Protecting Thai Buddhism from twisted teachings

Thailand is routinely described as a Buddhist country, reflecting the fact that a majority of the population is registered as followers of the faith. National Statistical Office records show 94.6 per cent of Thais are registered as Buddhists.

However, in reality, our Buddhist identity often goes little further than what’s written on our ID cards and house-registration documents. Many of us stick to animistic beliefs and superstitions in charting our way through life, ignoring Lord Buddha’s teaching about the “middle way”, a path of moderation between extremes.  

The ignorance is exacerbated at many Buddhist temples, where monks take advantage of lay people’s superstitious nature by selling amulets and services. Exorcisms, protective spells and trinkets are readily available at a price, and have become a lucrative trade for some monks.

There are temples that preach twisted interpretations of the Buddha’s teachings, often claiming to be offering “a special brand” of Buddhism. Worshippers are told that the more money they donate to the temple, the more “merit” they will receive, guaranteeing them a better existence in the next life.

For wealthier worshippers who can afford to make large donations to temples, this teaching is easy to follow. But for poorer members of the congregation, its effect can be pernicious. Some make massive donations in the hope of securing a place in Heaven. As a result, their reward in this life can be bankruptcy, divorce and the collapse of family life.

Making merit in this way runs counter to the spirit of the “middle path” teaching. The monks who encourage such a practice are distorting the foundational teachings of Buddhism to enrich themselves or their temples.

The depth of the problem has been highlighted by cases in which abbots were found to have millions of baht deposited in their personal bank accounts. The monastic code 

prohibits Buddhist monks from owning anything more than basic necessities. 

The use of temple grounds for commercial events is another way in which religion is being exploited for private gain.

Recently a conflict broke out over who held the rights to organise a popular – and lucrative – annual temple fair. The well-known Buddhist scholar and monk W Vajiramedhi has warned that temples twisting the teachings for commercial gain are big threat to Buddhism in Thailand. They have “contaminated” the Buddha’s original teachings with their own beliefs, he said, and some had even altered the canonical teachings of the Tripitaka to preach a skewed message. 

Thai Buddhists must consider whether to follow the “commercialised” teachings on offer or the original guidance on the “middle way” imparted by the Buddha himself. Do we want to keep the faith alive in our hearts in this life, by unselfishly and humbly giving alms to monks and donating to temples? Or do we want to hand over riches in the hope of getting to a higher level in Heaven, as advertised?

The authorities involved – the Supreme Sangha Council and the Department of Religious Affairs – also have a duty to defend the faith  against those who would disseminate false teachings. Scrutinising those temples might upset their powerful and wealthy worshippers, but it would be the right thing to do.