Full Moon Hinduism
Posted by Stuart at 10:28 PM on April 05, 2004We were sitting in the outdoor jacuzzi at the gym, under the light of a huge orange full moon just over Ekk's shoulder. I was telling him about what I had witnessed earlier this evening and was hoping he could explain what I had seen.
I was strolling along Rama I Road, under the Skytrain, from the MBK shopping chenter, past Siam (shopping) Center and the new hotel/shopping center being built, past the Central World Plaza skyscraper that was just re-started, to the Ratchaprasong Intersection. On one corner is the Central shopping center, on another, the Gaysorn shopping center, on a third, the Erawan shopping center.
As I stood on Central's corner I noticed that the usually empty shrine was full of people. I sat and watched for a while, trying to figure out what they were doing. They all carried red roses and slips of red paper, and bundles of red incense sticks. They would light the incense, kneel and wai the standing, five-headed gold statue, and pray. When they were finished, they would leave the burning sticks in the golden pots full of ash and place their red roses on top of the pile of roses that had already been left.
Behind the statue was an explanation of what the image means. It's not Buddhist, but instead it is a Hindu image, representing the three-in-one god: Bhramin the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. By paying respects to this image, one meditates on the fact that all life has these three features: birth, life, and death. No one can escape.
But why the red flowers and the red slips of paper? Ekk just passed that off by telling me that this particular god likes red. So those who come to ask for something can appease the god by bringing red flowers. The fact that it was late at night with a full moon overhead made the requests even more auspicious.
So there you have it, an interesting little view into the religious life of Thailand. I am sure that if you asked every person at the shrine what religion they were, they would answer "Buddhism". But here they were, praying to a Hindu god with a good dash of red-colored superstition thrown in for good measure.
It shouldn't be so surprising. Buddhism is more a way of life, a philosophy, rather than a religion. The word religion was probably invented for the Thai when we had to have a concept of nation. When Buddhism reached China it is practised alongside Taoism, in Japan it is called Shinto Buddhism.
I'm a Buddhist, and I prayed at Phra Phrom's shrine and asked to pass my exams and graduate, and I did. Of course, I studied as well, but the prayer helped me believe. No harm in asking for extra help. Another time, I needed to sell my house and again I asked for help from that shrine, and "my wishes were granted". I'm sure all the people who go to these shrines have similar stories to tell.
These shrines are what we call Brahmin practices, not really Hinduism. That was a religious influence as old as Buddhism that was overlaid on top of a much, much older spiritual belief in spirits, or you could say shaminism.
Nui, it is surprising to me, because it's so different from what I am used to. I come from a religious background that teaches that "These are the rules and there shall be no diversion from them!"
But, as you say, the key is that Buddhism is more of a philosophy than a religion. The more I learn about it, the more this seems to be true. I have to say that it is a very logical, rational "way of life" that makes a lot of sense to me. But even after living here for a year and a half, I still don't know/understand all of the details of Thai Buddhism, which of course, as you mentioned different from Tibetian / Chinese / Japanese Buddhism.
It's still quite facinating to me, so I will be sure to continue to learn what I can. Thanks for the lesson :)
- Stuart
Ok I accidentally ran into this posting here. Anyway, few things I wanted to mention. The Hindu creator god is "Brahma" not "Brahmin". This site says it correctly http://www.pantheon.org/articles/b/brahma.html.
On the other hand "Brahmin" or "Brahman" was the word for a scholar and learned person who were also priests. The meaning of it changed over times however.
Buddism and Hinduism both started in India and they were taken to China, Tibet, and other Asian contries by traveling merchants in the old days. Thailand has influences from both Buddism and hinduism. Rama is also a hindu god, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu according to Hindu mythology. Ayuthayya is named after "Ayodhya" in India, the birth place of Hindu God Rama. The chants in the Buddist temples are in Sanskrit which was the language of India few centuries ago. Hinduism is also based on spiritualism and philosophy.
Both have come from the same region and that's why you see similarities. Also, thailand had influences from both hinduism and buddism like I said. I hope that sheds some more light on your question.
My aunt and mom like to drop by the Phra Phrom/Erawan shrine and pray whenever the opportunity arises. Many, many years ago, when we were in Thailand for vacation, my mom prayed to Phra Phrom and asked him to please give her a child. Less than a year later, out popped my brother. Heh, coincidence or a prayer answered by the Hindu gods? I really don't know... but because of gratitude, my mom still makes trips to the Erawan shrine whenever she can.