Visit to Thailand: Faces of the Buddha

'Buddha' means the enlightened one. Buddhism evolved as new additions came about from the influence of other cultures - and the original Buddha was elevated to godhood. Every day of the week is assigned a significant image.

Scion of the Sakhya dynasty that ruled Kapilavastu in the central plains of Ancient India, Prince Siddhartha Gautama lived in the sixth century BCE. He is of course, better known around the world as The Buddha.

“Buddha” means the enlightened one. The Prince renounced royal luxuries and family to become an ascetic, Shakyamuni (sage of the Shakya), in search of liberation from the bondage of human suffering.

But finding that neither self-indulgence or self-mortification puts an end to suffering, he preached the Middle Way – the path of moderation.

Laughing Buddha

Who then is the fat man?

Laughing Buddha, with a big belly and a wide grin, a sack in one hand and a rosary in the other, is blessed with the ability to predict fortune and weather, and to bring health and prosperity. He is also called Maitraiya, and said to be the disciple the Sakyamuni met in heaven and appointed as the successor to appear 5000 years after his death.

Godhood

Gautama Buddha spoke of no god but Truth. But as Buddhism touched movements and schisms, countries and cultures, it evolved. Revision of scriptures and older techniques with new additions came about - the laughing Buddha, for instance, is a Chinese influence.

In the process, his teachings have been variously interpreted, and the Buddha himself has been elevated to Godhood. In fact, in Hindu cultures, he is named the ninth avatar on earth of Vishnu, the Preserver (of the holy trinity, ‘creator-preserver-destroyer’).


The spread of traditions

Buddhism is one of the oldest religions practiced. But not all its traditions outlasted other influences. After the Buddha, fissions of thought gave rise to different philosophical ‘vehicles’ (yana). Amongst the best-known surviving traditions are –

1. Theravada (Sri Lanka and Thailand) that dates back to the third century BCE, during the reign of Ashoka, the Mauryan Emperor of central India and a Buddhist convert, who first sent theras (missionaries) to preach the faith. The focus here is on personal liberation as preached by Gautama Buddha. With other schools coming up later, this is also called Hinayana, perhaps to mean the 'micro', the individual.
2. Mahayana (China, Japan and Korea) arose in the northwest regions in about 100 CE, with the support of the then reigning Kushan Emperor of India, Kanishka. There is a sense of collectivism in the focus here that every individual can aspire to enlightenment, and that the teacher brings up to par the entire group - hence perhaps 'maha' to mean the 'macro', the group.
3. Vajrayana (Tibet), which arose in eastern India in about the fifth century and spread to Indonesia and Tibet. It incorporates techniques similar to Hindu tantric or yogic practices, so is also known as Tantrayana.
   

There are variations in thought and practice within each of these vehicles as well.

The mythology surrounding the Buddha includes the Jataka fables, canonized from about the fifth century, that relate his exploits in other lives – some, like the ‘Great Turtle’, in non-human forms. The folklore is still ritualistically performed in dance, theatre and recitation.

Days of The Buddha

Each day of the week is assigned a significant image of the Buddha, perhaps to assist followers in meditation and a harmonious way of life.

Sunday:

The Buddha offering the eye

Monday:

The Buddha persuading relatives not to quarrel

Tuesday:

The reclining Buddha

Wednesday:

The Buddha holding an alms bowl

Thursday:

The meditating Buddha

Friday:

The reflecting Buddha

Saturday:

The seated Buddha protected by the 7-headed naga (snake)

Universal attraction

In India, as in other parts of Asia, Buddhism lost its ascendancy considerably with the revival of older religions, or the advent of others, like Islam. Yet still holding the power of universal attraction are its basic tenets of:

• Tolerance,
• Absence of an ‘almighty’ authority or fate, and
• Self inquiry to understand reality,
  

Buddhist traditions are followed in places as far away as Chile, South America. In Britain, it now appears to be the fastest growing religion. In the age of increasing diversity, how strange is that?!

Comments/opinions, anyone??

Visit to Thailand: Life by sea

Artists in coastal Thailand copy images and designs onto canvas and human body with the patience and dedication sorely missing in souvenir shop assistants on the waterfront. The daily repeating reality for livelihood by the sea is the ebb and flow of tourists at the beach.


So what’s it like, where the river meets the sea?

The locals in Thailand know India for two reasons, the Mumbai film world (globally nicknamed Bollywood), and the IT industry. The Thai people don't have these skills but, taxi-driver Feiy boasts with twinkling humour, they're number one at copying. When they’re done with the job, you can’t tell the original from the fake!

The artists at work

We believe it, when we see it, on the way to the beach!

The tattoo artist glued to the computer screen, downloads intricate designs from the 'Net to transcribe onto human canvases…and there could be plenty of customers waiting to be adorned with new creations.


The painter with his careful colour mixes and magnifying lenses recaptures on a different canvas the minute details of a small photograph, blown up to many times its actual size.


The quality of patience

Watching them at work, we’re impressed by their dedication, and their extreme patience with tasks that may seem tedious. For the chess players concentrated on the board, verbal language similarly becomes redundant in making meaning or intent clear.


But everybody is not so blessed with patience and job focus, we soon discover. Near the waterfront, the souvenir shop assistants posted on plastic chairs out on the sidewalk, probably develop little or none at all of these qualities.


Their livelihoods depend on sales, but the shops have few customers. Their frenetic strategy to get business is to jump up to greet targets who look moneyed - the westerners.

But these tourists usually brush past them, moving on to other interests. Their frustrations, rocketing by the end of the day, display poorly with visitors genuinely attracted by ethnic handicrafts, thus defeating their own purpose. End result: they go back to their plastic perches with poorer attitudes to restart their 'customer service' cycle with!

Life by the sea

The coastline at Pattaya (in the Gulf of Thailand) is called Samut Songkhram, we learn from the atlas. The locals guess Andaman Sea, which actually is on the other side, to the west of the Malay Peninsula.

Tourism, we mentioned before, drives the local economy. People leave and people return - this is the daily repeating reality to be adapted to.

Not everybody on the beach can be there for fun and games. For many locals it means going to work - lazing is alright only for the tourists.


Members of all ages in the family, have to pitch in to ensure that the ambience is just perfect for the tourists to spend as much time as possible on the beach - and to continue to buy their services (starting at 30 bahts per!) throughout the day, on the sands or in the waters.


Being there is the scheduled routine, catering to people’s needs from daybreak to sunset, especially during tourist times. Toddlers socialize into the process early as well.

The setting sun signals the time to bring the water sport machines and other paraphernalia ashore, pack up, load onto trailers, and head home.

The beach at night looks deserted, though sands and sea seem to bathe in shimmering fluorescence. Neon lights draw away much of the human activity, while silent rows of drooping beach umbrellas await another day…

Comments/opinions, anyone??