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I hope that the introduction post of May the Force be With You will give you a little insight that Animistic beliefs are still widely practiced in Laos. As for our neighboring country Thailand, they also share this belief because Buddhism in Thailand is also closely tied to animist beliefs and belief in ancestral spirits. I found an interesting article from Koosang Koosom Magazine written by the mother of Nong Mou-Nong Mot from Maha Sarakham, Thailand that I like to share, this story will make you think twice before making a wish. This article is written in Thai language, translated by Nye.
Erawan Shrine Photographs by Kiteion
Photo source
Going back to 1990 (Thai year 2533), my husband and I were working in Krung Thep at the time, I was 3 months pregnant with my first child, my husband was ecstatic and so he went to visit the Erawan Shrine at the 4-intersection of Ratchaprasong to ask for a son. Then the day of my delivery came and we had a son just like he asked, my husband and I were very happy. We went back to give offering to Thunthou Phra Phrom Erawan (Erawan Statue), we did everything that we promised if our wish were granted. But one thing that we didn‘t do was to bring our son to pay respect to Thuntou Phra Phrom Erawan, not even once.
This was because my sons were raised by my parents in another town, they were good kids, easy to raise and I had 2 sons, the oldest was born in 1990 (2533), and the second in 1992 (2535), this one we didn’t ask for. Then in 1998 (2541), we moved back home since the boys were getting older and about time that we lived as a family. I kept thinking that I want to bring my sons to pay respect to Thunthou Phra Phrom Erawan, especially my oldest son, but since I was busy working, trying to make ends meet, and could never find the time.
During school breaks, my sons would help us at the clothing store in town to earn extra income, I worked there as a head cashier, and would get off work at 8 pm, and it’s considered late in the rural area, we did this for several years. My sons were good kids, they helped with household chores, including helping out in the rice paddy. I taught them not to forget their roots, the trade that has been passed down for many generations, we’d help each other farming during our day off, and hired out the things that we couldn’t do ourselves. Who said that having a son the mother has to do all the work, I say not true at all because ever since they were in the 5th and 6th grade, I didn’t have to wash dishes, nor clean the house because my sons did it all, they felt sorry for their mom that I had to work so late.
I was very happy and proud of my sons, but my happiness short-lived because in 2008 (2551), my oldest son had a late class and wouldn’t get out until 7 pm, he called to ask if he could stay at his friend’s dorm, I didn’t mind and only asked him not to disappoint his mom. He promised that he wouldn’t, and that was the last time that we spoke.
I may not be able to attend this important General Assembly Meeting at Wat Buddhatham-aram but I like to show my support in some other way. Wat Buddhatham-aram is the heart of Lao Buddhist community of Portland Oregon built in 1980 by faithful Buddhist worshipers and has grown since.
It is important that members attend this important meeting, as passed on to me this urgent message that on Sunday October 18, 2009 at 2pm, the community have the opportunity to restore and help the Lao Temple of Oregon back to how it once was. The community need 600 signatures to keep the temple and community at peace. This is critical, 600 signatures to avoid disbandment of the monks and the community.
Your voice is very important here, I believe the temple is having Thot Kathin this weekend, so please stop by and sign your name on Sunday October 18, 2009 at 2pm. Please tell your friends and family to help spread the word, 600 signatures are needed to restore Wat Buddhatham-aram and the Lao community of Portland Oregon.
Yesterday we had Thot Kathin or Kathin Ceremony at our local temple, Wat Greensboro of North Carolina.
Dork Champee, I’ve not seen one in a long time. The aroma is incredible and it’s one of the offering flowers.
In most Southeast Asia countries, where Buddhist monks live in one place for 3 months known as Punsa or Rain Retreat, and after the three months of Retreat observance, people have a very grand festival of offering food to the monks in various Wat (Temples), each Wat could only Thot Kathin once a year. At this same time, they prepare special yellow robes that are offered to the Sangha .
This special yellow robe offering is called the Kathin Offering Ceremony. It can be done only during the period from the end of the Rain Retreat to the first day of the Waning Moon of the 12th Lunar Month, which means only within 29 days after Ork Punsa. There must be at least 5 monks for a Wat to Thot Kathin, and in the United States, it’s hard to have that many living in one Wat, but we have 6 monks at our Wat for the Kathin Ceremony. This year we have a Kathin Samakee, which means that it’s being hosted by many and not just one person, we had the Khmer, the Lao, and the Thais and raised over $10,000.
- Paya Soke
When you’re in the presence of a sacred place, I think you could feel it, I know it happened to me. I’ve been in many holy places before, but the one place that has such a strong force to me was the road to Vang Vieng and heading towards Luang Prabang Laos, and might be that it was the guilt that I feel, we didn’t stop to pay our respect.
This place was nothing fancy, it was a place that lies behind the curvy road, and as we drove up the mountain road of Hwy 13, I saw several cars parked along side of the road, and a group of people paying their respect to a spirit house. The smokes from their incense sticks were forming clouds above them, I asked my cousin what they were doing. He said it was Sarn Jao Pou (The Shrine of a Sacred Spirit), they’re paying their respect and asking him for a safe journey .
Our vehicle climbed up the road slowly and we passed without stopping since we didn’t have any incense stick with us, I was mesmerized by the image in front of me that I forgot to take some pictures. I silently said my prayers as we passed Sarn Jao Pou. The name of the road made me feel uneasy and might be that I grew up in the Western society where number 13 is considered unlucky, but I didn’t have a chance to ask my cousin if Lao People living in Laos feel the same way.
I’m a Buddhist, and why do I worry so much about Animism you might ask because worshiping Sarn Jao Pou is an Animistic belief. If I were raised in Laos, this would have made perfect sense because Buddhism in Laos is often closely tied to animist beliefs and belief in ancestral spirits. And here I was raised in the US, but the feeling and belief is equally as strong as Laotians living in Laos, and I’m not sure why. I often thought that having six senses is a gift, but to some that actually have it might think differently, more like a curse I would say, and at that moment as we traveled on this mountain road, I was glad that I don’t have six senses, Hwy 13 looks so treacherous and I couldn’t imagine what I would see along the way.
A long introduction to my next post, I found an interesting article written in Thai language titled “Be careful If you asked for a child from a Sacred Place.”
Today was Ork Punsa at our local temple Wat Greensboro, also known as Greensboro Buddhist Center, but tomorrow is the day that marks the conclusion of the Rains retreat. The tradition of Buddhist Lent or the annual three-month Rains Retreat known in Laos and Thailand as Punsa, which dated back to the early Buddhism in ancient India, this is the time where monks spent three months of the annual rainy season in permanent dwellings. This is to avoid unnecessary traveling during the period when crops were still new for fear they might accidentally step on young plants. According to our sermon today, in the ancient time, the Lord Buddha left earth for 3 months to visit his mother up in heaven, he wanted to show his gratitude by chanting for her during this Lent period, and the day of Ork Punsa was the day that he returned to earth, and all the people came to greet him. It is also considered inauspicious to get married or move house during the Lent period, but after Ork Punsa, the calendar is open for weddings.
As I’ve mentioned before, according to our Buddhist belief, Tuk Badt or Alms giving is believed by many that it’s a Boun (merit making) of life, that they’ll live a long and healthy life, which technically speaking, by Tuk Badt, they’re offering foods to the monks to sustain their livelihoods.
Today’s Alms giving is called Tuk Badt Tayvo, its an old Thai tradition of Alms giving where the Buddhist worshipers would lineup and the monks come by to collect Alms, I’m not sure if it’s called the same in Lao. This made me think of the time that we lived in Kamphangphet, Thailand, we would Tuk Badt Tayvo with rice grains, and dried foods that way it would not get spoiled because there were long lines of Buddhist worshipers and hundreds of monks collecting Alms, it’s a beautiful sight to witness and to take part in the ceremony.
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