The Against Buddha’s Teachings or Not? The Relationship between Thai Amulets and Buddhist Teachings: A Case Study of Monks’ Attitudes toward Contemporary Thai Amulets in Bangkok

Bingyan  Zhai

Authors

Bingyan Zhai Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

Keywords:

Thai amulets, Buddha’s Teaching, Monks’ attitudes, Thai Buddhism

Abstract

This paper investigates the attitudes of monks in Bangkok towards contemporary Thai Buddha amulets, examining whether these objects align with or contradict the teachings of the Buddha. The findings of the research, which was conducted through questionnaires administered to monks in various Bangkok temples, revealed a divergence of opinion. While certain monks perceive amulets as being irrelevant to the fundamental tenets of Buddhism, or even as a commercial diversion, others regard them as practical instruments for disseminating the Dhamma to non-monastic individuals. The paper under scrutiny here highlights the complex interplay between religion and material culture and offers insight into the evolving interpretations of Buddhist practice in modern Thai society.

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