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Thai Wife

Buddha has been a part of many Thai's lives for a long time. Each Buddhist home will have his image somewhere. Some people place him on the "Hing" (shelf), so it's called "HingPhra". For some who have more space in their house provide him with his own room call "HongPhra", and place him on a set of a tables called "TohMooBuJa". I wonder how many of you have a Buddha image in your home, and where you place him. So, share a photo with us.

Here is a picture of mine. Buddha is on the top shelf of an etagere, and faces the northeast.



This Buddha image is "BudDhaChinNaRaj", and was given to me by a local Wat when I first moved here. It's has been specially made for export, and approved by the King of Thailand for this purpose. It can be identified by the King's symbol on the front.

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-Tuk
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kingwilly

actually TW maybe you can answer a question for me... a few years ago I bought a large painting of a buddha face, and the lady I bought the painting from told me to hang it in the living room or something but not the bedroom.

I accepted this but never asked the whys of it.

Recently I visited a mates appartment and he had a picture in his bedroom of a buddha face, I told him he wasnt really supposed to do that but could not say why.

1. Is their types of buddhas that are allowed in bedrooms?

2. or none at all?

3. the reasoning ?

4. what if someone only has a studio appartment ?



PS : I'm on holidays at the moment so my pics will ahve to wait till I get back 'home'.

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dirtydog

No budhhas allowed to watch over Aussie perverse sex acts, and that also means with women....

Maybe I should delete mine and your post from this nice thread actually, see how Thai Wife feels about it.

kingwilly

maybe just yours - mine is a serious question!

hard to believe i know.....

Anonymous Coward

Actually, DD's post is the seriously correct answer to your serious question....

Edit: I hasten to add that our Buddhas are in our bedroom, as directed by Ms. AC. She had no qualms about doing this, but she's Chinese, you know....

kingwilly

ok thanks - that answers question 3 then sort of....

i must admit i didnt think buddha had the same catholic hang-ups about sex that i grew up with ... was i wrong ?

Anonymous Coward

I don't think Buddhists in non-SEA countries have the same hang-up about Buddha in the bedroom

Thai Wife

The Buddha image on my shelf was blessed by 108 Monks. The purpose of him being here in my living room is for me to pay homage, remind me of his teaching, and help train me to be a good human being. The paintings and other decorative items that are sold in shops are just pieces of furniture. It really shows no respect for him and all Buddhists to even consider him as a piece of furniture. I am opposed to all ideas of having Buddha images as decoration of the house. It is different with the paintings of temples or other sacred places, since they show what he has done for us.

I don't think Buddha really would care what you do in your bedroom, even if he was there. He has seen it all and already knows about the lust in humans. That is why he gave it all up in search of the real meaning of life. The idea of having him in our bedroom just does not sound right for me, as a Buddhist. Besides, what ever I do in my bedroom should be my business.

stroller

We have a Buddha plaque outside near the entrance:


Also in the bedroom, above the head of the bed in a corner:


The top 2 shelves of the living room display feature Buddha statues I collected during my travel in Asia:


One of the village elders politely pointed out that I should place Buddha images only on the top floor of the house, since we'd be walking above the statues pointing at them with our feet - I have not listened to this advice, as the pic shows.

bustak

You folks have some cool statues, & nice set-ups!

This is my shrine (in America):

As you might notice, I have some Theravada Buddhist items, mixed with some Mahayana Buddhist items. But I would consider myself a student of the Theravada school.

I have my shrine/meditation area in my bedroom. I was told by a monk as long as your feet aren't pointing [at] it, it's OK.

This is a good thread!

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Anonymous Coward

Here's ours:



The Buddha image on the left is a stone Buddha from Bali. The one on the right is an old, wooden, Sukhothai-style image. Both are in the common "defeating Mara" gesture. I got the wooden one at JJ market many years ago. I took it to Saipan (illegally?) and returned it when I retired and we settled down here.

There are also a few smaller Buddha images and other religious objects which are not visible in the photo.

I usually try to buy a garland on the night before Wan Phra from this lady:

klongmaster

excuse my ignorance TW but what is an etagere?...

another interesting thread which is most appreciated...

MeMock

We don't have a buddah in our home.

I do have a pic of the king though which I bought

Wallalai

Thai Wife

It is a piece of furniture with open shelves for small ornaments. I know it is call etagere (read a-ta-zher] because that is what it said on the box, and I did check with the dictionary.

Marmite the Dog

Good thread this. It actually reminded me that I haven't unpacked my one yet, and I cannae remember which box he is in.

I'd better go and find him...

Marmite the Dog

Ok, I found the little chap, lovingly wrapped in some silk from Vietnam.

He's an old one from Bali that a friend of mine gave to me recently. He's also one of a pair. I'm not sure what the official name for his pose is; does anyone know?

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Why is it, you can wait an eternity for a bus, only for three to arrive at the same time?

Whiteshiva

Thai Wife

I don't think what you have is a Buddha image. It doesn't look like anything I have seen, since every Buddha image I know of has clothes.

I think it has to be something else, maybe like the boy, KuMarnThong (กุมารทอง ).

Does anyone else have any information?

klongmaster