Episode two of the buddhist other explores the world of Buddhist Amulets. AMULE′TUM. (περίαπτον, περίαμμα, φυλακτήριον), an amulet. This word in Arabic means that which is suspended. It was probably brought by Arabian merchants, together with the articles to which it was applied, when they were imported into Europe from the East. It first occurs in the Natural History of Pliny. An amulet was any object — a stone, a plant, an artificial production, or a piece of writing — which was suspended from the neck, or tied to any part of the body, for the purpose of counteracting poison, curing or preventing disease, warding off the evil eye, aiding women in childbirth, or obviating calamities and securing advantages of any kind. Bibliiography Kitairsa, Pattana. Mediums, Monks & Amulets: Thai Popular Buddhism Today. Silk Worm Books, Chang Mai, 2012. Tambiah, Stanley Ieyaraja. The Buddhist Saints of the Forest and the Cult of Amulets. Cambridge University Press, 1984. Patton, Thomas Nathan. The Buddha's Wizards: Magic Protection and Healing in Burmese Buddhism. Columbia University Press, 2020. Baker, Chris and Phongpaichit, Pasuk. Protection and Power in Siam: From Khun Chang Khun Phaen to the Buddha Amulet. Southeast Asian Studies, 2014. The 5 Precepts are an ethical renunciation practice that support mindfulness and wise intention in everyday life. These are the basic renunciations of lay practitioners found throughout Buddhisms. While the language varies, the precepts enjoin us to not kill, not steal, not engage in sexual misconduct, not lie and not to use intoxicants. The 5 mindfulness trainings from Master Thich Nhat Hanh include social justice and positive action instead of being only proscriptive. Taking Refuge: the Buddha's teaching starts with taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha (The Three Jewels). The Buddha is both the historical person of Siddhartha Gautama, the prior and future Buddhas, and our own capacity to realize the truth of existence. The Dharma is the canonical teachings of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, as well as Buddhist teachings attributed more generally to the mythological Buddha(s) but can also be considered existential truth. The Sangha is traditionally considered to be the community of Buddhist monks and nuns but it’s orthodox meaning is the community of fully realized individuals. Modern Western Meditation communities use the word Sangha to mean the community of practitioners generally, but this usage is not supported by any teachings from the Tripitaka or three baskets of Sutta teachings. Mae Chi in Thailand are 8 precept lay nuns who shave their heads and wear white robes. The most famous of these was Mae Chee Keaw. Her autobiography Mae Chee Kaew: Her Journey to Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment can be found as a free PDF on the internet. Full show notes can be found on our Discord server, the buddhist other. The Other as we are defining it means the things not spoken of, outside of the official narrative, that which is occulted.
