Temples and stupas in Laos

Pictures of revered teachers, places, rupas, temples, bhikkhus, shrine rooms etc. that bring inspiration to our members. Pilgrimage advice, devotion etc.
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mikenz66
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Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand

Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Kim,

Thanks for the great photos!
Kim O'Hara wrote: Most temples I saw in Laos, and many in Northern Thailand, have a group of seven or eight Buddha statues as in my second photo here. Each is in a different pose, and each pose is associated with a particular day of the week. I don't know where the tradition comes from.
I don't know the history of this, but almost every Thai temple of any size has this, so you can make a donation for the day of the week of your birth...
http://www.thaizer.com/buddhism/buddha- ... -the-week/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it's good to memorise your birthday day if you're travelling about with Thai friends...

There is also a colour for each day: http://www.thaizer.com/culture-shock/th ... every-day/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The current Thai King was born on a Monday, so his colour is yellow...

:anjali:
Mike
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Kim OHara
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Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:47 am
Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by Kim OHara »

mikenz66 wrote:Hi Kim,

Thanks for the great photos!
Kim O'Hara wrote: Most temples I saw in Laos, and many in Northern Thailand, have a group of seven or eight Buddha statues as in my second photo here. Each is in a different pose, and each pose is associated with a particular day of the week. I don't know where the tradition comes from.
I don't know the history of this, but almost every Thai temple of any size has this, so you can make a donation for the day of the week of your birth...
http://www.thaizer.com/buddhism/buddha- ... -the-week/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So it's good to memorise your birthday day if you're travelling about with Thai friends...

There is also a colour for each day: http://www.thaizer.com/culture-shock/th ... every-day/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The current Thai King was born on a Monday, so his colour is yellow...

:anjali:
Mike
Thanks, Mike
:namaste:
Kim
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GraemeR
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Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:20 am
Location: Thailand

Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by GraemeR »

Kim O'Hara wrote:Part three of the series ... I started with national monuments in Vientiane, continued with an artistically and historically significant wat in Luang Prabang. But how and where do ordinary people worship? This set http://www.flickr.com/photos/50030099@N ... 853873022/ shows two local wats in a smallish country town. They are well supported by the local community but don't have the resources of the temples in my earlier photos.
<snip>
:namaste:
Kim
Kim,

How nice, I want to go there, but not go around to it yet, is it hard to travel there?

Graham
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Kim OHara
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Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by Kim OHara »

GraemeR wrote: Kim,
How nice, I want to go there, but not go around to it yet, is it hard to travel there?

Graham
I don't think you, as someone familiar and comfortable with Thai life, would have any difficulty at all although you need to be prepared for some quite slow travelling by road, at least in the North. The main highway Vientiane - Luang Prabang is quite good but the country is very mountainous and that means steep winding roads. Expect to average less than 60kmh, even on the highway.
Off the highway? Dirt roads, mostly, and pretty rough - but nothing you wouldn't see in rural Thailand or Cambodia.
The people are friendly, and there are enough tourists that a lot of people in shops, restaurants and guest-houses in the main towns have basic English skills.
Go for it!

:namaste:
Kim
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appicchato
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Location: Bridge on the River Kwae

Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by appicchato »

Because you live in Rayong far from Bangkok(8 hrs driving)
More like three (mas o menos)...
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GraemeR
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Location: Thailand

Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by GraemeR »

appicchato wrote:
Because you live in Rayong far from Bangkok(8 hrs driving)
More like three (mas o menos)...
Bangkok is still to close for my liking ....

Graham
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gavesako
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Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by gavesako »

Nice article giving the background to Lao Buddhist culture and festivals:

http://www.buddhismandaustralia.com/ind ... sopha.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

Access to Insight - Theravada texts
Ancient Buddhist Texts - Translations and history of Pali texts
Dhammatalks.org - Sutta translations
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Kim OHara
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Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by Kim OHara »

gavesako wrote:Nice article giving the background to Lao Buddhist culture and festivals:

http://www.buddhismandaustralia.com/ind ... sopha.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Thank you, bhante.
:namaste:
Kim
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Kim OHara
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Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by Kim OHara »

Cave Buddha 1.jpg
Cave Buddha 1.jpg (179.59 KiB) Viewed 2354 times
The limestone mountains are riddled with caves and my tour group visited a few. Just inside one of them, in the countryside outside Vang Vieng, we saw this shrine. The large statue is well over life size. One of the local guides told me that it was set up there when the communists took over and outlawed Buddhism so that people could keep their religion going in secret.
He also said it was 'very old' but I think that was relative to him - he was maybe 30, so it would have been set up in his parents' and grandparents' time.

:namaste:
Kim
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yawares
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Re: Temples and stupas in Laos

Post by yawares »

Dear Kim,

I found this picture of beautiful Buddha and his monks(in Laos):
Image

yawares :anjali:
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