mash up 11-14-14 pm
TRANSCRIPT
Other Aspects of Buddhism:
History and Anthropology of Religion in Northern Thailand
Department of Anthropology Mash-Up November 14, 2014
Piyawit Moonkham
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
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)
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
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?