My Thoughts on Thai life

Monk for a month

2011-04-16T09:31:00.003+07:00

Anyone interested in coming to our temple and studying the Dhamma, learning abouhhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gift meditation, or even ordaining ashttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif ahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif novice monk for a month can get information here..

http://watsriboenruang.wordpress.com/

http://www.watsriboenruang.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/fabian.blandford?v=feed&viewas=529691988

https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_139845382743341&ap=1

Males can become a monk for a month or less, but a two week stay is the required minimum for those intending to ordain. One does not have to be a Buddhist to do so. Those who wish can even ordain longer, so becoming a novice monk for a month or even several months could even lead to full ordination as a monk, not just novice. Thai males often ordain as a full monk for a month or longer or shorter as a way to repay their parents for having given them this precious human rebirth.

2011-03-08T20:41:00.002+07:00

2011-01-14T16:59:00.004+07:00

So little time....

2010-03-11T06:02:00.002+07:00

I have not contributed to this blog in so long...... because I got caught up in the activity of MonkforaMonth here in Fang and am the Dhamma teacher.
Those who wish to know more can see my Facebook account...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=529691988&v=feed&viewas=529691988

and that of MonkforaMonth...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=529691988&v=feed&viewas=529691988#!/monk4amonth?ref=mf
http://www.monkforamonth.com/

very busy with my photography of late too so to see my work look at the albums on Facebook or my Flickr account
http://www.flickr.com/people/28361002@N07/

2009-03-23T18:51:00.001+07:00

Christmas dance..

2009-02-18T07:59:00.004+07:00

a bit late I know... but a nice dance done at my kids school here in Fang.

in six parts....

Rangsee Wittaya Dance 1 of 6 from fabianfred on Vimeo.

We are lucky.....

2009-02-18T06:22:00.001+07:00

...here in the north of Thailand........ to have a large number of Shan (Tai Yai) coming to live. The world feels sorry for their plight, forced to flee their homeland by the evil regime in place in Burma, so it is good that at least some of them find shelter here.
They are more devout Buddhists than many ordinary thais, who have become infatuated with the Western plague of consumerism, even to the extent of becoming Christians because it is yet another import like McDonalds and Jeans.

Dance of the Birds

2008-10-28T06:51:00.001+07:00

Dance of the Birds.. from fabianfred on Vimeo.

Flame of the Forest

2008-04-29T07:47:00.000+07:00

I love the flame trees which bloom at this time of the year...they look so colourful against the greenery...

Thai language

2008-04-22T10:23:00.000+07:00

I've been learning and using the Thai language since I first started learning it 18 years ago. My most favourite word in the whole Thai language is krengcai (grengjai)....
There is no simple direct translation for it into English....I don't know about other languages.... and it requires several sentences in explanation to try and give people the correct meaning.

For me it means the opposite to selfishness, but is not adequately explained by merely unselfishness........

Consideration for others........concern for others.....how your actions will affect them. It is all bound up in the Thai mentality and culture, and especially from their Buddhism.

Someone driving fast and dangerously in a busy area, near a market for example, is definately mai krengcai. Not to be confused with merely impolite behaviour....mai supaab.

If you are on the path to enlightenment with nirvana as your goal, then you must definately be krengcai at all times and to all beings....yes even to animals.

A good example of krengcai would be the custom of lowering one's head and stooping whilst walking in front of other people, especially when their attention is on something like a TV or similar.

Poy Sang Long

2008-04-14T16:30:00.000+07:00

Here in Fang there is a large Tai Yai community, so we get the Poy sang long processions and ordinations of the 'luk geaw' (crystal children??)...where they are dressed and made-up as princes to copy the life of the Buddha before he left home to the ascetic life......
The temples and ceremonies of the Tai yai peoples have more in common with the Burmese customs than those of the Thai....