Buddha Bridge
At a beautiful weaving compound in Thasawang Silk Village, Surin province.
C. Buddha's Hasty Musings
Raising a family in Thailand // Documenting Issan food, culture, music, and people
2 Comments
Kevin Kim
People sometimes ask me how Theravada and Mahayana are different, visually speaking. Since you’ve gone from a very Mahayana country to a very Theravada one, what would you say are some of the major differences in the “look,” and possibly “feel” (in terms of ambiance), of the two strains of Buddhism?
Justin
Japanese temples: Old, weathered, mossy rocks, rich monks, donors names carved everywhere. Often built like a fort, and may have been under siege at some point in history. Smells of sandalwood due to presence of actual sandalwood.
Thai temples: Royal, shiny, filthy monks and temple orphans, damp and nasty toilets/wash rooms that anyone can use, free parking inside the grounds from 05:00 to 21:00, cheesy statues, murals, and decor. Walled, but not topped with broken glass like the rest of the neighborhood. Smells of sandalwood because there’s heaps of joss sticks burning outside.
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I didn’t think about this too long, the words just flowed.
There is no better, only different.