What are the taboos of wearing Thai Buddha amulets?

What are the taboos of wearing Thai Buddha amulets?

Benefits of wearing amulets

Buddhism was first introduced to Southeast Asia in Pyay in Lower Myanmar or Nakhon Pathom in central Thailand. Therefore, Thai people have a deep affection for Buddhism. Thai people believe that Buddha has great power, so they hope to get the blessing of Buddha in their lives, so they choose to use Buddha amulets to use "compassion" and "willpower" to resolve the "hatred" and "grudges" in the world and bring "light" and "happiness" to the wearer. Wearing a blessed Thai Buddha amulet can help us avoid danger, protect safety and strengthen our faith.

Taboos of wearing Buddha amulets

After introducing Thai Buddha amulets, let’s take a look at the taboos of wearing Buddha amulets.

1. When wearing the authentic amulet, fasten the chain behind your neck and hang the amulet in front of your chest. Do not hang the amulet around your waist or put it in your pocket.

2. When you are not wearing it, you need to take it off and store it in a dry place. Take it off when bathing or swimming.

3. When wearing the "authentic" amulet, you cannot wear the "yin" amulet at the same time, and the "authentic" amulet and the "yin" amulet cannot be placed together.

4. If you don’t want to wear the amulet anymore, you can give it to your relatives, friends or strangers. In Buddhism, this is called making good connections. You can also wrap it in red cloth and bury it under a tree or send it back to the temple.

5. The genuine Buddha amulets do not need to be worshipped. But the Yin amulets need to be worshipped. There are different requirements for different times and different Yin spirits. If it is a ghost amulet, food must be offered frequently.

6. Yin amulets are usually not worn with the body. If you need to wear them in some occasion, you can usually hang them around your waist or put them in your bag. Yin amulets and their spirits are both feminine, so they should not be placed near the head or heart.

1. Can Buddha amulets not be touched by others?

Crystals cannot be touched by others, but genuine amulets are completely fine! In Thailand, people appreciate and give each other their amulets. Unless you get them directly from a master, all of them have been touched by others. It's a very simple truth. Some people may say that if amulets have not been worn, they have not been opened, and if they have not been opened, they can be touched by others, but if they are worn around the neck, they cannot be touched. This is for Yin amulets, there is no such saying for genuine amulets! (Here is a point: please do not touch other people's "amulets" without understanding clearly, because if you touch a Yin amulet, it will easily have a bad impact on yourself.) Out of respect for the amulets, just do not touch them with dirty hands. For example, you must wash your hands after going to the toilet, or after touching slaughtered livestock. Do not let people with bad intentions touch them, such as some people who intentionally destroy the positive magnetic field of the amulets, or cultists who are disrespectful to Buddhism, but you have to judge for yourself. Moreover, if the amulets cannot be shared with the public, but must be collected by each person, then this goes against the meaning of promoting Buddhism and making good connections through amulets. It is also inconsistent with the Buddhist teachings that emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness.

(2) Do not insult your parents or the parents of others

Buddha taught us to be filial to our parents and to repay their kindness. Buddha said: Filial piety to parents is more meritorious than offering alms to the Three Sages and Ten Saints. So-called, filial piety and respect for teachers. Therefore, believers should not use foul language when wearing amulets, and should not curse their parents or other people's parents. By extension, they should not insult their elders, teachers, or even other people.

3. What should I do when I take off or don’t wear the amulet? Can I transfer the amulet to someone else?

When sleeping or taking off the amulet, you can hang it in a clean and slightly higher place, or put it on a clean table (such as a bedside table, desk). If you don't wear it for a long time, you can put it on the shrine for worship. Of course, not many believers have a shrine at home. In this case, you can put it in a cloth bag (such as a small brocade bag) or a box (such as a jewelry box), and then put it in a cabinet, a bucket, or a clean place. Some friends want to transfer their amulets for various reasons, but they have various concerns. In fact, it is completely possible. It is very common to transfer and give amulets to each other in Thailand. However, it is generally not recommended to do so. If you really want to give it to others, it is best to thank the amulet first, thank the amulet for its help and protection, explain the reason, and then it is best to say that you will make a dedication to thank the amulet in the future. A friend once got a Buddha amulet that he wore, but he didn't say anything. On the afternoon of the amulet exchange, his wallet fell and he became ill. In fact, whether it is a Buddha amulet or not, even if it is someone who has helped you, you should know how to be grateful.

4. Do not wear amulets while bathing

It is best for believers to take off the amulets and put them away when bathing. The reasons are: first, wearing amulets naked while bathing is considered disrespectful; second, wearing amulets while bathing. Water vapor can easily penetrate into the shell of the amulets, which is likely to damage the amulets. In addition, believers must note that in addition to not wearing amulets when bathing at home, you cannot wear amulets if you go to a sauna or take a bath in a swimming pool, otherwise it will be considered disrespectful to the amulets. Of course, if you are worried about encountering "unclean things" or other special circumstances when staying in a hotel, you can wear amulets to sleep for the time being. If your amulets are waterproof, you can also keep them with you when bathing.

5. What to do when sleeping or having sex?

It is OK for couples to put the amulet on the bedside table when sleeping, but not under the pillow (if there is no sexual intercourse, it can be placed under the pillow). In fact, it is not necessary to take it off when bathing or sleeping. The main reason why you cannot wear it when bathing is that you are afraid that the amulet without an acrylic shell will get wet, and you cannot wear it when sleeping because you are afraid of crushing it. This is the source of the misunderstanding. The amulet is to protect you all the time, but couples should take it off when bathing. If you are alone or have done too many bad things and are afraid of ghosts~hehe~you can take it with you when bathing. Many people keep their amulets with them when they stay in a hotel, and they keep them with them when they sleep and bath~hehe~maybe they have done too many bad things~If you go to the sauna or take a bath in the swimming pool, don't wear the amulet, because there are all kinds of people, it is not clean, and it is disrespectful to the amulet. In movies, you often see people wearing amulets to bathe, which is incorrect. What you can wear is not amulets, but generally protective sacred objects (Takrut, Luong, Palakit, etc.).

(6) Can’t enter the delivery room or morgue while wearing a Buddha amulet?

The custom of not wearing amulets in the delivery room was developed by Chinese Taoist believers. Because in the past, Thai amulets were not common at all. When people were sick or unwell, they would go to the temple to ask for talismans. According to Taoist customs, all talismans were forbidden to enter the delivery room and the morgue, because they believed that these two places were full of blood and unclean air, which was unlucky. Bringing talismans in might lead to ominous events, so believers did not dare to do it rashly. However, in the Hinayana doctrine of Thailand, it is often mentioned that things in the world are impermanent, and "birth, aging, illness and death" are the inevitable path for everyone, so we should treat them with a normal mind. When "Buddha" was alive, he saved the world with the method of compassion and tolerance. Now, it is integrated into the image of Buddha amulets for all beings to wear to commemorate the spirit of "Buddha" forever. Believers wear Buddha amulets in the hope of blessing safe entry and exit, and warding off evil spirits. If you are not allowed to go here or there when wearing a Buddha amulet, then what is the point of believers wearing it? Especially in hospitals, delivery rooms and morgues, there are countless spirits. If believers are not careful, they may collide with these spirits and suffer bad luck. Therefore, believers wear Buddha amulets to be protected at all times. As long as the wearer has a "righteous heart and no doubts", the holy spirit power of the amulet will always be with them.

7. What mantra should I chant when wearing a Buddha amulet?

In fact, it is up to personal preference whether to chant or not. Of course, it is better to chant. Before going out in the morning, you can put your hands together and gently place the Buddha amulet on your forehead, and then silently chant the Buddha's First Sutra and the Mantra in your heart, hoping that they will bless the believers to meet noble people when they go out that day, and have prosperous business, so that the believers can pray sincerely. After chanting the mantra, you can put it on the amulet, and you will be full of confidence to face the new day. The Buddha's First Sutra and the forbidden mantra are as follows:

Namotasa Bagawato Ahrahato Samma samputatsa (three times)

Pu tang Ah la tat na nang Tam mang Ah la tat na nang

I'm so tired

Pu tang Pa si ti may Tam mang Pa si ti may

Sak kang Pa si ti may

8. Taboos on eating and drinking

The monks of Theravada Buddhism eat both meat and vegetables, so the food they beg for includes chicken, pork, beef, and mutton, all wrapped in plastic bags. Thai monks abide by the precept of not eating after noon, and can only eat solid food from 7 am to 12 pm, and can only drink liquid water or juice after noon. Monks go out of the temple every morning to beg for alms. Monks cannot refuse the food offered by believers. They eat whatever the donors offer, without any choice or pickyness. As long as the animals are not killed specifically for them, even fish and meat will be eaten. If the monks cannot finish the food themselves, they will take it out and offer it to other monks. Whether it is meat or vegetables, as long as it is given by the donor, it will be accepted. This is the purpose of Theravada Buddhism. Therefore, there are also monks in Thailand who like to eat beef. However, Chinese people in Southeast Asia who believe in Taoism or Guanyin Bodhisattva do not eat beef, because it is said that "Buddhism" originated from India two thousand years ago. At that time, the Hindu doctrine believed that cows were sacred cows, and cows would help people plow the fields and make a lot of contributions to the agricultural society.

9. Can’t go to the toilet while wearing a Buddha amulet?

Some people think that toilets have a foul smell, so even if they need to go to the toilet outside, they will leave the Buddha amulet in a corner outside the toilet. However, I am afraid that the Buddha amulet will be gone when you come out after relieving yourself. In fact, going to the toilet is a normal human behavior, and there is nothing so dirty and unclean. Think about it, before the Buddha became a Buddha, didn’t he need to go to the toilet every day to spread the Dharma? Besides, which monk today can practice to the point of not having to go to the toilet? Therefore, as long as we wear the Buddha amulet with a positive attitude and without doubt, we can rest assured that we don’t have to avoid taking the Buddha amulet into the toilet. As long as we have the Buddha in our hearts, He will always be with you and bless you. If you still feel uncomfortable, just put the Buddha amulet behind you when you go to the toilet, and out of sight, out of mind.

10. Can’t put your feet facing the amulet?

Buddha amulets should not be placed randomly. Buddha amulets should be worn around the neck, not lower than the waist, not in unclean places, not stepped on or walked over, not facing the Buddha amulets with feet, and people wearing Buddha amulets should avoid sitting facing other people's feet (in fact, this is also a question of moral etiquette. People who understand etiquette will not face others with their feet). By the way, Yansheng said a question, that is, in Thailand, monks believe that it is not allowed to step over the temple. This is a very disrespectful behavior. How to step over the temple? It's by taking a plane! Therefore, monks with cultivation do not take planes when they go to other places (in fact, monks rarely go to other places. They are usually invited to attend meritorious ceremonies for consecration and blessing). So, please think about the masters who often take planes to bless domestic believers and make amulets.

11. Can’t walk under the clothes drying rack when wearing a Buddha amulet? Can’t wear it during menstruation?

This also involves a concept. People hang washed clothes, pants and underwear on clothes hangers or iron wires to dry, including women's clothes, which are the most taboo for Chinese people. Because women have "menstruation" every month, their clothes are considered to be "bloody" and dirty. Therefore, they think that clothes hanging in the air will offend the Buddha amulets, making the Buddha amulets lose their spiritual power and sensitivity. But this is actually a concept influenced by Chinese Taoist thought. Ask yourself, who among the people alive today, even the Buddha, did not come from the so-called "filthy" place? So should we not wear Buddha amulets? Please think objectively and calmly. Of course, with the development of technology today, high-rise buildings are built everywhere. When we pass by an apartment, we may inadvertently walk into the place where the residents behind are drying clothes. In order to show respect, we should quickly walk out after discovering it. However, if we have been stepped over by the clothes hanger, we should immediately say to the Buddha amulet we are wearing that we just walked over it accidentally. Ignorance is not a sin, and we will feel more at ease. If you have already seen the clothes drying rack and you deliberately walk over it and step over it, that is wrong. In fact, the most important thing about wearing a Buddha amulet is to have a righteous heart. The Buddha amulet will not lose its spiritual power by being stepped over by the clothes drying rack. It is more about respect for the Buddha amulet and the individual's entanglement with things.

(12) The amulet cannot be placed below the waist, otherwise it will break the law?

There have always been many people saying that amulets cannot be placed below the waist, otherwise it will break the law. In fact, it has been found from many senior collectors and some Thai people that the saying that amulets cannot be placed below the waist does exist! But it means that when wearing amulets, or when you need amulets to help protect you, you cannot place amulets below the waist. Because if the amulet is placed low, the power magnetic field is oppressed, and the effectiveness of the amulet cannot be exerted, so it needs to be worn around the neck. The amulet is at the center of the qi, near the heart, and can better spread the energy throughout the body. If it is placed below the waist, the power of the amulet cannot be exerted, and it is respectful to the Buddha above the waist, but it does not break the law. If someone tells you that amulets below the waist will break the law, or weaken the power of amulets, etc., then you can ask him: "Should you hand the amulet to me in person instead of sending it by SF Express?"

13. The amulet cannot be placed below the waist

The so-called "below the waist" here refers to the area below the navel, which is an unclean place. Amulets can be worn around the neck or placed in a shirt pocket, but they must not be placed below the waist, let alone in a trouser pocket. Pressing amulets with your buttocks is considered disrespectful to amulets. In addition, if you do not wear amulets, the place where you usually place amulets must not be placed in an unclean place, and you must not step on amulets or step over or walk over them. If you wear amulets, you must avoid sitting facing other people's feet, and do not face the Buddha statue with your feet, otherwise it is considered disrespectful.