Other Aspects of Buddhism:

History and Anthropology of Religion in Northern Thailand

Department of Anthropology Mash-Up November 14, 2014

Piyawit Moonkham

(pmoonkham@niu.edu)

Department of Anthropology

Northern Illinois University

"In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Western scholars considered

Buddhism to be an austere, monolithic religion focused upon

meditation and nirvana (the escape from the cycles of rebirth). Many

people still view it this way. Such a portrayal ignores the realities of

religious systems in Burma and Thailand, where numerous people

combine homage to the Buddha with such activities as spirit worship,

divination and numerology." - Alexandra Green

Reference:

http://blog.britishmuseum.org/2014/10/02/pilgrims-healers-and-wizards-buddhism-and-religious-practices-in-burma-and-

thailand/

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/pilgrims,_healers_and_wizards.aspx

Research Question

Other aspects of Buddhism in Northern Thailand

◦ Supernaturalism

◦ Mahayana

Northern Thai people modify, adapt, or combine those aspects

into their religious life (both monastic and communal life)

Interaction between Buddhism and Supernaturalism

Local perceptions of Buddhism

Research area

Chuang Mai from Doi Suthep

Two main sects of Buddhism

“…The goal of Theravada Buddhism is to ‘constitute in the scripture tradition

and attaining ‘Nibanna’ (the enlightenment) by cultivating the knowledge

regarding the causes of the existence and practicing morality as well as

emphasizes more the principle of the renunciation and monastic tradition”

“…Mahayana’s ideal has strongly believes in Bodhisattva who has performed

enough merit to enter Nirvana, yet renounces attainment of enlightenment and

return to help the sufferings of all humanity”

Buddhist Reform in Thailand

“the religious reforms of the nineteenth century ushered in

unprecedented centralization of the ‘Sangha,’ enhanced the

religious authority of the laity and rationalized cosmology in the

Southeast Asian Theravada tradition” (Juliane Schober 1995: 308)

Buddhism and Supernaturalism

Supernaturalism in Northern Thailand

local folk tales, oral histories

supernatural powers – or a wide variety of interpretations of the spirits

and indigenous myths.

Phuttha Tamnan Phrachao Liap Lok (Buddhist Chronicle of the Journey of the Lord Buddha)◦ the journey of the historical Buddha (Gautama Buddha) from India to many places around

northern Thailand ◦ related to sequences involving local people or spiritual beings that the Buddha encountered

Tamnan Phun Muang Lan Na Chiang Mai (Chiang Mai Chronicle)◦ rituals for guardian spirits and involved a Buddhist ceremony

Local Buddhist narratives

Spirit Cults

Pu Sae Ya Sae

Liang Phi Dong

Aspects of Mahayana

Phra Upakhut (Upagupta)

The ideas of crown Buddha and Diamond seat

Local Cosmology

Chiang Mai, Thailand Mahayana Mandala

Different perception, different customs, and

Buddhism

Supernaturalism

Theravada Buddhism

Mahayana concepts

Local perception of Buddhism

Spirits cults

Brahmanical deities

Theravada Buddhism

Mahayana Influences

Sources: Modern historiographies

‘Theravada Buddhism’ (R.

Lester 1973; C. Keyes 1977; S.

Mangrai 1981; Ling 1993;

Aroonrat W. 2006; J. Schober

2008; Praphod A. 2010; D.

Swearer 2010; P. Skilling 2012)

‘Magical Buddhism,’

‘Practical/Practicing Buddhism,’

‘Village Buddhism,’ ‘Popular

Buddhism.’ ‘Popular Religion’

(B.J. Terwiel 1979; P. Jackson

1989; Y. Hayashi 2003; Pattana

K. 2005; J. McDaniel 2011)

Local manuscripts

‘Satsana (religion),’ ‘tham

(Dhamma),’ ‘satsana phra

chao/phra phut (religion of the

lord Buddha),’ ‘kaew tang sam

(three jewels),’ ‘phutthasettham

(a piece of the Buddhist

Dhamma)’ (D.Swearer and

Sommai P. 1977; A. Peltier

1991; D. Wyatt 1994; Bamphen

R. 1995)

Future thesis questionDo people believe in various things and worshiping them separately?

Do these various forms of beliefs really connect to one another and perform along together well?

Did people chose or selected some beliefs aspects or created a new form of belief?

How was the interaction between Buddhism and local religious practices processed, both individually and communally?

How the two perceptions and minds work together, Buddhist and Supernaturalist, in maintaining individual and communal values?

Thank youand

Buddha bless you