and hevisited these places in order to prepare the native people for the arrival of this teaching in their countries. Along with a few other places in Thailand, the Temple of Phra Putthabat in Saraburee,is believed to be a place where the Buddha had visited and pressed his foot print on a piece of rock which has remained a sacred pilgrimage site for the Thai people.Buddhism is a living religion very unique in itself. Not only that it has no place for a Supreme Being who created the whole world, its doctrine is anti-ritual and in disagreement with the concept of Genesis like the one in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Buddhism has been said to be a religion without God, but, people who have been living in the Buddhist countries feelthat Buddhists perceive of God which is abstract compared to God as expressed in Western religions. For Buddhists, the world is always in order; the good ones are always rewarded, whilethe bad ones punished. The Law of Karma governs everything in the entire universe, and there isno room for anyone to do any evil undetected - justice prevails in the world.In Thai society, Theravada Buddhism (one of the three major branches of Buddhism and the one most popular in Thailand) has many faces. For those who are interested in spirituality, the tradition is full of meditation techniques that facilitate one to transcend the world of phenomena; for those who have their interest only in material well-being, the tradition has ways to achieve their goals; and for those who share no attention in either of the above, they can be involved in other practices and services such as healing, magical ritual, astrological prediction, etc.As a living religion, Buddhism contributes a variety of things, material or non-material, to serve a large number of people in countries where it inhabits. It is quite natural to find many things within the tradition that seem to be antagonistic against another aspect of the religion. TheravadaBuddhism lives hand in hand with local supernaturalism such as the worship of domestic spirit ghosts, amulet cults, and astrology. One can find these being practiced in almost every Buddhist household, yet, they were directly criticized by the Buddha himself.Up in the North and Northeast of Thailand there lives the forest monastic tradition, the followersof which practice a very austere form of Buddhism. Inside the monasteries, monks are engagedin their meditation and several forms of Buddhist asceticism. Monks dressed in brownish safronrobes, carry no money or any valuable things, live on only one meal a day, and dedicate theirwhole lives in pursuing their personal liberation.Buddhist monks of the urban tradition live quite an easier life-style from that of their austere friends in the forest. Their lives are more academically orientated. Most of their routine is full of learning and preaching of doctrinal Buddhism. Usually, town-dweller monks are ordained as young novices and then trained in the reading and interpretation of Buddhist texts. They are required to pass a rigorous linguistic examination each year that is held nation-wide. Those who make it to the top receive great prestige from the Thai community. Many of these scholars subsequently find their way up the ladder of monastic hierarchy in Thailand.Ordination into monkhood has been taken as a part of the life cycle for the male population in Thailand. In order to be allowed to be married or to inherit the wealth of one's parents, a man has to spend at least three to four months in monkhood, a traditional way of paying gratitude to his father and, specifically, his mother. Therefore, in Thailand, monkhood is considered to be educational and short-lived. Only in rare cases are some men very serious in their monkhood andintentionally spend their whole life in it.On the outskirts of Bangkok, there exists a monastery, Wat Phra Dhammakaya, which is famous for its unique meditation technique, the Dhammakaya meditation. For the last two decades, the temple has been a center for young university students from all over the country to meditate thereor participate in the Summer retreat program held annually. Although, the temple has been an attraction for many young intellectuals in Thai society, the monastery is founded by an illiterate Buddhist nun who is revered as the highest meditation master of the whole community.In the South of Thailand, there exists a famous forest monastery, Suan Mokkh, the Liberation Park, headed by the great Buddhist philosopher, Buddhadhasa Bhikkhu. He is very well known as one of the greatest minds of Thailand, author of scores of books, and preacher of modem sermons. His liberal but austere lifestyle has long been a great inspiration for millions of Buddhists in Thailand and around the world.Buddhists in Thailand are not at all somber or pessimistic as many may imagine from reading of Buddhist texts. On the contrary, they are a very joyous people. The whole Thai calendar is full of festivities and holidays. Thailand is one of the few places in the world that celebrates three New Years annually.To know Buddhism is not through the reading of books and articles, but, to live in the tradition where one can see the living, pulsating lives of Buddhists, young and old, male or female, ordained or laity. The religion functions more than a religion: lit is the whole civilization of the Thais who have bred and nurtured it for thousands of