AQUI TAILÂNDIA: CELEBRAÇÕES DOS 500 ANOS DA CHEGADA DOS PORTUGUESES A AYUTHAYA, SEGUNDA CAPITAL DO REINO DO SIÃO (TAILÂNDIA NOS DIAS DE HOJE)#links
o mar do poeta
o mar do poeta
sábado, julho 23
sexta-feira, julho 22
VIVER É BELO
Viver é belo
Viver é belo e mais belo ainda
quando se tem saúde e dinheiro,
quando nos sentimos amados
e quando amamos alguém
assim é belo viver.
Porém quando a saúde
se vai debilitando
quando o dinheiro começa a escassear,
quando deixamos de nos sentir amados
quando a tristeza nos invade
e perdemos o interesse de viver
existe apenas uma pessoa
que nos pode confortar com seu amor
essa pessoa é Deus.
Quer tenha-mos saúde ou não,
sejamos ricos ou pobres
Ele nunca nos abandonará
nunca nos desprezará
porque seu Amor é infinito.
Como tal continuar a viver é belo,
e é belo porquê?
Porque nos sentimos
Amados por Deus
porque nos sentimos
amparados por Ele
e um dia para Seu Reino partiremos,
e lá a vida continuará a ser bela,
e é belo poder viver
na Graça de Deus.
quinta-feira, julho 21
quarta-feira, julho 20
DIA MUNDIAL DA AMIZADE
20 de Julho
Segundo as definições do Dicionário Aurélio, amigo é aquele ligado a outro por laços de amizade. Em que há amizade. Amizade, portanto, é um sentimento fiel de afeição, simpatia, estima ou ternura entre pessoas que geralmente não são ligadas por laços de família ou atração sexual.
Quem é ou tem um amigo ou traz no peito esse sentimento nobre, sabe que a amizade vai muito além da definição de um dicionário. No decorrer da vida, nós desfrutamos da companhia de diferentes tipos de amigos. Os amigos de nossa infância, dos quais nós podemos lembrar vagamente. Os amigos da escola. O 'melhor' amigo da adolescência. Colegas que encontramos no serviço. Amigos com os quais compartilhamos bons momentos. Companheiros de farra.
À medida que envelhecemos, um amigo com o qual podemos tomar café juntos, enquanto conversamos ou fazemos outro tipo de atividade. Mas existem também relações de amizades entre outros tipos de pessoas de outras regiões, seja por via Internet, onde amizades surgem para suprir um vazio existente ou para descobrir outro mundo, além do seu, ou laços de amizades feitos por pessoas de outras cidades ou regiões, que se conheceram pessoalmente e que preservam, por muito tempo ou por consistência, esse sentimento.
Portanto, hoje, em comemoração ao Dia da Amizade, celebre a data com o amigo por perto; ou se está longe, faça um contato, por mais breve que seja, e reacenda os laços que os unem de amizade, de respeito. Que seu amigo saiba e sinta o quanto você o considera, o quanto você o ama como amigo.
COMO SURGIU A DATA
A origem do Dia Internacional da Amizade é controversa. Isto é, ninguém sabe ao certo como foi que surgiu a idéia de se criar um dia especialmente dedicado aos amigos. Entretanto, acredita-se que a idéia tenha partido de um dentista argentino, chamado Enrique Febbaro. Segundo histórias contadas na Internet, esse dentista, entusiasmado com a corrida espacial que estava a todo vapor na década de 60, decidiu prestar uma homenagem a toda a humanidade por seus esforços em estabelecer vínculos para além do planeta Terra.
Durante um ano, Febbaro teria divulgado o seguinte lema: "Meu amigo é meu mestre, meu discípulo e meu companheiro". Algum tempo depois, com a chegada do homem à Lua em 20 de julho de 1969, ele escolheu esta data para fazer uma festa dedicada à amizade.
A história diz ainda que a comemoração tornou-se oficial em Buenos Aires, capital da Argentina em 1979 e, devagarzinho, acabou sendo adotada em outras partes do mundo.
COSTUMA-SE DIZER QUE NINGUÉM PODE ESCOLHER
A FAMÍLIA EM QUE NASCE.
MAS É POSSIVEL SELECIONAR OS AMIGOS ,
QUE SÃO COMO A EXTENSÃO DA VIDA.
A AMIZADE, UM DOS SENTIMENTOS MAIS NOBRES
QUE EXISTEM, NASCE DE FORMA ESPONTÂNEA,
PURA E SE VAI DESENVOLVENDO ATÉ CHEGAR À MATURIDADE.
CARACTERIZA-SE POR UMA AFINIDADE
MUITO GRANDE COM ALGUÉM,
BASEADA NO AMOR, NO CARINHO,
NA TERNURA,
NO RESPEITO
NA COMPREENSÃO,
NA TROCA E NA AJUDA.
É UM SENTIMENTO MUITO SINCERO,
QUE NÃO DEPENDE DA IDADE,
DE DINHEIRO
OU DE POSIÇÃO SOCIAL.
O AMIGO É UM DOM PRECIOSO,
QUEM ENCONTRA UM AMIGO,
CERTAMENTE ENCONTROU UM TESOURO.
A AMIZADE É UM SENTIMENTO LIMPO,
VERDADEIRO E PROFUNDO.
MAIS QUE UM IRMÃO,
O AMIGO É A OPORTUNIDADE
QUE DEUS NOS DEU
PARA ENCONTRAR A SUA METADE.
COM ELE, A PESSOA PODE-SE REVELAR
VERDADEIRAMENTE, DIZER NÃO, SEM MEDO DE FERIR,
SIM, SEM MEDO DE BALUJAR,
E AS VERDADES, SEM MEDO DE OFENDER.
ISSO PORQUE SE ACREDITA NA AMIZADE,
POR ELA SER INSENTA DE PAIXÃO.
NUM RELACIONAMENTO ASSIM
NÃO EXISTE A INVEJA,
ORGULHO OU RANCOR.
A VERADDEIRA AMIZADE É ETERNA,
COMO O AMOR .
António Cambeta
A amizade torna os fardos mais leves, porque os divide pelo meio.
A amizade intensifica as alegrias, elevando-as ao quadrado na matemática do coração.
A amizade esvazia o sofrimento, porque a simples lembrança do amigo é alívio.
A amizade ameniza as tarefas difíceis, porque a gente não as realiza sozinho.
São dois cérebros e quatro braços agindo.
A amizade diminui a distância.
Embora longe, o amigo é alguém perto de nós. A amizade enseja confidências redentoras: problema partilhado, percalço amaciado; felicidade repartida, ventura acrescida.
A amizade coloca música e poesia na banalidade do cotidiano.
A amizade é a doce canção da vida e a poesia da eternidade.
O amigo é a outra metade da gente.
O lado claro e melhor.
Sempre que encontramos um amigo, encontramos um pouco mais de nós mesmos.
O amigo revela, desvenda, conforta.
É uma porta sempre aberta, em qualquer situação.
O amigo na hora certa é o sol ao meio-dia, estrela na escuridão.
O amigo é a bússola e rota no oceano, porto seguro da tripulação.
O amigo é o milagre do calor humano que Deus opera num coração.
Roque Schneider
HOMENAGEM À AMIZADE
Não esconda nunca o quanto você valoriza seu amigo.
Embora você ache que ele saiba o quanto o estima, nunca é demais palavras e atitudes de carinho.
Elas sempre são e serão bem vindas, palavras doces não dão diabetes, fique sossegada.
Quem tem Amor no coração, sempre entenderá o valor da Amizade!
Ele nunca é cobrado, é doado em carinhos sem fim, generosidade que sai naturalmente, sem que se perceba.
Tudo que é natural assim como a natureza, deve sempre ser homenageado, não existem datas especiais para se falar quanto amamos nossos amigos.
A mão estendida não é pedida, ela estende automaticamente, pois conhece as necessidades, falam alto as compatibilidades.
Hoje quis homenagear minha amiga, escrever para que você saiba o quanto é importante para mim!
Mesmo que te diga sempre, nunca será suficiente, amizade verdadeira não se descreve, ela é sentida de tantas coisas boas e amor sem fim.
Amiga, sempre estarei aqui, na telinha ou fora dela, não importa isso, e sim meu carinho por você, minhas orações, saiba que para sempre... será assim!
Lena Viola
PESSOAS ESPECIAIS COMO VOCÊ...
As pessoas especiais são aquelas que têm a habilidade de dividir suas vidas com os outros...
Elas são honestas na palavra e nas atitudes, são sinceras e compassivas e sempre dão por certo que o amor é parte de tudo.
As pessoas especiais são aquelas que têm habilidades para doar aos outros e de ajudá-los com as mudanças que surgem em seus caminhos.
Elas não têm medo de ser vulneráveis; elas acreditam que são únicas e têm orgulho em ser sinceras e reais.
As pessoas especiais são aquelas que se permitem os prazeres de estar próximo aos outros e se importam com a felicidade deles.
Elas vieram para entender que o amor é o que faz a diferença na vida.
As pessoas especiais são aquelas que realmente tornam a vida mais bela.
Seja sempre uma pessoa especial na vida de alguém.
Feliz Dia da Amizade...
Bethpml
AMIZADE
É difícil e raro encontrar um amigo fiel, um amigo de verdade. Mas existem algumas regras que podem nos ajudar a conquistar e preservar uma amizade preciosa.
Regra número 1: Se quiserem ter amizades longas, procurem ter memória curta.
Regra número 2: Se procurarem amigos sem defeitos, não terão nenhum amigo.
Regra número 3: Seu melhor amigo é aquele que traz à tona o que há de melhor em você.
Regra número 4: Um amigo é alguém que compreende seu passado, acredita em seu futuro e o aceita hoje, do jeito que você é.
Regra número 5: A amizade não deve ser vista como algo que recebemos e sim como algo que oferecemos.
Regra número 6: É bom ter um amigo para compartilhar as tristezas; mas é indispensável ter um amigo para compartilhar as alegrias.
Regra número 7: Ninguém é tão auto-suficiente que não precise de um amigo.
Não há maior riqueza no mundo, do que ter bons amigos.
Mas não nos esqueçamos que: para se ter um amigo, é preciso ser um bom amigo.
Muita gente se esquece, mas a amizade é uma estrada de duas mãos.
Fonte: www.velhosamigos.com.br
DIA INTERNACIONAL DO AMIGO E DA AMIZADE
20 de Julho
Amigo - Que é ligado a outro por laços de amizade. Em que há amizade.
Amizade - Sentimento fiel de afeição, simpatia, estima ou ternura entre pessoas que geralmente não são ligadas por laços de família ou atração sexual. (Dicionário Aurélio)
Quem é ou tem um amigo ou traz no peito esse sentimento nobre, sabe que a amizade vai muito além da definição de um dicionário.
A amizade é uma espécie de amor fraterno que, quando verdadeiro, só deseja uma única coisa em relação ao amigo:
vê-lo feliz. Vê-lo realizar seus sonhos, desenvolver seus potenciais, alcançar suas metas.
E tem como base a troca - de experiências, de anseios, de vida - envolto num clima de fidelidade, confiança e respeito mútuo.
Respeito, inclusive, pelos defeitos, por aquilo que, se não podemos mudar, ao menos podemos relevar e ajudar no que for possível.
Amigo, afinal, é para todas as horas, tristes ou felizes, com grana ou sem grana, para a aventura ou para o tédio.
Feliz Dia da Amizade!
"Amigo é coisa pra se guardar/ do lado esquerdo do peito/ dentro do coração/ Assim falava a canção/ que na América ouvi" nos canta emocionado e com boca trêmula nosso querido Milton Nascimento.
Ele sabe que amigo é coisa séria.
Fonte: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística
O Dia do Amigo, celebrado a 20 de julho, foi primeiramente adotado em Buenos Aires, na Argentina, com o Decreto nº 235/79, sendo que foi gradualmente adotado em outras partes do mundo.
A data foi criada pelo argentino Enrique Ernesto Febbraro. Com a chegada do homem à lua, em 20 de julho de 1969, ele enviou cerca de quatro mil cartas para diversos países e idiomas com o intuito de instituir o Dia do Amigo. Febbraro considerava a chegada do homem a lua "um feito que demonstra que se o homem se unir com seus semelhantes, não há objetivos impossíveis".
Aos poucos a data foi sendo adotada em outros países e hoje, em quase todo o mundo, o dia 20 de julho é o Dia do Amigo, é quando as pessoas trocam presentes, se abraçam e declaram sua amizade umas as outras, na teoria.
No Brasil, apesar de não ser regulamentada por lei, o dia do amigo é comemorado popularmente em 18 de abril. No entanto, o país também vem adotando a data internacional, 20 de julho, sendo inclusive instituída oficialmente em alguns estados e municípios.
BOUTIQUE RESORT - PHUKET
A boutique resort set in the hills over Kamala Beach offers incomparable peace
70% Off Castle HotelStay in a Beautiful Castle Hotel with 70% Off with Groupon, Now!www.GROUPON.hk
A Southern Thai-style luxury resort in Phuket offering simple elegance and unrivalled tranquillity, Paresa is certainly worthy of its Sanskrit name, which mean "heaven of all heavens".
Just a 30-minute drive from the international airport, the resort sits on a cliff overlooking the turquoise Andaman Sea and surrounded by lush tropical forests and gardens. It's the perfect spot from which to admire a dramatic sunset.
"This morning, I saw an eagle," says a reporter, who's staying in Aqua, one of five villa/suite types offered by the resort. "It is really very close to the nature." Dr Yupares Nimkarn, one of the resort's three partners, says guests may also spot khang na khao, a species of langur, as well as several rare insects.
"This hotel reflects our inner selves," says the 45-year-old dentist and orthodontist, who founded the dental clinic DC On, and whose quality hi-tech treatment landed her a place on the UK Daily Telegraph's "10 Top Therapists in the World" list last year.
"At Paresa, we focus on the comfort of our guests. This hotel is in complete harmony with nature. It is understated and tranquil; the earth tones and green roofs blending in with the surrounding greenery."
Paresa, which the Best Boutique Accommodation Awards in the South from Thailand Boutique Awards 2010, offers 49 luxurious villa/suites - Aqua, Cielo, Dima , Cliff, and Talay - varying in size from 140sqm (Aqua) to Cielo (660sqm) and each constructed so that they fit snugly into the mountain.
They, along with the two restaurants, Talung Thai and Diavolo, are built with local materials such as hardwood from sustainable Thai forests and handmade bricks.
Each of the villas features a bedroom with a king size bed along with LCD TV, DVD player and iPod, plus indoor and outdoor showers plus bathtub. You need to be on good terms with your roommate, as the walls of the showers and toilet are made of glass and the bathtub, connected with the outdoor pool by sliding window, is installed without any cover. Distinctively, Dima has its own private outdoor spa treatment sala, while Cielo has a fully equipped kitchen. All have outdoor terraces with magnificent views of the sea.
To my surprise, the villa has many more light buttons than other resorts and hotels.
"It has a variety of moods, each of them designed to match different emotions," says Yupares. "I would like our guests to feel more relaxed in their villas and feel they can chill in their 'home' rather than going out."
Paresa is certainly a beautiful, romantic hideaway for lovers. There's no beach though you can walk down to the water or just amble along the track from villa to villa. There's a buggy service too for those who prefer not to go on foot.
The Spa by Paresa features five double treatments suites with baths and steam showers and the Thai cooking school offers daily traditional culinary classes. Among the dishes taught are yam nua yang (spicy beef salad with vegetable), gaang khiew wan kai (green curry with chicken), tom yum goong (hot and sour prawn soup) and sakou piak ruam mit (pearl tapioca seeds with sweet corn and coconut milk).
Some 200 staff are on hand ready to serve guests.
"Heaven is an experience of simple pleasure," says Yupares.
terça-feira, julho 19
NEM CHEGOU A SAIR
O articulista tinha previsto ir ao Tibete e ficar num mosteiro, em LHASA, por uma temporada, porém após exame médico realizado, o seu médico cardiologista deu parecer negativo, devido à altitude do local.
About High Altitude Illness
Adverse reactions to the high altitudes of Tibet are one of the biggest challenges in traveling there. However, if you are properly informed and prepared, high altitude should not be an obstacle to safe and comfortable travel.
•What is the definition of High Altitude?
- High Altitude: 1500 - 3500 m (5000 - 11500 ft)
- Very High Altitude: 3500 - 5500 m (11500 - 18000 ft)
- Extreme Altitude: above 5500 m
When acclimatization lags significantly behind ascent, various symptoms occur. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) represents the body's intolerance of the hypoxic (low oxygen) environment at high elevations.
•What are the symptoms of AMS?
- Hyperventilation (fast breathing)
- Shortness of breath during exertion
- Increased urination
- Altered breathing patterns at night
- Frequent nighttime awakening
- Strange dreams
•Altitudes of different regions of Tibet
Lhasa 3658 m
Tips to avoid AMS
- Do exercise to improve your fitness before coming to Tibet.
- Try to avoid catching a cold (frequent hand-washing, etc.).
- Make sure to get a good night's sleep the night before flying to Lhasa.
- Avoid strenuous activity during your first day in Tibet.
- When arriving in the airport in Lhasa, walk slowly, take deep breaths. Take time to acclimatize.
- Ascend to higher altitudes gradually. DO NOT ASCEND ANY HIGHER if you begin feeling ill.
- Prepare AMS medication, in accordance with a doctor's advice.
About High Altitude Illness
Adverse reactions to the high altitudes of Tibet are one of the biggest challenges in traveling there. However, if you are properly informed and prepared, high altitude should not be an obstacle to safe and comfortable travel.
•What is the definition of High Altitude?
- High Altitude: 1500 - 3500 m (5000 - 11500 ft)
- Very High Altitude: 3500 - 5500 m (11500 - 18000 ft)
- Extreme Altitude: above 5500 m
When acclimatization lags significantly behind ascent, various symptoms occur. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) represents the body's intolerance of the hypoxic (low oxygen) environment at high elevations.
•What are the symptoms of AMS?
- Hyperventilation (fast breathing)
- Shortness of breath during exertion
- Increased urination
- Altered breathing patterns at night
- Frequent nighttime awakening
- Strange dreams
- Do exercise to improve your fitness before coming to Tibet.
- Try to avoid catching a cold (frequent hand-washing, etc.).
- Make sure to get a good night's sleep the night before flying to Lhasa.
- Avoid strenuous activity during your first day in Tibet.
- When arriving in the airport in Lhasa, walk slowly, take deep breaths. Take time to acclimatize.
- Ascend to higher altitudes gradually. DO NOT ASCEND ANY HIGHER if you begin feeling ill.
- Prepare AMS medication, in accordance with a doctor's advice.
TARIQ ibn ZIYAD DERROTA OS VISIGODOS
Tárique ou Tariq ibn Ziyad (em árabe طارق بن زياد, Tārik ibn Ziyād), nascido em c. 670 e morto em 720, foi um estratega do exército Omíada. Provavelmente de origem berbere, comandou, em 711, a conquista da Península Ibérica, ocupada até então pelos visigodos .
É possível que Tárique tenha sido um escravo liberto de Musa ibn-Nusair, governador do Norte de África (Magrebe). Musa incumbiu-o de defender a posição de um grupo de herdeiros do rei Vitisa, facção inimiga do reino visigótico em funções na altura.
A 30 de Abril de 711, o exército de Tárique desembarcou no rochedo a que posteriormente se chamou Djebel el-Tarik ou Jabal Tariq ("monte de Tárique"), que hoje é conhecido como Gibraltar. Depois de ter todo o exército em terra, conta-se que mandou queimar os navios e teria dito aos seus soldados:
"Oh, meus guerreiros, para onde podeis fugir? Atrás de vós está o mar, diante de vós, o inimigo. Só vos resta a esperança da vossa coragem e da vossa determinação. Lembrai-vos que aqui sois mais afortunados que o órfão sentado à mesa do patrão avaro. Vosso inimigo está diante de vós, protegido por um exército inumerável. Ele tem homens em abundância, mas vós, como único recurso, tendes vossas próprias espadas... Não acreditai que eu pretenda incitar-vos a enfrentar perigos que eu próprio me recuse a partilhar convosco. Durante o ataque, estarei na frente, onde a chance de sobreviver é menor."
As tropas mouras, quase unicamente constituídas por berberes, invadiram o reino visigótico e obtiveram uma vitória decisiva a 19 de Julho de 711, na Batalha de Guadalete (em Jerez de la Frontera), onde foi morto o rei Rodrigo dos visigodos.
Seguiram-se as tomadas de Córdova e de Toledo, em Outubro do mesmo ano. Pouco depois receberia reforços de Musa ibn-Nusair. Com este, apoderou-se de quase toda a península. A tomada de Saragoça é o marco do final desta conquista. Tárique teria sido governador das terras conquistadas, mas por pouco tempo. Musa teve contratempos políticos e Tárique o acompanhou de volta a Damasco, onde Tarique morreu, em 720.
Ver também
segunda-feira, julho 18
WAT PHAI RONG WAU - TAILÂNDIA
Video e fotos do articulista.
A imagem do Lord Buda era a maior do mundo, a deixou de o ser após a construção de uma outra imagem, esta dourada, na cidade de Ang Thong, cuja imagem mede 92 metros de altura.
INFERNO - WAT PHAI RONG WAU
http://cambetabangkokmacau.blogspot.com/2009/06/wat-phai-rong-wua-suphan-buri.html
http://mosteirosbudistas.blogspot.com/2010/07/wat-phai-rong-wau.html
Videos do articulista, sobre o inferno, no Mosteiro Wat Phai Rong Wau, sito perto da cidade de Suphan Buri - Tailândia.
http://mosteirosbudistas.blogspot.com/2010/07/wat-phai-rong-wau.html
Videos do articulista, sobre o inferno, no Mosteiro Wat Phai Rong Wau, sito perto da cidade de Suphan Buri - Tailândia.
domingo, julho 17
O BUDISMO NA TAILÂNDIA
Buddhism in Thailand
Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school. Nearly 95% of Thailand's population is Buddhist of the Theravada school, though Buddhism in this country has become integrated with folk beliefs as well as Chinese religions from the large Thai-Chinese population.
Buddhist temples in Thailand are characterized by tall golden stupas, and the Buddhist architecture of Thailand is similar to that in other Southeast Asian countries, particularly Cambodia and Laos, with which Thailand shares cultural and historical heritage.
Historical background
Thai Buddhism was based on the religious movement founded in the sixth century B.C. by Siddhartha, later known as the Buddha, who urged the world to relinquish the extremes of sensuality and self-mortification and follow the enlightened Middle Way.
The focus of this religion is on man, not gods; the assumption is that life is pain or suffering, which is a consequence of craving, and that suffering can end only if desire ceases. The end of suffering is the achievement of nirvana (in Theravada Buddhist scriptures, nibbana), often defined as the absence of craving and therefore of suffering, sometimes as enlightenment or bliss.
By the third century B.C., Buddhism had spread widely in Asia, and divergent interpretations of the Buddha's teachings had led to the establishment of several sects. The teachings that reached Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) were first written down in Pali (an Indo-Aryan language closely related to Sanskrit) in the first century A.D. and provided the Tipitaka (the scriptures or "three baskets"; in Sanskrit, Tripitaka) of Theravada Buddhism. This form of Buddhism was made the state religion only with the establishment of the Thai kingdom of Sukhothai in the thirteenth century A.D.
According to many historians, around 228 B.C. Sohn Uttar Sthavira (one of the royal monks sent by Ashoka the Great) came to Suvarnabhumi (or Suvannabhumi) which some idendify with Thailand along with other monks and sacred books.
13th-19th centuries
The details of the history of Buddhism in Thailand from the thirteenth to the nineteenth century are obscure, in part because few historical records or religious texts survived the Burmese destruction of Ayutthaya, the capital city of the kingdom, in 1767.
The anthropologist-historian S. J. Tambiah, however, has suggested a general pattern for that era, at least with respect to the relations between Buddhism and the sangha on the one hand and the king on the other hand. In Thailand, as in other Theravada Buddhist kingdoms, the king was in principle thought of as patron and protector of the religion (sasana) and the sangha, while sasana and the sangha were considered in turn the treasures of the polity and the signs of its legitimacy. Religion and polity, however, remained separate domains, and in ordinary times the organizational links between the sangha and the king were not close.
Among the chief characteristics of Thai kingdoms and principalities in the centuries before 1800 were the tendency to expand and contract, problems of succession, and the changing scope of the king's authority.
In effect, some Thai kings had greater power over larger territories, others less, and almost invariably a king who sought successfully to expand his power also exercised greater control over the sangha. That control was coupled with greater support and patronage of the ecclesiastical hierarchy.
When a king was weak, however, protection and supervision of the sangha also weakened, and the sangha declined. This fluctuating pattern appears to have continued until the emergence of the Chakri Dynasty in the last quarter of the eighteenth century.
Modern era
By the nineteenth century, and especially with the coming to power in 1851 of King Mongkut, who had been a monk himself for twenty-seven years, the sangha, like the kingdom, became steadily more centralized and hierarchical in nature and its links to the state more institutionalized. As a monk, Mongkut was a distinguished scholar of Pali Buddhist scripture.
Moreover, at that time the immigration of numbers of monks from Burma was introducing the more rigorous discipline characteristic of the Mon sangha. Influenced by the Mon and guided by his own understanding of the Tipitaka, Mongkut began a reform movement that later became the basis for the Dhammayuttika order of monks.
Under the reform, all practices having no authority other than custom were to be abandoned, canonical regulations were to be followed not mechanically but in spirit, and acts intended to improve an individual's standing on the road to nirvana but having no social value were rejected. This more rigorous discipline was adopted in its entirety by only a small minority of monasteries and monks.
The Mahanikaya order, perhaps somewhat influenced by Mongkut's reforms but with a less exacting discipline than the Dhammayuttika order, comprised about 95 percent of all monks in 1970 and probably about the same percentage in the late 1980s. In any case, Mongkut was in a position to regularize and tighten the relations between monarchy and sangha at a time when the monarchy was expanding its control over the country in general and developing the kind of bureaucracy necessary to such control.
The administrative and sangha reforms that Mongkut started were continued by his successor. In 1902 King Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910) made the new sangha hierarchy formal and permanent through the Sangha Law of 1902, which remained the foundation of sangha administration in modern Thailand.
Influences
Three major forces have influenced the development of Buddhism in Thailand. The most visible influence is that of the Theravada school of Buddhism, imported from Sri Lanka. While there are significant local and regional variations, the Theravada school provides most of the major themes of Thai Buddhism. By tradition, Pāli is the language of religion in Thailand.
Scriptures are recorded in Pāli, using either the modern Thai script or the older Khom and Tham scripts. Pāli is also used in religious liturgy, despite the fact that most Thais understand very little of this ancient language. The Pāli Tipitaka is the primary religious text of Thailand, though many local texts have been composed in order to summarise the vast number of teachings found in the Tipitaka. The monastic code (Patimokkha) followed by Thai monks is taken from the Pāli Theravada Canon.
The second major influence on Thai Buddhism is Hindu beliefs received from Cambodia, particularly during the Sukhothai period. Vedic Hinduism played a strong role in the early Thai institution of kingship, just as it did in Cambodia, and exerted influence in the creation of laws and order for Thai society as well as Thai religion.
Certain rituals practiced in modern Thailand, either by monks or by Hindu ritual specialists, are either explicitly identified as Hindu in origin, or are easily seen to be derived from Hindu practices. While the visibility of Hinduism in Thai society has been diminished substantially during the Chakri dynasty, Hindu influences, particularly shrines to the god Brahma, continue to be seen in and around Buddhist institutions and ceremonies.
Folk religion—attempts to propitiate and attract the favor of local spirits known as phi—forms the third major influence on Thai Buddhism. While Western observers (as well as urbane and Western-educated Thais) have often drawn a clear line between Thai Buddhism and folk religious practices, this distinction is rarely observed in more rural locales. Spiritual power derived from the observance of Buddhist precepts and rituals is employed in attempting to appease local nature spirits.
Many restrictions observed by rural Buddhist monks are derived not from the orthodox Vinaya, but from taboos derived from the practice of folk magic. Astrology, numerology, and the creation of talismans and charms also play a prominent role in Buddhism as practiced by the average Thai—practices that are proscribed in Buddhist texts (see Digha Nikaya 2, ff).
Additional, more minor influences can be observed stemming from contact with Mahayana Buddhism. Early Buddhism in Thailand is thought to have been derived from an unknown Mahayana tradition. While Mahayana Buddhism was gradually eclipsed in Thailand, certain features of Thai Buddhism—such as the appearance of the bodhisattva Lokesvara in some Thai religious architecture, and the belief that the king of Thailand is a bodhisattva himself—reveal the influence of Mahayana concepts.
The only other bodhisattva prominent in Thai religion is Maitreya, often depicted in Budai form, and often confused with (Thai: พระสังกัจจายน์). Images of one or both can be found in many Thai Buddhist temples, and on amulets as well. Thai may pray to be reborn during the time of Maitreya, or dedicate merit from worship activities to that end.
In modern times, additional Mahayana influence has stemmed from the presence of Chinese immigrants in Thai society. While some Chinese have "converted" to Thai-style Theravada Buddhism, many others maintain their own separate temples in the East Asian Mahayana tradition. The growing popularity of the goddess Kuan Yin in Thailand (a form of Avalokitesvara) may be attributed to the Chinese Mahayanist presence in Thailand.
Government Ties
While Thailand is currently a constitutional monarchy, it inherited a strong Southeast Asian tradition of Buddhist kingship that tied the legitimacy of the state to its protection and support for Buddhist institutions. This connection has been maintained into the modern era, with Buddhist institutions and clergy being granted special benefits by the government, as well as being subjected to a certain amount of government oversight.
In addition to the ecclesiastic leadership of the sangha, a secular government ministry supervises Buddhist temples and monks. The legal status of Buddhist sects and reform movements has been an issue of contention in some cases, particularly in the case of Santi Asoke, which was legally forbidden from calling itself a Buddhist denomination, and in the case of the ordination of women- monks attempting to revive the Theravada bhikkhuni lineage have been prosecuted for attempting to impersonate members of the clergy.
To obtain a passport for travel abroad, a monk must have an official letter from Sangha Supreme Council granting the applicant permission to travel abroad; Buddhist monk identification card; a copy of House/Temple Registration; and submit any previous Thai Passport or a certified copy thereof.
In addition to state support and recognition—-in the form of formal gifts to monasteries made by government officials and the royal family (for example, Kathin)—-a number of special rights are conferred upon Buddhist monks. They are granted free passage on public transportation, and most train stations and airports have special seating sections reserved for members of the clergy. Conversely, ordained monastics are forbidden from standing for office or voting in elections.
Calls for state establishment
In 2007, calls were made by some Thais for Buddhism to be recognized in the new national constitution as a state religion. This suggestion was initially rejected by the committee charged with drafting the new constitution.
This move prompted a number of protests from supporters of the initiative, including a number of marches on the capital and a hunger strike by twelve Buddhist monks.
Some critics of the plan, including scholar and social critic Sulak Sivaraksa, have claimed that the movement to declare Buddhism a national religion is motivated by political gain, and may be being manipulated by supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra.
The Constitution Drafting Committee later voted against the special status of Buddhism, provoking the religious groups. The groups condemned the Committee and the constitution draft. On August 11, Sirikit, the Queen of Thailand, expressed her concern over the issue. According to her birthday speech, Buddhism is beyond politics. Some Buddhist organizations announced the break of the campaigns a day after.
Ordination and clergy
Like in most other Theravada nations, Buddhism in Thailand is represented primarily by the presence of Buddhist monks, who serve as officiants on ceremonial occasions, as well as being responsible for preserving and conveying the teachings of the Buddha.
During the latter half of the 20th century, most monks in Thailand began their careers by serving as dek wat (Thai: เด็กวัด) (literally, 'child[ren] of the wat'). Dek wat are traditionally no younger than eight, and do minor housework around the temple.
The primary reason for becoming a dek wat is to gain a basic education, particularly in basic reading and writing and the memorization of the scriptures chanted on ritual occasions. Prior to the creation of state-run primary schools in Thailand, village temples served as the primary form of education for most Thai boys. Service in a temple as a dek wat was a necessary prerequisite for attaining any higher education, and was the only learning available to most Thai peasants.
Since the creation of a government-run educational apparatus in Thailand, the number of children living as dek wat has declined significantly. However, many government-run schools continue to operate on the premise of the local village temple.
After serving (typically for four years or more) as a dek wat, a future monk typically ordains as a novice (sāmanera in Pāli, or (Thai: สามเณร (สามะเนน)) samanen, but often shortened to nen (Thai: เณร (เนน)).
Novices live according to the Ten Precepts, but are not required to follow the full range of monastic rules found in the Patimokkha (Buddhist monastic code). There are a few other significant differences between novices and monks. Novices often are in closer contact with their families, spending more time in the homes of their parents than monks.
Novices do not participate in the recitation of the monastic code (and the confessions of violations) that take place on the uposatha days. Novices technically do not eat with the monks in their temple, but this typically only amounts to a gap in seating, rather than the separation observed between monks and the laity.
Young men typically do not live as a novice for longer than one or two years. At the age of 20, they become eligible to receive upasampada, the higher ordination that establishes them as a full bhikkhu. A novice is technically sponsored by his parents in his ordination, but in practice in rural villages the entire village participates by providing the robes, alms bowl, and other requisites that will be required by the monk in his monastic life.
Temporary ordination is the norm among Thai Buddhists. Most young men traditionally ordain for the term of a single rainy season (known in Pāli as vassa, and in Thai as phansa). Those who remain monks beyond their first vassa typically remain monks for between one and three years, officiating at religious ceremonies in surrounding villages and possibly receiving further education in reading and writing (possibly including the Kham or Tham scripts traditionally used in recording religious texts). After this period of one to three years, most young monks return to lay life, going on to marry and begin a family.
Young men in Thailand who have undergone ordination are seen as being more suitable partners for marriage; unordained men are euphemistically called 'raw', while those who have been ordained are said to be 'cooked'. A period as a monk is a prerequisite for many positions of leadership within the village hierarchy. Most village elders or headmen were once monks, as were most traditional doctors, spirit priests, and some astrologists and fortune tellers.
Monks who do not return to lay life typically specialize in either scholarship or meditation. Those who specialize in scholarship typically travel to regional education centers to begin further instruction in the Pāli language and the scriptures, and may then continue on to the major monastic universities located in Bangkok. The route of scholarship is also taken by monks who desire to rise in the ecclesiastic hierarchy, as promotions within the government-run system is contingent on passing examinations in Pāli and Dhamma studies.
Monks who specialize in meditation typically seek out a known master in the meditation tradition, under whom they will study for a period of years. 'Meditation monks' are particularly revered in Thai society as possessing great virtue and as potential sources of supernatural powers. Ironically, monks of the Thai Forest Tradition often find themselves struggling to find time and privacy to meditate in the face of enthusiastic supporters seeking their blessings and attention.
Reform Movements
- Dhammakāya Movement founded in Thailand in the 1970s. It was criticized to be a cult of personality rather than a legitimate Buddhist movement, and was investigated by Thai government in the 1990s but still grows quickly and nothing has been determined to be illegal although their consumerist views are frowned upon by some, while others may view the material wealth as simply a blessing to be freely accepted and celebrated.
- Santi Asoke (Thai: สันติอโศก) literally Peaceful Asoke established by Phra Bodhirak after he "declared independence from the Ecclesiastical Council (Sangha) in 1975"
Position of women
Unlike in Myanmar (Burma) and Sri Lanka, the female Theravada bhikkhuni lineage was never established in Thailand. As a result, there is a widespread perception among Thais that women are not meant to play an active role in monastic life; instead, they are expected to live as lay followers, making merit in the hopes of being born in a different role in their next life. As a result, lay women primarily participate in religious life either as lay participants in collective merit-making rituals, or by doing domestic work around temples.
A small number of women choose to become Mae Ji, non-ordained religious specialists who permanently observe either the eight or ten precepts. Mae Ji do not generally receive the level of support given to ordained monks, and their position in Thai society is the subject of some discussion.
Recently, there have been efforts to attempt to introduce a bhikkhuni lineage in Thailand as a step towards improving the position of women in Thai Buddhism. Unlike similar efforts in Sri Lanka, these efforts have been extremely controversial in Thailand.
Women attempting to ordain have been accused of attempting to impersonate monks (a civil offense in Thailand), and their actions have been denounced by many members of the ecclesiastic hierarchy. Most objections to the reintroduction of a female monastic role hinge on the fact that the monastic rules require that both five ordained monks and five ordained bhikkhunis be present for any new bhikkhuni ordination. Without such a quorum, critics say that it is not possible to ordain any new Theravada bhikkhuni. The Thai hierarchy refuses to recognize ordinations in the Taiwanese tradition (the only currently existing bhikkhuni ordination lineage) as valid Theravada ordinations, citing differences in philosophical teachings, and (more critically) monastic discipline.
See also
- Buddha images in Thailand
- Dhammakaya Movement
- Dhammayuttika Nikaya
- Luang Pu Thuat
- Mae Ji
- Santi Asoke
- Supreme Patriarch of Thailand
- Thai Forest Tradition
- Thai temple art and architecture
Fonte - enciclop]edia livre, fotos do articulista
Assinar:
Postagens (Atom)