They are all stunning in their detail and filled with symbolism.
The roof will have some form of snake covering it as a symbol of protection. The lotus flower which has three levels of life symbolize levels of enlightenment and much more that I won't go into.
The practise of Buddhism varies with each individual. You are not required to attend a temple as daily devotions occur in homes and businesses where small spirit houses are given prominence.
Thai temples are a jumble of strict orthodoxy and folk beliefs often mixing religious guidance with luck enhancing rituals.
If any trouble happens people turn to the temple beseeching the resident Buddha image (and they all have one large and many small statues). Some temples host fortune tellers and some go to monks trained in astrology for advice.
My favourite offering that people give to Buddha is the flower as it symbolizes that life is not permanent.
The Thai temple is the focal point of every community and you can see where the money goes, as even in poor outlying farming communities where we biked, the temples all had amazing amounts of shine and grandeur.
I wasn't sure what I would feel as I entered these places of mediation and ritual. The architecture and history is amazing. We were imagining where North America and European cultures were at when Asia was building these structures and creating this art as far back as the 1300's. But it felt spiritually empty and did not permeate the tranquility I thought it would.
The monks work hard to be compassionate and selfless and we can learn from this chosen life of simplicity. A monk has to learn and practice around 227 rules. The nuns even more.
I see such a growing respect and practice of Buddhism or some principles of Buddhism in our society. Because of that I have looked and focused on the similarities with Christianity. But in only focusing on a small point of similarity you forget the world of differences behind it. Origin and destiny have no common ground. There is no god to worship in Buddhism, only a need to learn to have no self, and at the same time there is a carved consciousness of a debt within the people that they have to pay, so their good can out weigh the bad with absolutely no measure of what is good enough.
A thought I am left with, as we mix all our different thoughts and beliefs and religions is:
"When you mix falsehood with truth, you create a more destructive lie." This was a quote from "The Lotus and The Cross" by Ravi Zacharias, which was a fantastic read and one I would recommend to anyone who wonders what Buddha and Jesus might say to each other.
I read this along with other books about the Essence of Buddhism and have more thoughts that I won't bore this family memory journal with. Have to say; it is fun to learn and wonder and challenge your thinking and beliefs as you travel.
Truth does not eliminate respect.
Each entry is very ornate and the detail stunning.
A temple site on our trip.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Sits atop a sacred mountain and has relics of Buddha buried inside.
Chanting prayers in the temple led by a head monk.
Every temple as a focal Buddha and then multiple other smaller ones.
Donation boxes everywhere and temples filled with bought prayers and gifts.
Anna at Wat Chedi Luang built in 1300's
Every temple sight has small buildings around and a special revered tree (can't remember name) that symbolizes the tree that Buddha was under when he received enlightenment.
The small boy was so cute as he kept checking with his grandmother if he was doing everything right..
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