The Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaew
The most sacred Buddha statue in Thailand is the Emerald Buddha. The statue can be admired in the central ubosoth of Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.
The beautiful murals of Suphan Buri
Suphan Buri province has 31 temples with beautiful wall paintings from the time of King Rama V and later. Images from the life of Buddha, everyday scenes and mythical animals. A lust for the eye.
Wat Sothon, the marble temple
They can be found in large numbers in Thailand, even in the smallest hamlet, temples large and small. Very colorful and also more modest in nature. In Chachoengsao, about a hundred kilometers east of Bangkok, near the river Bang Pakong, Wat Sothon, fully called Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihan.
Ghosts don't exist. Or….?
Egon's father-in-law was a convinced Buddhist. One day the Buddha helped him find his lost necklace. "Could there be something more between heaven and earth than we suspect?"
Discover Thailand: Traveling to Saraburi
Saraburi is an interesting city just 107 kilometers from Bangkok province. Here you will find a piece of authentic Thailand and home to many interesting temples, some with murals depicting the life of the Buddha and local life.
The ghosts of Doi Suthep
When traveling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai by train, Doi Suthep looms in the northwest. The gilded chedi (pagoda) immediately catches the eye. It is one of the most important Buddhist shrines in Thailand. It is said that a piece of Buddha's skull is hidden in the chedi.
The Kalama Sutta, a Buddhist call to independent thinking
"It is well, Kalamas, that you are uncertain and doubtful," begins the Kalama Sutta, one of the Buddha's most famous speeches. Tino Kuis translated the text.
One of the most beautiful books I read in recent weeks was the book 'The Ten Great Birth Stories of the Buddha' mentioned below. It is an excellent translation from the Pali of the last ten births of the Buddha as he himself related them to his disciples. A quality of an almost-Buddha, a Bodhisatta, and a Buddha is that they can remember all their past lives. Those stories are called jataka, a word related to the Thai word châat 'birth'.
Mae Thorani, The Earth Goddess
Siddharta Gautama was meditating under the Bodhi tree when a jealous Mara, the Evil One, wanted to deny him Enlightenment. Accompanied by his soldiers, his beautiful daughters and wild beasts, he wanted to prevent Siddharta from becoming enlightened and becoming a Buddha. The daughters danced before Siddharta to seduce him, the soldiers and the beasts attacked him.
Chiang Rai, one of the oldest cities of the former principality of Lanna, has quite a few temple and monastery complexes. The most important temple from a historical point of view is undoubtedly Wat Phra Kaew at the intersection of Sang Kaew Road and Trairat Road.
Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon in Roi-Et
Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon in Roi Et province is an architecturally impressive structure. Buddha relics are kept in the middle pagoda. An amount of three billion Baht has been raised for the construction of this immense structure. It is located in a wooded area, where pheasants, peacocks, deer, tigers and elephants live in the wild.
Under the Bodhi tree in Gaya, the Buddha attained enlightenment and soon afterwards proclaimed what he himself called the Four Noble Truths.
The last months of the Buddha's life
In the last months of his life, the Buddha retreated to the less populated areas of northern India. He knew his death was near. Here's what we know about it.
Buddha's footsteps in Thailand
Throughout the ages, people have been searching for the eternal values of philosophies. King Songtham, king of the Ayutthaya kingdom in the early 17th century, sent monks to Sri Lanka to learn more about Buddha. Once there, it was told that Buddha had already left his (foot) traces in Thailand. The king ordered to discover these traces in his kingdom.
An iconographic break in style: the Siamese walking Buddha
Most of the Asian classical statues we know of the Buddha depict him either sitting, standing or reclining. In the thirteenth century, suddenly, like a bolt from a clear sky, a walking Buddha appeared. This way of depicting represented a real iconographic break in style and was unique to the region now known as Thailand.
The social side of Buddhism
In the West in particular - but also in the East - Buddhism is regarded solely as a ladder to personal enlightenment, neglecting the Buddha's attention to social, economic and policing aspects of life. Here's a review.
Khao Kitchakut, a hellish journey to Nirvana?
Gringo had seen some photos from an acquaintance of a visit to Khao Kitchakut and he wanted to get out and see it. Was that a good idea? Well, it was in any case a special experience in itself.
Antiquity in decline
The cities of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, once the capitals of the kingdoms of the same name, are the undisputed top monuments of Thailand. A visit to the country without having visited at least one of these world-famous archaeological monuments is almost unthinkable. Both old towns are still well preserved and have been declared World Heritage by Unesco.
The battle between the Buddha and the Rice Goddess
Four stories that show how the Buddha loses out to the Rice Goddess in a number of ways. I hear the following: 'Good, all that talk, Mr. Buddha. But first of all we need rice'. It may argue for the healthy, earthy mindset of many. It also shows how the ideas of the population can differ widely from the 'official' version.
What did the Buddha say when a man told him he had meditated for 25 years to walk on water? Why did he eat with a prostitute and not with a Hindu priest?
Who was the Buddha?
Who was the Buddha? 'I see the Buddha as a wandering monk for 40 years, charismatic and wise, but also with all other human qualities', writes Tino Kuis. Maybe even a revolutionary.
Happy Chinese New Year! The Year of the Tiger
Chinese people all over the world today celebrate the New Year with the wish of good luck: “Gong Xi Fa Cai!”. It's the year of the tiger. The festivities around the new year last no less than 15 days. If you want to experience some of that, visit Chinatown in Bangkok.