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I am Buddhist and so are about 95% of people in Thailand. For us, it is more a way of life than other religions. We don't see the Buddha as a God but rather as a real person who reached enlightenment through meditation and leading a good life. When we pray or pay respect to his image we are promising him that we will do our best to be good. If you have any questions about Thailand, then please do not hesitate to post them in my All About Thailand Forums.

BOOKS ON BUDDHISM

In our school library we have hundreds of books on Thai culture and religion which we use to help answer questions sent to us by students from around the world. You can buy some of these books online at my school's thaihypermarket.com site.

This is a picture of me and my family when we went to visit the monk on my mother's birthday. We do this every year.

BUDDHIST FESTIVALS
Wisakha Puja Day - A very important day in the Buddhist Tradition.
Asaha Puja Day - The Lord Buddha gave his first sermon and one of his followers became the first Buddhist monk.
Magha Puja Day - This holiday marks the first time the Buddha gave a sermon to monks

After my grandfather died, I became a novice monk for a month to help him go to paradise. I had to cut off all my hair and eyebrows too!

I took this picture at about 6.30 a.m. at my local market. People stopped the monk to give him food as a way to make merit. The monk never says thank you or makes eye contact. He blesses the people and then moves on barefoot.

BUDDHISM
Life as a Buddhist - See what Buddhists have to do.
Ordination Procedure - Step by step, what they have to do to become a monk.
I was a Novice Monk - After my grandfather died.
Bangsakun - a religious service that is performed in sacred memory of the dead.  
The life of the Buddha - Prince Siddhattha Gotama was born in 623 BC. in the north of India.
Buddha Images - Attitudes of Buddha Images.
Viewpoint of a Western Buddhist - A Western Buddhist talks about Buddhism exclusively for Thailand Life. 
The Story of Mahajanaka - The famous story written by the H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

VISITING TEMPLES

Yohthinpradit Temple - The temple I was a novice monk.
Tam Boon - see what happens when we make merit at the local temple for my mother's birthday.
Wien Tien - Thais normally visit temples to attend a sacred ceremony whereby - with lit candles in their hands - they walk around the main chapel three times.
The Tradition of Freeing Fish and Birds - Among many traditions of the Thai people, this is a very old one which has been practised from time immemorial.
Gold Leaf - Gold in the form of a thin leaf is an item valued for its purity as a religious offering.
Lustral Water - is water that has been infused with magical powers or has received a blessing from monks.
Lotus Flowers - an important symbol in buddhism

QUIZZES
After you have finished reading these pages, try the Life as a Buddhist Quiz.