Archives de catégorie : Post card

Khim music at Chatuchak market

Publié le par
Répondre

khimThe khim which has 42 strings is played with two flexible bamboo sticks with soft leather at the tips to produce the soft tone. It can be played by sitting down on the floor with the khim place on the floor or by sitting on a chair or standing. At the Chatuchak market, a young girl was playing by sitting in the middle of the crowd.
She offered us a never ending music moving the bamboo sticks so quickly but with such ability!beautiful time in this commercial area where Bangkok inhabitants and tourists enjoy tasting Thai food or shopping as it seems to be the first hobby in the capital city.

Monks last meal

Publié le par
Répondre

Petit rocher d'or et le moineIn the Buddhist tradition, everyone ensures that the monks have finished their last meal before noon. We are welcomed in a monastery built in the countryside of Mon State. Three monks live there, two Burmese from Theravada tradition and a Malaysian monk from Mahayana tradition. A cook and some workers live here for a while, time to dig a new well. All respect to Buddhist practices.

We arrive late morning with our monks friends in a village back in the mountains where there is a small golden rock, similar to the famous rock in equilibrium and covered with gold leaves. children sit on the floor for a long prayer before the monks begin their last meal. Then, after the meal ends, civilians can start eating as well.

Here in listening prayer accompanied by gongs.

 

 

Burmese song

Publié le par
Répondre

Mont Zwegabin                                                                                                                                         At the top of Mount Zwegabin there is a monastery; monks live there, they welcomed us for the night, we camped facing te karst mountains. In the mornng, a young woman offered us breakfast in the company of monkeys … and she gave us a song!

 

 

Ringing offerings next to Buddha

Publié le par
Répondre

IMG_2668

Wat Pho (วัด โพธิ์ Thai, Wat Po) is one of the largest and oldest Buddhist temples in Bangkok. Eight acres, the temple hosts a multitude of stupa and a huge Buddha  (พระพุทธ ไสยาสน์). Lying on his deathbed close to nirvana, the statue is 45 meters long and 15 meters high. The feet are inlaid with pearls representing 108 states of the Buddha.

One building is dedicated to the statue, the flood of tourists is flowing without interruption to photograph the Buddha. 25 bols are arranged along the Buddha to collect the offerings of the faithful. The sound resounds in the bowls. We offer you a few minutes of this melody …

Note also that the Wat Pho hosts a Thai massage school and traditional medicine.

 

IMG_2691

Praying in Borobudur

Publié le par
Répondre
 Built around 800 AD and abandoned for centuries, all of Borobudur was re discovered in IXth century by Europeans.
BorobudurBorobudur is both a stupa  and the largest Mandala in the world. A mandala is a cosmic representation of the universe for Buddhists . The set consists of three square terraces and three circular ones, all are covered with bas-reliefs recounting the various episodes of the life of the Buddha Sakyamuni . All these reliefs were carved on site, once the stones were setted.

IMG_0257Another gallery also covered with bas-reliefs represents the earthly life ; it is not possible to go in there because it is buried ! This feature gives rise to numerous assumptions …

 

 

Monks at Borobudur

Although Borobudur is a tourist destination, the majesty of the place and the power of the temple itself leave us stunned. We travel the square contemplating the bas-reliefs depicting the life around 800 AD, it is already very impressive.

 Then we climb the floors to reach the circular terraces, the world beyond where there is neither beginning nor end. At the top of the temple, we found dozens of stupa where  Buddhas observe us. We meet monks in litany accompanied by believers delighted to pray in this mythical place . Under a blazing sun all are traveling to the Buddhist nirvana.

IMG_0275