If you ever decide to travel the world, and I strongly suggest that you do and I wish I had done more of it, you are going to encounter things that make you go "hmmmmm." There were many things in this country that had this effect on me and to be honest even after more than a decade here I still see stuff that I don't understand. Cultural differences can be very interesting. Anyway, on to spirit houses!
Although I have seen many of these (and even had one on my property at one point even though I didn't use it) I find them randomly on a regular basis. They are about the size of a dollhouse and if you want to get shouted at by Buddhists by all means use it as one (just kidding, don't do that, terribly insensitive.) They are normally a lot more elaborate that this one.
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All the ones I have seen are on raised platforms with high roofs, elaborate paint jobs and sometimes a ladder that goes to the ground. The houses constantly are restocked with fresh flowers, miniature statues, cups of booze, fruit, and for some reason or another red Fanta.
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From what I have learned, the Fanta is there because before it was banned, there was a blood sacrifice used instead and well, we can't have that now can we?
Thais and presumably other nations' Buddhists, believe strongly in ghosts. The spirit houses are meant to be a place for these spirits to stay so that they will not inhabit your actual house. This is the reason why the food and flowers are constantly restocked even though mostly it just seems to be an offering to ants.
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When your spirit house becomes dilapidated over time, you can't simply throw it out or destroy it (well, I mean you CAN, but that is not the proper procedure.) You are meant to drop them off at special locations where the spirits will be looked after and this seems to be "in a ditch near a temple." From this point the spirits are meant to be looked after by the monks and will not cause any problems on the temple grounds.
Although I am not a religious person, I do find Buddhism fascinating and I like the idea of looking after spirits in this way. It doesn't hurt anyone and again, there is incense involved and that is always a plus.
Actually, the idea of spirit house is not a part of Buddhism, but it’s Hindu’ s influence on Buddhist practice in SE Asia. Hindu existed in India long before Buddhism. Siam or Thailand, and Cambodia are very good examples of the mixing two different belief systems harmoniously with local pagan practices.
Originally, the Lord Buddha had forbidden the buildings of monasteries and Buddha statues. People who believe in Buddhism should follow the teachings. Only after the Buddha’s death that Buddha statues and buildings of worship were created by lay people who were too unsecured in their practice.
Local Thai pagan tradition includes village’s spirit house for the whole village to worship the spirits who are protecting the land. They offer food, drink, flowers and incense to the spirits regularly so that they would continue to be protected from bad ghosts and calamity.
There is no blood sacrifice for spirit houses. Red is an auspicious colour which is believed to please the spirits! Red is the colour of victory and success that’s why you would see red colour in important ceremonies such as red cloth and red flowers.
Sadly, in the age of consumerism and materialism, most Thais are no longer seriously practicing Buddhists! They just perform rites and ceremonies. I could hardly find any Thai friends who actually read Buddhist textbooks or translated scriptures. The influence of Hinduism is widespread, so we could see non-Buddhist statues in Buddhist temples just to please visitors and to get more donation in those boxes.
Thais go to temples to pray to Shiva and Ganesha including Buddha statues to ask for their blessings and help! They give money expecting a return! They don’t understand Buddhism. What they perform is against what the Buddha taught!
It’s easier to bribe some gods and spirits than to practice mindfulness meditation and read Buddhist texts! It’s consumerism and materialism in full swing at the moment.
Mind you, I don’t have anything against Indian gods, the Buddha actually talked about them in scriptures. But to find one’s own salvation and enlightenment, the journey has to be taken by oneself. One cannot depend on any gods or spirits to bring about spiritual freedom
and enlightenment!
Cheers.
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thanks for the lesson. My listing of the blood sacrifice was based on one Thai person telling me that... your description sounds far more concise :)
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Thanks! I know most Thais think they are real Buddhists and that they know everything without much readings or studies. I had a hard time trying to educate and train people with very little reading ability but with lots of confidence in their beliefs. It amazes me that they believe that whatever they said is the truth. This is a sad consequence of bad politicians trying to destroy the previous education system and installed a modern system which produced people who cannot read nor think analytically! They have been trying to dumb people down for years.
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I find it amazing that they are so religious yet they can just dump it on the side of a road. Fanta Strawberry must have good sales and I am surprised no one has come up with something cheaper, like a colored water.
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Fascinating article. I can relate this to the holy caves in the Himalayas in Northern India where monks perform Dhyana or meditation.
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Nice Blog like always. One time I almost make a small temple house fall down of a table. I was so lucky that it didnt fall down. It was a small temple on a table a little bit like this one on the 3 picture of your blog.
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Wow, if most of them are more elaborate than the pictures you shared then they have to be pretty spectacular. The craftsmanship in those are pretty impressive. Do they have procedures for these to be made or are they pretty much just mass produced somewhere else? I am just curious how much of an art it still is...
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