Although Mahayana Buddhism may have come to the region first via the Khmer empire and the Silk Road from China, Theravada Buddhism had become the dominant form of Buddhism by the end of the 14th century.... continued from Click here!
Words of Indian origin trace their roots to Pali through the Mon civilization, as opposed to those of central Thai which came from Sanskrit via the Khmer civilization of Angkor. Kham muang has its own script used in religious texts, but most local people are unable to read it.
Although Mahayana Buddhism may have come to the region first via the Khmer empire and the Silk Road from China, Theravada Buddhism had become the dominant form of Buddhism by the end of the 14th century.
Theravada Buddhism in its essence is about the dhamma, the truth according to the Buddhist view. As the state religion of Lanna, however, it became connected with Brahmanic court traditions. These came from the indianised empires of the Khmer at Angkor and the Burmans at Pagan, which were at the height of their power in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Prior to the dominance of these beliefs, the Tai were animists with a fertility cult centered on the wet-rice cultivation cycle. The blend of the Tai spirit world with Buddhism has resulted in the variety of customs and religious practice today. [See Spirits and Mediums]
Central to the traditional Thai view of the cosmos is the cycle of rebirth. To commit sin is to be reborn into a hell world, and to make merit is to progress into a better after-life. A forest monk may explain this to a Westerner as an allegory for the laws of cause and effect known as karma. To a Thai villager, near Mae Chaem the holy images in the temples are the home of powerful spirits, and the vivid depictions of heaven and hell are maps that help him find his way in the cycle of seasons and years.
The temple has long been the social center of rural Thai communities and Buddhism is woven into the fabric of rural life. The monk-hood originally provided the only education available and served to occupy males without work, especially during the rainy season. To this day folk festivals involve making merit by supporting the monk-hood with food and labor.
Until quite recently the temple was the main outlet for artistic creativity, the greatest works coming as a result of sponsorship by the ruling nobility. By so doing the rulers not only gained merit, but also gained political legitimacy, as pious works were seen as a crucial part of a leader's majesty.
Buddhist values pervade the character of the Thai, who value maintaining harmony in relationships very highly. To avoid causing offense, Thais pay much attention to outward appearance. However, they also prize having a "cool heart" - being jai yen. This means that you should not allow yourself to become "hot" with desire and at the mercy of worldly passions which can lead to harmful actions.
Buddhism also teaches tolerance, and so people have been free to practice other religions. Islam first arrived with Muslim Yunnanese who have been trading in the northern valleys since the time of the Mongols (11th - 13th centuries). The first permanent Christian mission was established in 1867. McCormick Hospital is one of several major institutions that came about with the growth of Christianity in the valley.