Congratulations for this blog: I, as a neophyte, learn a lot about Thailand here. I am a mere tourist, but first came to Thailand for work, I was a "super cargo" in the mid 1980s unloading steel in barge at Koh Si Chang, learned quickly from the excellent food, and in January 2017 my wife and I for the third time to this beautiful country…
In 1986 we bought a beautiful wooden “spirit house” at a market in Chiang Mai. It was so large that it could not pass through the then narrow door of the passenger compartment, so that it ended up in the rear carriage. Although we had a ticket to Ayutthaya and thought we had made this clear to the clerk, the train continued to Bangkok before we had collected our purchase from the train. Slightly panicked, we explained the situation to the station master, who made a phone call, and the next morning our “spirit house” was neatly on the quay in Ayutthaya.
It has now graced our living space in Belgium for many years, richly decorated with color-changing LEDs, an additional bell bar, flowers, birds, elephants and… a whole series of Buddhas.
And there is my question to your panel of experts! I have already found out what the function of the spirit house is in Thailand. So not Buddhist. How does a Thai react to our Western mixing of “the Buddha” with “spirits”? Our reasoning was, and still is, that we, here in Belgium, have hardly any Buddhist temples (yes, there are: a few!).
We have the greatest respect for the Buddha and for philosophy, but without deep religious feelings. For us, our spirit house is a worthy representation of the whole of Thai religious experience…but how does a Thai see that? Recently, when our Muay Thai friend kitchen chef Kai entered our residence and noticed the spirit house, he made us very respectful bows and salutations…
I hope everything stays!
Regards,
Paul
In my opinion, the Thai people are not terribly dogmatic in their beliefs and they interpret and practice their faith somewhat pragmatically, say 'as far as it is practicable', adapting the rules creatively to their daily practice rather than being them. will adapt their way of life to strict regulations.
Ghosts are not unknown in Buddhism, and belief in ghosts was widespread before Buddhism was brought to Thailand. So you could say that the mixing first took place by the Thai themselves.
At least I'm not so sure that they experience Buddha's world and the world of the spirits as structurally separate as you suggest, but I'm no expert on this subject, so my opinion is welcome for a better one.
The reasoning that there are few Buddhist temples in Belgium and that a spirit house should therefore serve as such is of course open to discussion.
Everything can stay from me, in fact, I would consider expansion with a Buddhist temple. Perhaps that will make the spirits even more favorable.
A gesstes house has, of course, nothing to do with Buddha. In Thaland it is often a mixture of animism with Buddhism, and possibly Taoism.
When the monks have visited us in the morning, where they have always “sanctified” the water offered by my wife after receiving food, my spouse always sprinkles it on the four corners of our house with all kinds of muttering.
I think everything is fine, better too much than too little, but this has little to do with Buddhism.
My advice: Enjoy the way you experience it yourself, you won't hurt anyone - and certainly not Buddha!
There's a lot of sarcasm in it.
“I am a neophyte but have been coming to Thailand since 1980”.
I don't really understand where you want to go.
A whole story, but I don't really understand it.
I think Paul still hasn't understood the purpose of such a spirit house. Of course Paul is free to decorate his house as he sees fit, but if he understood the function of this house he would place it outside and not inside his home as I think I understand. It is normal that the visiting Thais make a very respectful wave because they certainly want to placate any residents of the house, especially because Paul brings the spirits in and does not ensure that they stay outside with his house, which is the intention. In fact, it is not Budhism, but it does come from animism.