MEDITATION E/AUG 2008 the Contents of This Publication Are Subject to Change Without Notice
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Produced by Promotional Material Production Division, Marketing Services Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand for free distribution. MEDITATION www.tourismthailand.org E/AUG 2008 The contents of this publication are subject to change without notice. The path to inner peace and well-being Contents Meditation The Path To Inner Peace And Well-being 4 Wat Sanghathan 20 The Buddha’s Life And Teachings 8 Wat Luang Phor Sodh Dhammakayaram 21 Meditation Techniques 11 Dhamma Kamala Meditation Centre 22 Meditation Centres In Thailand 14 Wat Sunandavanaram 23 Young Buddhist Association Of Thailand Under Royal Patronage 15 Boonkanjanaram Meditation Centre 24 The International Buddhist Meditation Centre 16 Meditation Pavilion Thailand 25 Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit 17 Wat Umong 26 Wat Pathumwanaram Ratchaworawihan 18 Wat Pa Nana Chat 27 Wat Suan Mokkhaphalaram 28 Wat Yai Chaimongkol / Ayutthaya Meditation The Path To Inner The Buddha’s Life Meditation Meditation Centres Young Buddhist Association Of The International Buddhist Wat Mahathat More Next Contents Peace And Well-being And Teachings Techniques In Thailand Thailand Under Royal Patronage Meditation Centre Yuwaratrangsarit eBrochures Menu MEDITATION The path to inner peace and well-being Thailand, a perfect destination where one can relax and find inner peace and a healthy life for mind, body and spirit through Buddhist meditation. Buddhism is the main religion of Thailand and more than 90 percent of Thai citizens everyday life. It can help to lower blood pressure, relieve insomnia, help asthmatic are Buddhists. patients breathe more easily, and improving exercise performance in those suffering from angina. Besides being the revered Head of State, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the upholder of Buddhism and of all other religions professed by his people, as were his The Kingdom of Thailand has attracted visitors from all over the world who wish to royal forebears. The Thai monarchy, therefore, is the source of national unity. learn more about meditation. The many students of meditation in Thailand range from expatriate residents to tourists, but many come expressly to discover the secret of the Meditation is one of the most important aspects of Buddhism, and seeking inner peace peaceful, meditative Buddhist lifestyle. In their different ways, all tend to see Buddhist through meditation is a growing, global phenomenon. There is an understanding philosophy and meditation as a means of attaining good mental and physical health, around the world that meditation plays a role in sustaining a healthy lifestyle, with personal fulfillment and satisfaction. the practitioner seeking some degree of detachment from the material world, and drawing on inner peace for a sense of well-being. Apart from being ideal, purpose-built surroundings for the practice of meditation, Buddhist temples are the best environment in which to appreciate Thai art and Meditation is a safe way of balancing one’s physical, emotional, and mental states. architecture. Their styles vary according to their location in Thailand and their Today, physicians recommend meditation as a way of relaxing from the stress of history. Meditation The Path To Inner The Buddha’s Life Meditation Meditation Centres Young Buddhist Association Of The International Buddhist Wat Mahathat More Next Contents Peace And Well-being And Teachings Techniques In Thailand Thailand Under Royal Patronage Meditation Centre Yuwaratrangsarit eBrochures Menu Temples in the North of Thailand were influenced by Chiang Saen and Lanna art in the South by the Sri Vijaya. The Khmer empire was the dominant influence in the East, with the Mon and Burmese in the West. In Bangkok alone there are more than 430 temples which offer great rewards for the visitor. The impressive, historic Wat Phra Kaew, Temple of the Emerald Buddha adjoining the Grand Palace, is the most frequently visited, both by Thai worshippers and foreign visitors. Another is the nearby Wat Po, with its glittering spires and medical text-books carved in stone at the order of King Rama III. The murals and frescoes on the walls and ceilings of temples are another important aspect of Thai art and design. They often depict Jataka stories from Thai mythology, or episodes from the Ramakian, the Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana. The pictures they show of the ways of life of Thai people in former times are beautiful and impressive. Sathira-dhammasathan / Bangkok Meditation The Path To Inner The Buddha’s Life Meditation Meditation Centres Young Buddhist Association Of The International Buddhist Wat Mahathat More Next Contents Peace And Well-being And Teachings Techniques In Thailand Thailand Under Royal Patronage Meditation Centre Yuwaratrangsarit eBrochures Menu Thailand is among the world’s premier travel destinations with the kingdom’s way of life, traditions and culture creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for visitors. This, coupled with the country’s deep-rooted Buddhist faith, makes Thailand a perfect destination where one can relax and find inner peace and a healthy life for mind, body and spirit through Buddhist meditation. As a leading centre of Buddhist learning with a growing number of meditation retreats around the country, meditation teaching is widely available for Thais and visitors alike. It may range from English-language day classes at centres and temples in Bangkok to intensive, month-long courses at tranquil forest retreats in rural provinces. The Buddhist lifestyle is present everywhere in Thailand. In busy cities as well as quiet backwaters, the gleaming temples stand out among their surroundings, and there are many roadside shrines where passers by pause in whatever they are doing to pay their respects. In such an atmosphere, it is never hard for the visitor to find his or her own key to the lasting benefits of Thai Buddhist meditation. Sathira-dhammasathan / Bangkok Meditation The Path To Inner The Buddha’s Life Meditation Meditation Centres Young Buddhist Association Of The International Buddhist Wat Mahathat More Next Contents Peace And Well-being And Teachings Techniques In Thailand Thailand Under Royal Patronage Meditation Centre Yuwaratrangsarit eBrochures Menu THE BUDDHA’S LIFE and teachings Following the Buddha’s Middle Path of moderation,one finds true peace and happiness, and will be able to lead a meaningful life. One of the major religions of the world, Buddhism originated more than 2,00 years ago. As we know today, it is a system of beliefs and practices centred on the teachings of the Buddha, who, as the young Prince Siddharta Gautama renounced his sheltered, royal life when he discovered the suffering of the world. At the age of 29, Prince Siddharta Gautama left his palace to seek the truth of life and find the way of salvation from the cycle of suffering that all living creatures experienced. His first studies were in several schools of Hinduism and self-mortification, but here he found no way to salvation. He continued his quest for the truth of life by meditating. His meditations under a bodhi tree led him to an understanding of the world and its suffering, and to the realisation of the Four Noble Truths. As his life, meditation and teaching continued, he became known as the Buddha, the Enlightened One. The Four Noble Truths are the most fundamental of Buddhist teachings, deeply insightful and a cognitive methodology rather than a theological prescription. They speak of Suffering, of the Cause of Suffering, the Cessation of Suffering, and the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering. As the way leading to the end of suffering, the Buddha laid out the Noble Eightfold Path. It is known as the Middle Path, as its course leads not to the extremes of self- mortification and self-indulgence, but to enlightenment by avoiding them. Meditation The Path To Inner The Buddha’s Life Meditation Meditation Centres Young Buddhist Association Of The International Buddhist Wat Mahathat More Next Contents 9 Peace And Well-being And Teachings Techniques In Thailand Thailand Under Royal Patronage Meditation Centre Yuwaratrangsarit eBrochures Menu These form the foundation of the Buddha’s teaching. Wisdom is the product of the first two aspects; the following three lead to ethical conduct, and the final three come through meditation and the development of the mind. The Middle Path is not metaphysical, neither is it a ritual; it is not dogma, nor skepticism, and neither pessimism nor optimism. It is a Path to Enlightenment and a means of deliverance from suffering. Following the Middle Path of moderation one finds true peace and happiness, and will be able to lead a meaningful life without being a slave to the senses. With this freedom, one will contribute to the peace and harmony of the world. After attaining his Enlightenment, the Buddha, with compassion for all beings, determined to reveal his teachings. He proclaimed the Four Noble Truths for the first time in a discourse to five ascetics, a discourse which remains the essence of Buddhist doctrine. The Buddha mentioned these two extremes in his first sermon. Self-mortification, by At the age of 0, after 4 years of travelling from place to place and teaching, the denying oneself food and tormenting the body in different ways, was thought to bea Buddha attained nibbana, his liberation from this life, in the city of Kusinara on way of wearing out the physical form and allowing the soul to realise Nirvana. Visakha, the day of the full moon in the sixth lunar month in the year 43 BC. Adherents to the opposing extreme, self-indulgence and hedonism, believed that sensual fulfillment was the primary goal of life. Neither way can lead to liberation. During the last year of his life, the Buddha carried his teachings across the whole of northern India. He did not teach didactically. “Believe no one, not even me, but It is the Noble Eightfold Path that shows clearly how the self can be liberated from discover the truth for yourselves,” he told his followers.