The fusion of religious beliefs in Thailand: Buddhism, animism and Brahmanism

Thais are known to be devout Theravada Buddhists , however, walking around the temple-adorned towns and villages, it becomes difficult to distinguish whether everything you see is related to traditional Buddhism.

In fact, Thais classify themselves as followers of Buddhism, but many of the things they believe and practice are intrinsically part of Brahmanism, an ancient form of Hinduism, as well as popular animist religions.

Animism is described as the worship of spirits or ghosts.

The word animism comes from the Latin word anima which means breath, spirit and life.

Animists believe that almost everything has a spirit, including plants, animals, rocks, rivers, the wind, the sun, and other inanimate natural objects, and that the physical and spiritual worlds are closely linked.

Animists say that what they practice is not a belief system, but rather a worldview.

In essence, the worldview means: The world is a sacred place, and we are part of it.

Furthermore, it can be considered more of a value system than any other form of membership.

Satsana Phi (satsana = religion and Phi = spirits or ghost) is the Thai word for the belief system that worships spirits.

Animism is included in Satsana Phi because it involves the use of shamans and ancestor worship.

Satsana Phi followers believe that buildings, territories, things, and natural places all have tutelary gods or supernatural deities residing within them.

Animism believes that there are guardian spirits of people, which often include ancestors or angelic beings that arrive at different times in life, better known as thewada.

Apsara Dancers

Malevolent spirits, phi phetu, include the khwan of people who were evil in past lives or who died tragically.

Khwan is the finite amount of spirit that exists within an individual, with Thais believing that khwan has the ability to wander or escape from the body.

It is believed that a spirit that suffers from demerit can be a dangerous ghost, while those that have merit are considered good ghosts.

The ghost Preta, for example, is believed to be stuck in the stage of liminality, or right of passage, and wanders the human realm in the hope of acquiring the merit necessary to pass.

Thailand's most famous ghost, Mae Naak Phra Khanong, is feared by many, even though she is believed to have corrected her past lives and gained merit.

Since Thais practice ancestor worship as part of animism, one of the popular ancestors, who was part of the Thai monarchy, is the late King Chulalongkorn .

And, generally speaking, Thais practice the veneration of dead Theravada Buddhist monks, who are believed to possess supernatural powers.

Examples of animism can be seen throughout Thailand if you know where to look.

Spirit Houses

Objects such as spirit houses, or phi houses , adorn almost every building or house, intended, according to Thais, to appease the spirit of the property.

Thais offer food and drink daily to these miniature shrines and seek protection from the ghosts believed to inhabit these houses.

The tutelary deities of the places, such as the phi wat of the temples and the lak mueang of the cities, are celebrated with community gatherings and food offerings.

Besides animism and Buddhism, Brahmanism is another belief system that Thais combine with other practices.

Brahmanism, like animism, focuses on thewadas, who are angelic beings or gods.

Thais turn to these deities to ensure health, prosperity and luck.

Examples of popular deities are gods such as Bhrama and Indra.

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It is interesting to note that almost all of the ceremonies in Thailand that commemorate the various points in the life cycles and seasons are rooted in Brahmanism, not Buddhism.

One of these ceremonies, the first plowing or Raek Na Kwan in Thai, was adopted by the Thai royal court and its auspicious day and time are still fixed today by Brahmin astrologers.

Thais also regard astronomical and celestial bodies as deities.

This can also include material astronomical objects.

This is the case of Rahu, considered the god of luck and fortune, who is often worshipped in the central regions of Thailand.

The worship of planetary deities is sometimes linked to the Hindu belief of Navagraha, which recognizes 9 celestial bodies as deities.

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For almost every ceremony, a Brahmin monk or priest determines an auspicious time.

The current king of Thailand was sworn in as crown prince at an auspicious time determined by a royal astrologer.

See: Coronation of King Rama X in Thailand: What you need to know

Other Thai practices include adherence to pre-Buddhist traditions, such as the wearing of robes and the shaving of heads by monks.

This performance is often thought to be part of Buddhism, but it actually stems from the Semana tradition, which predates Buddhism by about 4,000 years.

Holy days, or Uposatha in Thai, which are designated to observe half-moons and full moons, also originate from pre-Buddhist times.

In Thailand, these days are called Wan Phra, and Thai people traditionally go to temples in white clothes on these days.

Obviously, for anyone visiting the Land of Smiles, determining the belief systems of the Thai people can be daunting.

Thais do not have a word for animism in their language and tend to categorize all belief systems they have adopted under Buddhism.

And, indeed, that is perhaps the best way to describe Thailand's fusion of beliefs and practices.

The use of Buddhism as an umbrella term is explained by the fact that the other adopted belief systems all share similar elements with the officially recognized religion of the kingdom.

Buddhism, animism, and Brahmanism (or Hinduism) all incorporate the worship of spirits and gods who may or may not have merit or good karma.

These beings are used by Thais to ask for protection, luck, wealth, health and help in passing to the next life.

However, because animism is strictly based on the worship of spirits, which may or may not be controlled, it is considered less likely to help Thais in their quest for a better life.

Animism also opposes Buddhist values ​​such as sobriety and self-control, as animist rituals encourage whiskey consumption, dancing, and cigarettes.

Whatever the differences between animism and Buddhism, monks still play a vital role in both practices.

However, ultimately, most Thais believe that being a devoted Buddhist will grant them the most powerful magical powers.

See also:

Deities and Symbols in Thai Culture

The Apsara dancers, celestial nymphs

Royal Cremation in Thailand: What You Need to Know

Source: thethaiger.com