Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(one's way of life must not harm others); right effort (good actions develop good
thoughts and deeds); right mindfulness (carefully considered actions, speech and
mental attitude); and right composure (concentration and focus). The Eightfold Path
fosters morality, spirituality and insight without austerity or indulgence; much store is
set by meditation, putting away the dramas of everyday life to achieve a calm,
untroubled mind.
Buddhism in Cambodia
In Cambodia, Mahayana Buddhism survived side by side with Hinduism from the
days of Funan, both creeds having been brought by Indian traders. Buddhism was not,
however, widely adopted until the twelfth century when, under Jayavarman VII, it
briefly replaced Hinduism as the state religion. With the passing of Jayavarman VII,
Hinduism experienced a brief resurgence in the early thirteenth century, but thereafter
it was
Theravada Buddhism
that gripped the population, though the reasons for the
change are unclear.
Monasteries
were founded, acting as schools and libraries, and
serving as guardians of the national religion, language and moral code. They also
provided other social services such as care for the elderly and sick.
In 1975, the Khmer Rouge banned all religion, destroying or desecrating temples,
texts and statues, and persecuting Buddhist monks - fewer than three thousand out of
an estimated 65,000 monks survived the regime. Buddhism was tolerated, if not
encouraged, during the Vietnamese occupation, and reinstated as the national religion
in 1989. Today, Buddhism is practised by some 95 percent of the country's population.
The sangha
Monks play an important role in Cambodian life, and it's not uncommon for
Cambodian men to enter the
sangha
, or monkhood, for a period in their lives, often
between the ages of 13 and 15 or upon the death of a parent (in the not so distant past
this was seen as a right of passage, making men fit for marriage and raising a family).
This ordination can be for quite short periods, perhaps a couple of months, or
(reflecting modern times) even just a day. Novices are ordained in the rainy season,
when their heads are shaved and they receive their saffron robes, comprising the
sampot
ngout
, the undergarment; a
sbang
, covering the lower body; a
hang sac
, a garment with
WATS
A
wat
(often, if confusingly, described in English as a “pagoda”) is essentially a temple-
monastery, although the term is frequently used loosely to refer to any religious structure.
Most wats are enclosed by four walls with entrances on each side. At its heart is the
vihara
,
the main sanctuary, which contains the most important Buddha images. The vihara is used
solely by the monks for their religious ceremonies, and is often kept locked. Separate
buildings elsewhere in the wat will house the monks' living quarters and a hall in which
meals and religious classes are taken and ceremonies for the laity performed. Also
commonly found within pagodas are
crematoria
, reflecting the prevalence of cremation
rather than burial, and numerous miniature
chedi
(stupas) containing the ashes of the
deceased. Buildings (especially the main vihara) are often colourfully decorated with
murals
and carvings
showing scenes from the life of the Buddha or from the various
Jataka
tales, a
collection of stories recording the previous lives of the Buddha. Many are donated by rich
Cambodians to earn religious merit.
There's no fixed programme of
worship
for Buddhist Cambodians, although many will visit
on offering days or as and when they feel the need. Buddhists pay their respects to (rather
than worship) images of the Buddha, placing their palms together in front of the chin and
then raising them to the forehead while bowing slightly, an action which is repeated three
times. It's also usual to light three sticks of incense; if asking for divine assistance, lotus buds are
placed in vases near the altar. It is customary for worshippers to leave a donation of a few
thousand riel.
