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The IslandReligionIt will soon become apparent to any visitor that Buddhism is an integral part of everyday life in Thailand. There are about 32,000 temples, known as wats, and 250,000 monks. Nearly every Thai male spends some time as a monk, usually three months during his adolescence. This is not only thought of as a character building period but is a source of great pride and religious merit to his family. The creating of merit is a central tenet of Buddhism. It is the only major religion that does not have a deity at its head. The Buddha ('enlightened one') was a wealthy prince named Siddhartha Guatama who was born in what is now southern Nepal around 563 B.C. Rejecting his privileged lifestyle he spent the rest of his life meditating and teaching what he believed to be the path to salvation. This was 'The Middle Way' lying between self denial and self gratification. Incorporating the Hindu concepts of rebirth and Karma, Buddhism teaches that only individual effort results in enlightenment thus sparing the person the cycle of death and rebirth, ultimately allowing entry into the state of Nirvana (literally nothingness). It is the Buddhist's aim to be reborn further along the road to Nirvana and actions in this life determine one's Karma or destiny. For this reason the most obvious aspect of Buddhism to the visitor in Thailand is to observe 'tham bun', making merits. These can take the form of early morning donations of food to monks, attending festivals, donating to the upkeep of the local temple and the popular ritual of buying and releasing caged birds or fish to demonstrate concern for living creatures. Monks are forbidden to eat after midday and may only eat what is given to them, hence the dawn processions of usually young novices with their saffron robes and bowls passing from house to house in every village and town. Buddhists do not have a day set aside for worship as in the Christian Sabbath. Thais tend to visit their local temple at any time, often on the day of the week they were born. Apart from specific events such as Songkran ( the new year in April ) and the celebration of the birth of Buddha on the date of the new moon in May worship is a solitary experience, one of the few occasions Thais partake in any activity that is not directly shared with community or family. Monks, particularly in the countryside, are often the most educated of the local population and serve as teachers, doctors, counselors and social workers. In recent years many monks have become politicized, leading local and national protests particularly on conservation issues. There are Buddhist nuns, known as 'mae chii', but they are few in number and not held in the same high esteem as their male counterparts. In most temples there is no concession made to the Western visitor and it is therefore difficult to learn about the origins and meaning of what is on view. However many of the monks speak English and will usually be pleased to practice their English and show off their knowledge of the temple artifacts and explain the rituals. Visitors, providing they adhere to a few rules of behavior, are welcome to enter any temple. Aside from a few of the most touristed temples there is no admission charges. However a small donation towards the upkeep is always appreciated, especially in the poorer rural areas. For information on conduct in temples refer to the section on customs and etiquette. Although the majority of Thais would claim to be devout Buddhists they nevertheless maintain a parallel faith in astrology and the spirit world. The belief in spirits influencing one's actions and future goes against the Buddhist tenet of individual responsibility but its practice and acceptance in Thai society is wide spread. These rituals can be traced back to ancient Hindu and animist beliefs. Buddhist philosophy does not overly concern itself with the rites of birth, marriage and death and thus ceremonies for these occasions have maintained their Hindu origins. Spirits, particularly the roaming unhappy ones known as 'phis' must be appeased with offerings of food, drink or flowers if one is to have good health, a successful business, high marks in an exam or even a win in the national lottery !. Outside virtually every building in Thailand will be a spirit house for the guardian spirit of the plot to live in. These can resemble an elaborate bird table or in the case of a large hotel a structure the size of a small bungalow. What they all have in common is a location in the best position unshaded by the main building and a daily offering to placate the spirits who have been displaced. If a hotel has another floor added or a house is extended the spirit house will also be added to.
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