การสะเดาะเคราะห์ (kaan-sadɔ̀-khrɔ́) or purification rituals are the rituals that some Thais participate when they visit Thai buddhist temple. The ancient Thai people had a belief in supernatural, holy spirits, ghosts, etc. regardless of religions. Since we believe in something we do not see, the purification rituals has become a part of our culture. In this article, you will see three common purification rituals seen in Thai temples.
1. Floating Flower Candles based on Birthday’s Colors
This is one of the most common ritual among other rituals in Thai temple. It has something to do with color. Each day of the week has its own color according to Thai belief. This idea is influenced by Hindu culture in which there are deities who protect each star including the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. Each deity’s body has his own color. The days of the week in Thai are named after these stars, therefore the deity’s color represents each day.
The Belief
Some Buddhists believe that floating a flower candle based on their birthday’s color will give them a prosperous life and at the same time the light on the candle will bring them a bright life. While some people believe that to float the candle means to float all bad lucks away from their lives.
Visible Result
Since every temple needs to maintain religion as well as keep running all the religious activities which are beneficial for people in the community, money does matter. The profits from selling candles can be another way to generate income.
2. Laying Down in a Coffin
This one looks more intense than other rituals in Thai temple. It is more popular in the north of Thailand but still you can see it in other parts of the country. This ritual is commonly done by a person laying down in a coffin with hands facing one another just like Thai greeting gesture ‘ไหว้ (wâay)’. Their heads should be in the west direction. Their body is covered with white cloth just like a dead body. Monks touch the edge of the cloth or in some places they touch the rope which is connected to the cloth while they say a certain prayer. This prayer is the same one the monks pray in a real funeral before the cremation.
Meaning of the Prayer
This prayer is entitled บังสุกุลตาย (baŋ-sùkun-taay). The word บังสุกุล (baŋ-sùkun) comes from Pali language pronounced as ปํสุกุล (paŋ sùkùla) which means a dusty cloth. ตาย (taay) is a Thai word means dead. This refers to the cloth that is used to cover the dead body. The prayer is chanted in Pali language and the English translation of the prayer is shown below.
All bodies are temporary.
When there is a rise, there is a fall, as in common.
Things happen and end.
Being at peace in the body is happiness.
After monks finish chanting this prayer, the people in the coffins then change their positions by switching their heads to the east direction. Then the monks chant another prayer called บังสุกุลเป็น (baŋ-sùkun-pen). The word เป็น (pen) means alive. The meaning of this chanting is as below.
Our bodies, not so long,
will have to fall down to the earth.
When the souls leave the bodies,
the bodies become like a log,
no use can be found.
Once the monks complete this บังสุกุลเป็น (baŋ-sùkun-pen) prayer, the ritual is then finished.
The Belief
This ritual is popular among people who are sick. They pretend that they are dead from this sick body by laying in the coffin and listen to บังสุกุลตาย (baŋ-sùkun-taay). And when they switch the position turning their heads to the east, they believe that they are born again with a new life without any sickness or bad lucks.
People who are not sick can also practice this ritual. Some also believe that being reborn again, they will live longer since they have just started their new lives after the ritual.
Visible Result
From my research, the participants do not need to pay anything to do this ritual, just like many other purification rituals. However, people still love to donate some amount of money to the temple, while some people who are afraid to lay down in the coffins, prefer to donate money to the temple to buy new coffins for dead people who were poor or have no relatives to support their funeral.
Moreover, this ritual gives people the experience of being in the coffins and they might realize the fact of life. The fact that one day they will end up laying down there with nothing they can take with them. Therefore, they can live their lives with more consciousness.
3. Saving Lives of Cattle
This is one of my most favorite purification ritual among all the other rituals in Thai temple. I did it without realizing that it is another type of the rituals. Most of the temples set up an area where there is a group of cattle chilling and eating. The visitors are encouraged to buy ready-to-eat green grasses from the temple and feed them. It is also possible to just donate the money by dropping some amount to a donation box usually placed near the area.
Usually, the temples rescue the cattle from the slaughterhouses. After that, the temples look after them.
The Belief
Some people believe that helping living creatures from dangers or death is to make a merit. It is a good practice and that all the good things will return to you. However, some people believe that helping a big animal like cattle gives greater merit.People have a belief that saving the lives of cattle makes them become healthy, live a long life, and relieve all the sufferings in their mind.
There is a reason behind this belief. Buddhist people believe in reincarnation. In each life, you can be reborn as different creatures, depending on how you live in the former life.They believe cattle is the closest creature to human beings. That means, after this life as cattle, they may become human in their next lives. Moreover, cattle is a big animal and belongs to mammals classification of animals just like human beings.
Visible Result
By purchasing food for them at the temples, people automatically put money into the temples. The temples can have enough money to provide a proper care for the cattle. In some temples, the money does not go to just taking care of the cattle in the temples. They may spend money in other areas like fixing temples, supporting local schools, hospitals, etc., and many more.