Religions in Thailand
Buddhism Tradition Tharavada (Tharavat) is traditional for Thailand, 95% of the inhabitants of the Kingdom are confessing this tradition. This branch is differently called a critted or small chariot, unlike a large chariot, Mahayana, common in Tibet, China, Mongolia, Buryatia, Korea and partly in Japan, sprinkling with local traditions of Sintoism. Khainanone is also called Buddhism in its pure form, in which he gave him Buddha Gautama. The big chariot, Mahayana, received its name due to the essential additions to the teachings by the followers of the Buddha and differs first of all the attitude towards the Personality of the Buddha. In Mahayana Buddha is considered to be God with all the consequences hence. Mahayana’s texts are written in Sanskrit, but in practice Tibetan dialects can be used.
Hynyana, except Thailand, also received the same distribution on Sri Lanka, in Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia and Laos and is considered the teaching of the Buddha in the original form, where the Pali Canon is used. It was this canon that had a huge impact on Thai language and the formation of an alphabet, with which all the Pali texts were now recorded. And although Buddhist vocabulary is not the main in the everyday life of Thai, almost everything from early childhood.
Buddhism in Thailand can not be called religion in the sense, as we used to understand it. In Tharavad, there is no concept of God, there is no concept of faith, as in Christianity, so it can only be considered a religion. Buddha Gautama was a teacher, a man, and not God, who gave people knowledge, how to get rid of suffering, awaken, know the essence of things and gain true bliss in Nirvana.
Those Buddhist rituals that we see in Thailand have nothing to do with prayer. Buddha can not ask for a miracle, that he makes life better, gave health. We see only tribute to respect the greatest person, not a plea. Buddha gave his teaching so that everyone can make his life better, and ask him about more simply inappropriate and meaningless.
The basis of the exercise is the concept of karma (Kaan Shorts – Book.), which consists of Bun (Konason, Bun Kuson), merit, a blessing act, and Baap, a bad act. The concept of sin in a Christian understanding is absent. According to Canon, everyone should choose what to do, how to sculpt his karma, make a good or evil, and not ask someone to make a good karma in absentia. Did a good thing – got a plus to his karma, committed a bad act – get minus. T.E. Banana will not grow from the branch.
The accumulation of merit and filling of their karma is the meaning of the lives of Buddhist. After the death of Spirit (Thehevada), it falls into Savannah (Savan), to intermediate "heaven", either in a sump (row) where life lives and after death "on that light" reborn on Earth. T.E, who has prames positive, reborn by people with the status dependent on the accumulated merit. Otherwise you can be reborn with animal or wood, for example. So, killing a mosquito, think about who will have to live the following life. Winking
Thais believe that positive karma works not only on the following life in the savanna or on Earth, but also makes life better right now. And if life does not improve, then you need to do more good things. There is a reverse situation. For example, someone makes a bad act, and he comes off his hands. This is explained by this already existing good karma with a bunch of previous merit. But here it is worth knowing that any minus sooner or later will give yourself to know, and then you will have to strain greatly to straighten the karma.
A sufficient number of good deeds does not happen. If the karma bowl is filled with a bog, a person reaches awakening and goes to Nirvana forever. But if a person is still here, it means that there are flaws. And do not ask for a Buddha, everyone should work on himself only.
Along with the canonical Buddhism in Thailand there are two confessions of Tharavada: Makhani and Thammyutiki, founded by Prince Mongkut before he became King Rama IV. The principles of Theravada are preserved here, the differences are minimal.
Old Dobddian Thai traditions have been preserved to this day. They closely connected with Buddhism, in the integration process did not arise any problems, obviously, due to the loyalty of the principles of the Buddha teaching: a refusal of violence, restraint, equilibrium, a different view of the problems in the world. Manifestations of these old traditions can be easily seen in everyday life. These are small houses for the spirits of Khanpchrabhum, food for spirits, various amulets. Today, you can often see on men big chest amulets round shapes made of gold (Tatukham RamTKHEP). As a rule, it is very expensive accessories, their price can reach a million baht. It is believed that the Guardian Angel (Sing Saxit), living in this amulte, will guard its owner, attract good luck, protect health and other. Depending on the type of amulet. To Buddhism, these amulets do not have exactly no relation.
According to legend, those souls that can not get into savannah, nor in the row (some suicides, for example.) can linger on the Earth for an indefinite time in the form of perfumes (Phi Sang Thaevad – Men’s Spirit, and Phi Sang Mangfa – Women’s Spirit). They need to be treated in every way, for their fate does not have the best so that they do not make bobes, and, if possible, they defended evil spirits. For them they make small houses Khanpchrabhum, feed, lay flowers and harness sandalwands.
Islam in Thailand is preached about three percent of the country’s inhabitants. Islam came to the kingdom together with merchants from Arab countries on the one hand and thanks to trade with Muslim Malaysia on the other hand. He received the main distribution in the south of Thailand due to the immediate vicinity with Malaysia. Nevertheless, Muslim communities can be found even in the very north of the country, for example. In the small town of Pai Chiang Mai Province.
In the kingdom you can meet Christians and see Catholic churches. But Thais still believe that Christianity is a foreign religion for them. Literally, Christianity – Faragov Religion. There are representatives of various Christian denominations in Bangkok, whose volunteers distribute Christian literature to everyone in a row. Thais willingly take this literature, thinking that it’s just a promotion of some firm. But when they explain what it is, from what "Firms", Yes, they are also offered to change religion, Faragi get polite refusal. And this is understandable. The overwhelming majority of Thai rose in a Buddhist environment, Buddhism is not just a religion for them, and a lifestyle, imbued with Mother’s milk, is their culture and history. Abandoned Buddhism – refuse to live now, lively lives in the late circuit of rebirths, and this is much worse than death.
