The fusion of religious beliefs in Thailand: Buddhism, Animism and Brahmanism

The Thais are known to be very keen Theravada BuddhistsHowever, as you walk through the temple-decked towns and villages, it becomes difficult to distinguish whether everything you see is related to traditional Buddhism.

In fact, Thais classify themselves as followers of Buddhism, but many of the things they believe and practice are intrinsically part of Brahmanism, an ancient form of Hinduism, as well as popular animistic religions.

Animism is described as the worship of spirits or ghosts.

The word animism comes from the Latin word anima which means breath, spirit and life.

Animists believe that almost everything has a spirit, including plants, animals, rocks, rivers, wind, sun and other inanimate natural objects, and that the physical and spiritual worlds are closely related.

Animists say that what they practice is not a belief system, but rather a worldview.

In essence, the worldview means: The world is a sacred place, and we are part of it.

Furthermore, it can be seen as a value system rather than any other form of membership.

Satsana Phi (satsana = religion and Phi = spirits or ghost) is the Thai word for the belief system that worships spirits.

Animism is included in Satsana Phi because it involves the use of shamans and ancestor worship.

Satsana Phi followers believe that buildings, territories, things and natural places all have tutelary gods or supernatural deities residing in them.

Animism believes that there are guardian spirits of people, which often include ancestors or angelic beings who arrive at different times in life, better known as thewada.

Apsara dancers

Malevolent spirits, phi phetu, include the khwan of people who have been evil in previous lives or who have died tragically.

The khwan is the finite amount of spirit that exists in an individual, with Thais believing that the khwan has the ability to wander or escape the body.

It is thought that a spirit suffering from demerit may be a dangerous ghost, while those with merit are considered good ghosts.

The Preta ghost, for example, is supposed to be stuck in the liminality stage, or right of passage, and wanders the human realm in the hope of acquiring the merit necessary to pass.

Thailand's most famous ghost, Mae Naak Phra Khanong, is feared by many, even though she is believed to have corrected her past lives and gained merit.

As Thais practice ancestor worship as part of animism, one of the popular ancestors, who was part of the Thai monarchy, is the late King Chulalongkorn.

And, in general, Thais practice the veneration of dead Theravada Buddhist monks, who are believed to possess supernatural powers.

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Examples of animism can be seen all over Thailand if you know where to look.

Spirit houses

Objects such as spirit houses, or phiThe Thai people believe that the purpose of these decorations is to appease the spirit of the property.

Thais offer food and drink to these miniature shrines on a daily basis and ask for the protection of the ghosts that are believed to inhabit these houses.

The tutelary deities of the places, such as the phi wat of the temples and the lak mueang of the cities, are celebrated with community gatherings and food offerings.

In addition to animism and Buddhism, Brahmanism is another belief system that Thais associate with other practices.

Brahmanism, like animism, focuses on thewadas, who are angelic beings or gods.

Thais turn to these deities to ensure health, prosperity and good luck.

Gods such as Bhrama and Indra are examples of popular deities.

See also: Thais flock to love shrine before Valentine's Day

It is interesting to note that almost all the ceremonies in Thailand that commemorate the various points of the life cycles and seasons are rooted in Brahmanism, not Buddhism.

One of these ceremonies, the first ploughing or Raek Na Kwan in Thai, was adopted by the Thai royal court and its auspicious day and time is still set by Brahmin astrologers today.

The Thais also consider astronomical and celestial bodies as deities.

This may also include material astronomical objects.

This is the case of Rahu, considered the god of luck and fortune, who is often worshipped in the central regions of Thailand.

The worship of planetary deities is sometimes linked to the Hindu belief of Navagraha, which recognises 9 heavenly bodies as deities.

For almost every ceremony, a monk or Brahmin priest determines an appropriate time.

The current King of Thailand was invested as Crown Prince at an auspicious time determined by a royal astrologer.

See : Coronation of King Rama X in Thailand: what you need to know

Other Thai practices include respect for pre-Buddhist traditions, such as the wearing of robes and the shaving of heads by monks.

It is often thought to be part of Buddhism, but it actually originated in the Semana tradition, which predates Buddhism by about 4,000 years.

The holy days, or Uposatha, in Thai, which are designated for observing half and full moons, also originated in pre-Buddhist times.

In Thailand, these days are called Wan Phra, and Thais traditionally go to temples in white clothes on these days.

It is obvious that for anyone visiting the Land of Smiles, determining the belief systems of the Thai people can be daunting.

The Thais do not have a word for animism in their language and tend to classify all the belief systems they have adopted as Buddhism.

And indeed, this is perhaps the best way to describe Thailand's fusion of beliefs and practices.

The use of Buddhism as an umbrella term is explained by the fact that the other belief systems adopted all share similar elements with the officially recognised religion of the kingdom.

Buddhist monks in a temple

Buddhism, Animism and Brahmanism (or Hinduism) all incorporate the worship of spirits and gods who may or may not have merit or good karma.

These beings are used by the Thai people to ask for protection, luck, wealth, health and help with the transition to the next life.

However, as animism is strictly based on the worship of spirits, which may or may not be controlled, it is seen as less likely to help Thais in their quest for a better life.

Animism also opposes Buddhist values such as sobriety and self-control, as animist rituals encourage whisky drinking, dancing and smoking.

Whatever the differences between animism and Buddhism, monks still play an essential role in both practices.

Ultimately, however, most Thais believe that being a devout Buddhist will enable them to possess the most powerful magical powers.