Sunday, July 16, 2017

S.E. Asia. Buddhist History

Burma is the only one in the world that still have Buddhist ancient study system (mukkhapāṭha). The strongest Buddhist country is Burma. The Tipitaka-strictest nikāya is Shwegyin Nikaya of Burma.

About a hundred year ago, in colonization war, Thailand began to lost our Tipitaka memorizing system. We need to get western's study culture to protect our land from colonial possession. The central region of Siam reform memorizing study system to academic study system. Mun's students (Phun Acaro, etc) were the last Tipitaka memorizers of Thailand.

Mun was the north-eastern region of Thailand, that got reform order from the central region. And Lao was the north-eastern colony of Thailand at that time. So Lao Tipitaka memorizing study system had begun to lose since that time, too, Cambodia, also.

Nowadays, Lao and Cambodian monks equal to Thai Mahanikaya tradition. They are not forest tradition.

What about the Thai teacher?

Thailand and Sri Lanka have lost Tipitaka study system in colonization war.

Thailand began to lost our Tipitaka study system through King Rama II 1816King Rama IV (Rama II's son) and King Rama IV's son 1921. It's the time of colonialism try to take over Indochinese Peninsula.

The king was trying to protect Thailand by changing every system of Thailand to support the western tradition. They also changed the study system of the monk, too. They cancel memorizing study system, then took a reading study system instead. We also started to lose the Abhidhamma study system at this time, too.

reading study system is for the five-string (kāmaguṇa). They save memorizing times to consume the five-string (kāmaguṇa).

Arahanta hasn't written in a normal situation. They keep Tipitaka in their mind.

Before that time we still having Tipitaka memorizer (tipitakathara), such as Mun Bhuritutto. But after the changing, Thailand didn't have Tipitaka memorizer anymore. The elder Tipitaka memorizer died. Never have any newer to be instead of them.

So, Thailand loses our Tipitaka study system so long time ago in colonization war.

Bh. Buddhadasa, a. Sujin and a. Naeb born after we lost Tipitaka study system. 

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