Learning Thai

In a previous entry I mentioned a book written about Thailand 100 years ago and quoted from a section dealing with Thai marriage customs. Later in the same book the author describes his impressions of Buddhism and how it was practiced (or not practiced) in Thailand in the late 1800's. From what we've observed, I'd agree with almost all of what he says - except for the comparison he makes to Christianity. Here's his description:

"Every single town and village of Siam is crowded with temples...their number seems to be out of all proportion to the number of the population...[T]he reason for this superabundance of religious edifices is not to be found in the immense number of people who are popularly supposed to believe in the teachings of Buddha...no one who has lived in a Buddhist country will venture to assert that...the vast majority of the people do anything more than passively accept the superstitions of their forefathers without ever inquiring or even caring whether they are the true teachings of Buddha or not...It is not possible to call them Buddhists at all, if the term is to be used as comparable to the term Christian as applied to the believers in Christ in Western lands."

I'd say it's exactly the same as the state of Christianity in "Western lands." Whether we're talking about Christianity or Buddhism (or probably any other religion), a sizable percentage of people who identify themselves with that faith could not justifiably claim to be active, sincere disciples who are truly dedicated to the teachings and morals of the religion. All cultures contain some level of religious symbolism and tradition (Thai culture happens to include a lot). And even though many people are content to practice or observe only that "cultural religion" it is never the same as a true faith and commitment to the original teachings.

There are "true Buddhists" in Thailand and they bemoan the widespread hypocrisy and watering-down of their religion in the same way that "true Christians" in the West do.

-Tom