Buddhism Facts

Buddhism is the fourth largest religion of the world. Founded by Gautam Buddha, it is a path of spiritual development that helps a person in finding the true nature of life. Buddhism emphasizes on experiencing, rather than teaching or learning.

It considers meditation as the means to enlightenment and is based on a number of principles. The followers of Buddhism do not worship any God and follow the noble eightfold path to lead a meaningful existence. In the following lines, we have provided some quick information on Buddhism in a brief form. Read on to know some facts about Buddhism …

Meaning: System taught by the Buddha
Founded In: 6th Century BC Place
founded: North India
Founder: Siddhartha Gautama ("the Buddha"), an Indian prince
Followers: 376 million
Size: Fourth largest religion in the world
Main locations: China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia
Main Sects: Theravada and Mahayana
Sacred texts: Pali Canon (Tripitaka), numerous Mahayana sutras
Original language: Pali
Spiritual leader: Monk (lama in Tibetan Buddhism)
Place of ritual: Temple, meditation hall.
Theism: Varies - Theravada is atheistic; Mahayana is more polytheistic.
Ultimate reality: None, Nothing is permanent.
Holidays: Buddha's birthday, Buddha's enlightenment and lunar quarters

What is Theravada Buddhism

Theravada literally means 'The Way of the Elders'. This term embodies the entire sect in itself, as Theravada Buddhism is based on the original beliefs and practices of the Buddha and the early monastic Elders.

Also known as Hinayana Buddhism, it is mainly predominant in southern Asia, especially in Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Just like Mahayana, Theravada is also based on the Pali Canon, which comprises of an early Indian collection of the Buddha's teachings.

Theravada Buddhists have a sole purpose in life, which is to become an arhat. Arhat is the name given to a saint who has reached nirvana and will not be born again. For this, they follow a rigorous austere existence and renounce the world. As per Theravada or the 'Lesser Vehicle', a layman can never ever achieve nirvana. There are the following four stages through which a Theravada Buddhist can become an arhat:
Sotapanna (Stream-enterer)
Sotapanna is the stage where the person is a convert. To attain this stage, he has to triumph over the false beliefs.
Sakadagamin (Once-returner)
The stage of Sakadagamin is that of being reborn again. It can be achieved by conquering lust, hatred and illusion.
Anagamin (Never-returner)
The stage of being reborn in heaven is known as Anagamin. It is the stage where he becomes an arahant.
Arhat (Worthy one)
The last stage is known as Arhat. Here, the person has attained perfect enlightenment and will never be born again.

胡

Holy Shower at Wat Kancanaram

This morning, we went to Lorong Ong Lye at the advise of a master for the holy shower. Before we went to the temple, we went to get the flowers for the temple. This is not only normal flowers at the market, there's a few "unique and rare" items too. Luckily we managed to get all the stuff by 9am. When we reach the temple, we were told to pick up a pail filled with water and leave it near the monk, when it's our turn for the blessing, passed the packet of flowers to the monk and he will cut the lime ( got special way to cut, not what we always do). He also cut up the husk and the black colour plant. Then he lights up the candles and tied the white thread around the pails and passed it to us. Then he start his chanting which last about 5-8mins. We proceed to the room for shower and clear up the mess after we are done. The monk was very jovial, he was also impressed with the flower we prepared. He even asked why we know that we have to prepare all these and what is the special meaning behind all the item. When i answered all his queries, he gave me a smile and say " WIN ONLY, NO LOSS" in his thai hokkien ( 赢，没有输). After the shower, we went around the temple and start praying.

The Archan Toh Statue at the 2nd floor of the temple.

There's 7 kinds of flowers including jasmine, 3 limes, one black plant? wonder what is it and also things looks like coconut husk!

** The temple do prepare flowers for devotees, and with $1/- you can get a brand new towel should you forget to bring for the holy shower. It feels great after the whole session, I will sure bring my friends and family for it again. Thanks to the master who told us where and what to get for the session.

胡

Wat Phet Samut Worawihan วัด เพชรสมุทร

Wat Ban Laem or Wat Phet Samut Worawihan was once a small and disregarded temple, prospered and was enlarged mainly from the donations made by the people out of their faith and from their merit making and worshiping Luang Pho Ban Laem.


Later, this temple was promoted to the status of royal temple of the class Worawihan and was granted the name of Wat Phet Samut Worawihan by the King.


To replace the lost alms-bowl of Luang Pho Ban Laem, Prince Phanuphanwongworadej presented a blue glass bowl which can still be seen today.

美国女演员拜访法师并刺青

美国女演员布里坦尼．丹尼尔昨天在曼谷拜访1名法师，并请这名法师在她背上刺青，她相信刺青会带来好运

** 任何种族,肤色都好,只要人们觉得可以带来好运,钱财,名誉的机会,都会不惜代价愿意去尝试.但是请师傅刺青是永远的印记,要三思!

本文引用地址：http://www.udnbkk.com/article/2009/0620/article_55591.html

胡

Color of the Day

Day-Sunday
Color - Red
Planet- Sun
God of the day- Surya

Day -Monday
Color - Yellow
Planet - Moon
God of the day - Chandra

Day - Tuesday
Color - Pink
Planet - Mars
God of the day -Mangala

Day - Wednesday
Color - Green
Planet - Mercury
God of the day -Buddha

Day - Thursday
Color - Orange
Planet - Jupiter
God of the day - Brihaspati

Day -Friday
Color - Blue
Planet - Venus
God of the day - Shukra

Day -Saturday
Color - Purple
Planet - Saturn
God of the day - Shani

Buddha on Friendship

According to Nettippakarana there are seven qualities by which you can judge a friend. He should be pleasant and loveable, respectful, worthy of emulation, willing to engage in useful conversation, willing to tolerate words, engages in profound talk and never exhorts groundlessly.

Today, the younger generation have a tendency to shun good advice and show resentment when their faults are pointed out by even parents. A stanza in the Dhammapada spells out a bit of excellent advice. "Someone who points out your mistakes, declare them as weaknesses and condemns them, think of such a person as one showing you a treasure.

Associate with wise people of that nature. (midhinam va pavattaram-yam passe vajja dassinam; niggayhavadim medhavi tadisam pabditam bhaje). This shows that a friend need not be always sweet and soft spoken, but could resort to constructive criticism.

How to win Friendship

The Buddha has explained how to win and keep friends. By being generous one can surely win friends (dadam mittani ganthati) and also by being courteous and benevolent. Rejoice in your friend's achievements, praise any commendable acts and strong points. But the Buddha says that if you always keep on talking of your friend's goodness, kindness, greatness and so on, then you are trying to deceive him. In dealing with friends, one's word should be as clean as the actions.

According to the Jataka Pali, striking a friendship is one, maintaining it is another. Buddha has given invaluable advice not only to keep the friendship but also to make the bonds stronger.

• One should not visit the friends too often or overstay the welcome.This changes the friend to a foe. If your friend loses something, then you may be under a cloud. Visiting a friend too often invariably leads to gossip, which will involve you in a vortex of trouble. Buddha says that, it is equally bad not to visit your friends at all. You should judge for yourself how often you should visit your friend, how long you should stay and so on.
• Buddha has pointed out that a friendship deteriorates by asking favours, especially at wrong times. If at all you ask a favour, it should not be unreasonable or of a demanding nature. Asking favours far too often makes you a pest more than a friend.

Buddhist Commentarial Tradition defines a friend thus:- "A friend is one whose association leads to spiritual profitability, protects you from evil that may befall you and is inclined towards your welfare."

Phra Mae Thorani-Goddess of Earth. Straining water from long hair.

Mae Thorani (Pali: Dharaṇī) is a Thai goddess. She is recognized as the Goddess of the Earth. She is often shown wringing the cool waters of detachment out of her hair.

The water drowns the forces of temptation sent by Mara (demon) to distract the Buddha as he meditated under the Bodhi tree. When the evil Mara sent his three daughters Trsna, Rati, and Raga (thirst, desire, and delight), to seduce the Buddha & then his army to stop Buddha from attaining enlightenment, the latter touched the ground (depicted as the 'calling the earth to witness' pose in statues) & Mae Thorani appeared.

The water (representing the good merit accumulated by Buddha) she wrung from her hair caused a flood that drowned Mara's daughters & army. A statue of Mae Thorani protecting Buddha will be found in every Thai & Lao temple, sometimes beside or in front of the main Buddha image on the altar, or outside the viharn. She is also called upon as a witness during กรวดน้ำ gruat nam (pour water), when people pour water into a container while chanting & then empty it onto the ground, to share the merit they have made with the deceased (during ceremonies for weddings, dead ancestors, ordinations, house blessings, etc).

Nine birth star ceremonies

At Wát Pêt sà-mòot (วัด เพชรสมุทร) you’ll find a table decked with candles and plastic flowers in shiny gold bowls, a box with pens and bits of coloured paper, and a box with a slit in the top through which to slide the aforementioned bits of coloured bits of paper.

The red, yellow, orange, green, pink, blue and purple pieces of paper are meant to correspond with the days of the week.

In Thai tradition, there is an astrological rule (which has influence from Hindu mythology) that assigns color for each day of the week. The color is assigned based on the color of the God who protects the day or Navagraha.

For example, the God of Sunday is Surya which has red color. These colors of the day are the traditional Thai birthday colors. For example, King Bhumibol was born on Monday, so on his birthday throughout Thailand will be decorated with yellow color.

Write your name and surname, day/month/year of birth to enter the Nine Birth Star ceremony held on the tenth of August of every year. Suggest give 20 baht - wrapped the annotated paper in a baht note and shoved it into the box next to the candle display.

You are supposed to choose the colour of the day of the week you were born, not the colour of the day of your birthday this year. Eg, if you are born on a Wednesday, then filled out a green slip of paper and stuffed it into the box too.

Dream

I had a dream last night. I dreamt that i was with uncle taking a stroll and suddenly the scene changed to a "forest", we were busy plucking some leaves ( if i'm not wrong, it's the time when master says he need the leave to do some ritual for uncle). We were enjoying so much then, busy selecting leaves and i need to keep a look out, in case someone caught us. I remember our expression was funny!

Then there's also the scene when we both enjoying our ice cream, we just squat at the roadside with an ice cream on the right hand and a packet of nuts on the left. Then uncle ask " Why didn't you visit aunty and myself anymore? Busy? or you hate taking care of me?" No uncle, no such thing, if i'm afraid, i wouldn't have visit you and help to change and feed you. It's different now, things had changed, people has changed too. I still respect you and aunty, but it's just inconvenient for me to go to your house anymore. Then uncle said " Have you forgotten what you had promised me in the hospital? Have you forgotten the pact we had". No Uncle, never, as long as i'm needed, i'll be there to help. I just hope that it will never happened. I still remember what i had promised you on 19th May 2006, and I WILL KEEP MY PROMISE, forever.....

** Old people always said we should never break a dead man's promise. I've always bear it in mind and try not to promise anything, but there are some circumstances when we just had to give our promise, to make them feel better. I have a bad feeling, i hope all will be well. God Blessed...

Anniversary

Today is the death Anniversary of Uncle Chan. May he rest in peace and shall always be remembered.

求拜星期佛 一年行好运

只要知道自己是在星期几出生，可来到注明是代表星期几的佛像前虔诚膜拜，就能保佑你行好运。

是不是有些匪夷所思？

这种膜拜法在泰国的芭堤雅盛行已久，一个星期有七天，从星期一到星期天，每天都塑造一尊佛像作代表，只要查明自己的出生日期属星期几，就可前来膜拜。星期一至星期日里头，唯独星期三多了一尊佛像，据称这是因为星期三分为白天跟晚上两个佛像，佛像分别为以下名称：

星期日：成道佛祖、

星期一：平定佛祖、

星期二：涅槃佛祖、

星期三：托钵佛祖（上午）、禅定座佛（下午）、

星期四：冥想佛祖、

星期五：内观佛祖、

星期六：蛇神护法佛祖。

这七尊佛像每一尊都呈现出不同的形态与姿势，传说拜过这七尊佛像的人，一整年里都会走好运。

Wat Phra Thad Doi Suthep

This temple is one of the most famous Buddhist shrines in the region. A visit is a must for all Buddhists who come to Chiang Mai. Legend has it that an especially holy relic was brought to Chiang Mai in 1371. To decide where it should be enshrined, it was placed on the back of an elephant, which promptly set out to climb the mountain. It finally came to rest and there the relic was buried. The first chedi was built over it and the temple has been continually expanded and embellished ever since. Doi Suthep is a short seventeen kilometre drive from the city up a road that was first built in 1935. You then have to climb some two hundred steps up the naga stairway, or take a small tram to the temple. The view across Chiang Mai City and the river Ping valley is breathtaking and makes the exhausting climb worthwhile. And then there is the temple itself. Cloisters painted with bright murals depicting the previous lives of the Buddha and filled with Buddha statues, enclose a marble floored area in the middle of which rises up a glorious golden chedi. The chedi is surrounded with a railing and at the four points of the compass are places where people can offer flowers, light joss sticks and apply small squares of gold leaf as they pray and make their wishes. Doi Suthep can be seen from everywhere in Chiang Mai, it is a potent and powerful presence to which people often lift up their eyes for consolation in trouble or gratitude in happiness.

Wat Muen Ngern Gong

Wat Muen Ngern Gong is located on San Larn Road. This temple was first constructed in the time of King Mengrai in local Lanna style. Many rich families in Chiang Mai sponsor this temple since its name. Muen Ngern Gong, means millionaire or riches.

Wat Chiang Yuen

Wat Chiang Yuen is located outside the city wall on Mani Nopharat Road. Wat Chiang Yuen is one of oldest temples in Chiang Mai where every King had to pay homage to the Buddha image called "Phra Suppunyu Chao" (located in the wiharn) in order to gain good fortune in life. Hence, it is believed that the words "Chiang Yeun" means "long life."

In the period of King Phra Muangkaew (A.D. 1495-1525) the Buddha relics were enshrined in the stupa. The temple was abandoned after the Burmese defeat. Later on it was rebuilt by Phraya Wachiraprakarn. The big white and golden stupa is the most striking feature of this temple. Tel. 053-211654

Wat Dab Pai

Wat Dab Pai is located on Singharatch Road. In the past this temple was called Wat A-Pai or Wat Tung Kra Dang. Legend says that a monk called Phraya A-Pai, who was very sick and could not be cured, came to this temple and prayed for good health in front of an image of the monk, Dab-Pai. He recovered immediately. In gratitude he reconstructed the temple and changed its name to Wat Dab Pai and settled his family nearby. Today devout Buddhists still come to the temple to pray for good health. There is a sacred well in front of the wiharn, from which the King draws water to bathe images of the Lord Buddha. Tel. 053-222964

Wat Loi Kroh

Wat Loi Kroh is located on Loi Kroh Road. In ancient times this temple was called Wat Hoi Khor. It was constructed by the sixth King of the Mengrai dynasty, and so is more than 500 years of age. After the Burmese had been driven out of Chiang Mai towards the end of the eighteenth century, the city was deserted for twenty years. When Prince Kawila came to reconstruct the city, he brought in many people from other regions. Immigrants from Chiang Sean settled around this temple. The chedi and wiharn were designed in local Lanna style. Tel. 053-273873

Wat Chaimongkon

This temple is located on the bank of Ping River. This temple was constructed during the reign of King Tilokkaratch. During the occupation of Chiang Mai by Burma this temple was called Wat Oop Pa Peng or Wat Oop Pa Pok. Later King RamaV changed the name to Wat ChaiMongKong. The pagoda of this temple is built in Burmese style. Tel. 053-214728

Wat Chedi Luang วัดเจดีย์หลวง

Wat Chedi Luang (วัดเจดีย์หลวง, lit. temple of the big stupa) is a Buddhist temple in the historic center of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The current temple grounds were originally made up of three temples — Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Ho Tham and Wat Sukmin.The construction of the temple started in the 14th century, when King Saen Muang Ma planned to bury the ashes of his father there. After 10 years of building time it was left unfinished, later to be continued after the death of the king by his widow. Probably due to stability problems it took until mid-15th century to be finished during the reign of king Tilokaraj. It was then 82 m high and had a base diameter of 54 m, at that time the largest building of all Lanna.

In 1468, the Emerald Buddha was installed in the eastern niche. In 1545, the upper 30 m of the structure collapsed after an earthquake, and shortly thereafter, in 1551, the Emerald Buddha was moved to Luang Prabang. In the early 1990s the chedi was reconstructed, financed by UNESCO and the Japanese government. However the result is somewhat controversial, as some claim the new elements are in Central Thai style, not Lanna style. For the 600th anniversary of the chedi in 1995, a copy of the Emerald Buddha made from black jade was placed in the reconstructed eastern niche.

The icon is named official Phra Phut Chaloem Sirirat, but is commonly known as Phra Yok. Also on the temple grounds is the city pillar (Lak Mueang) of Chiang Mai, named Sao Inthakin. It was moved to this location in 1800 by King Chao Kawila; it was originally located in Wat Sadeu Muang. He also planted three dipterocarp tree there, which are supposed to assist the city pillar to protect the town.In a viharn near the entrance to the temple is the Buddha statue named Phra Chao Attarot (Eighteen-cubit buddha), which was cast in the late 14th century.

On the other side of the chedi is another pavilion housing a reclining buddha statue.

Wat Chedi Luang is home to many of the most important city and religious ceremonies.

Wat Phra Singh

Built in 1345, the temple is located on Sam Lan Road. It houses the North's most revered Buddha statue, Phra Phuttha Sihing which is enshrined in Vihan Lai Kham, a chapel that features exquisite woodcarvings and northern style murals. Every year on April 13, Songkran Day, the image is paraded through the streets of Chiang Mai for local people to sprinkle scented water on. This area was formerly Wat Li Chiang Market until 1345, when King Pa Yu, the fifth king of the Meng Rai Dynasty commanded the construction of this temple and a 24-feet chedi to contain his father's ashes.

This temple, situated in the heart of the city, is famous for its fine examples of Lanna art. It was founded in the fourteenth century, but all the buildings today date from the nineteenth century and much of the restoration work is of a very recent date. The rear viharn has some beautiful murals depicting scenes from every-day life in Lanna a hundred years ago. Here is housed a copy of the Phra Sihing Buddha Image. There is some exquisite wood carving on other buildings and the scripture repository, where holy texts written into folding books made of bai lan or sa paper, were carefully preserved, is a gem of Lanna art. The senior abbot in Chiang Mai resides at Wat Phra Singh and many important Buddhist ceremonies take place here.

Mueang Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai

Wat Chiang Man - Chiang Mai

This temple was built in 1297 at the site of the camp King Mangrai used when he supervised the building of Chiang Mai. It was the first temple to be built in Chiang Mai and contains several very old artifacts. The oldest structure is the Chang Lom chedi, which is in a style that could have originated from Sri Lanka via Sukhothai, or from Pagan.

Fifteen elephants represent a sea of unformed matter upon which the cosmos of the chedi floats. Nearby are a lotus pond, a raised scripture repository and an ubosot. The stela in front of the ubosot was inscribed in 1581, and is one of the oldest known records that establishes the founding date of Chiang Mai.The temple has two Lanna style viharn. The larger viharn was renovated by Khru Ba Srivichai in the 1920's.

The standing Buddha image (front right of the altar) has an inscription on its slightly lopsided square base that dates it to 1465. This makes it the oldest dated Buddha image to be found so far in Chiang Mai. Close study shows new gilt veneer covers pits and cracks that indicate the image's real age.

The smaller viharn to the north (open 09:00-17:00) contains two small but very famous Buddha images.

The Phra Sila image is a bas-relief that probably came from Ceylon in about the eighth century. The image is believed to have the power to bring rain and is the focus of a festival at the temple held from April 1-5.

The Phra Sae Tang Khamani crystal image belonged to Queen Chamadevi, who brought it from Lop Buri when she became the first ruler of Haripunchai. The image reputedly survived the burning of Haripunchai when it was razed by King Mangrai, and is honored for its powers to protect against disaster.


Address: 171 T. Sripoom A. Muang Chiangmai 50200