But if you listen attentively, you'll find his teaching is very close to the Buddhist heart. He simply says that you too can become an enlightened person if you focus your mind on the present and become mindful or conscious of your daily activities.
To him, nirvana is not something that lies in the future or in the past but something you can experience right now, with every breath you take.
Ironically, the voices of the leaders of Buddhism in this country are nowhere to be heard. In fact, they have not raised any alarm over the spread, like wildfire, of the Jatukam Ramathep amulets, which have become a new source of hope, luck and protection for desperate Thais.
One estimate puts the number of Jatukam Ramathep amulets now on the market at four million, priced from several hundred baht to more than a million each. But soon the prices will burst like a stock-market bubble.
We have moved further and further away from the original Dharma teaching of the Buddha.
We probably needed an outsider like Hanh, who is a Mahayana monk, to remind us, as followers of Theravada Buddhism, how far we have deviated from true Buddhist doctrine.
Eighty-one-year-old Hanh's teaching is similar to the Most Venerable Buddhadasa Bikkhu, who went against the mainstream Buddhism of his time by directing us right to the heart of Dharma without the need for rituals cloaked by orthodox practices.
Buddhadasa said every one of us could attain enlightenment by looking at a flower and by experiencing eternity in the state of the present.
Hanh, who is participating in the Visakha Bucha celebrations as a guest of the Thai government, also tells us to experience Dharma directly by awakening our minds. To him, Buddhism is simply a vehicle to help us attain enlightenment. It is the means, not the goal.
This is similar to a situation when you want to travel to a destination, say, Chiang Mai. Once you have reached Chiang Mai, you forget your comfortable aircraft or your car.
Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen monk who now resides in France and has followers around the globe, further explains that you can apply this concept of mindfulness to all kinds of activities in your daily life such as driving or walking. Most of the time, you find that you allow your normal life to be guided by instinct rather than by consciousness or mindfulness.
Take driving to work as an example. Most often, you are surprised to find that you have arrived at the parking lot of your office without realising how you have done it. In this respect, you are driving your car by instinct, while your mind is wandering everywhere. An accident could occur at any time.
But if you drive with consciousness, you realise every moment, every second. You are thus in firm control of your driving.
More than 2,000 years have passed since the Lord Buddha propounded his concept of space and time. But the state of the present is very tricky. Once you realise it, it has already become the past. And you can't grasp the future because it has not arrived yet.
So what exactly is this very elusive state of the present? It is neither the past nor the future, and it exists in a fraction of a millionth of a second.
Buddhist Dharma explains that our soul exists in a state of the present, similar to the light of a candle, which comes into being and vanishes almost simultaneously. The light comes into being by the burning of the wax before disappearing as the wax burns out. But then new wax gives the light a new lease of life before vanishing again in this life-and-death cycle.
So the candlelight is simply an illusion of this alternate burning and vanishing process. If we understand this very nature of our mind, then we'll realise the way of the world and become enlightened.
Hanh's teaching has the power to motivate people from the West because they can apply it to their lives.
He wants you to focus on the present and then do your best, live your best and then think well, talk well and act well.
But if you are to observe the practice of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand now, you'll have a hard time understanding what Buddhism is all about. This has given rise to the misunderstanding that Buddhism is turning one's back on the world.
Thai monks are no longer role models as they are increasingly involved in worldly scandals.
Do we have to close our eyes to the world, close our ears to the sounds, avoid the taste of food, avoid smells and ignore our senses? This is not necessarily so.
For us, as lay Buddhists, we can live a normal life by simply being aware of our activities every single moment. We can let our conscious mind, instead of instinct, guide us. Then we will have compassion towards our fellow human beings. Then we can love peace, accept differences and have more understanding of others.
This is the essence of Hanh's teaching, which makes him one of the world's most popular Zen monks.
Thanong Khanthong
The Nation
05 August 2007
04 August 2007
The tourists may be flocking to Nakhon Si Thammarat for Jatukam amulets, but the province has so much more to offer, writes Nattaporn Luangpipat.
Published on August 4, 2007
The southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat has long been known for its rich jungles and beautiful beaches, but the environment isn't what's drawing the crowds. Over the past couple of years, it's become one of the hottest spots in the Kingdom with visitors flocking to its temples to witness the daily consecration of Jatukam Ramathep amulets.
Introduced in the province with little fanfare 20 years ago, these amulets have gained a huge following among Thais, who believe they bring fortune.
Today, incantation ceremonies are held all over town, with the centuries old Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan a favourite place for consecration.
Not all residents are pleased at the onslaught of visitors, though, fearing that vibrations from trucks carrying the newly minted amulets into temple grounds will damage this important historical site.
The pagoda, which stands 56 metres high, has a distinctive Sri Lankan style and its spire is covered in gold. Stupas and trees surround the pagoda and golden Buddha images are lined up on both sides of the building.
It's hot in the city and we're relieved to leave for Khanom, a small coastal town about 80 kilometres north of the city, where we board a long-tailed boat to try our luck at netting some cuttlefish.
Because of the rocks, even medium-sized fishing boats can't come close to the shore. Night has already fallen as we transfer from the small long-tailed boat to a larger vessel, but within 10 minutes of boarding, the green light and fresh bait on the hook has landed our prey. Our host grins and tells us we are lucky.
"Usually, cuttlefish are best caught when the moon is on the wane. The moon is bright tonight so they are harder to catch," he explains.
"These days, we catch less fish because the trawler owners are greedy. The local people are satisfied with a plain and peaceful life. But the trawler owners try to take advantage of nature. They spread anaesthetic under the sea, wait for a few minutes and catch as much fish as they want."
"It's not fair to the fish. It's a dishonourable fight and really selfish," complains a fisherman.
After a few hours of moving from place to place and no more fish in the net, we sail back to the shore. Other boats, we learn, caught up to 10 cuttlefish and their owners offer to grill the meat for us. We decline and head to the resort to get some sleep.
The next morning, we head out on sparkling aquamarine waters to see the pink dolphins that are unique to the Khanom coastline. Some small fish swim alongside the boat and the helmsman tells us they are called luk pla pan or baby Pan fish, a favourite food of the mullet.
Before long we see the dolphins, said to be the only school left in Thai waters. Not much is known about the dolphin's colouring because of their remoteness and rarity, but it is thought that they turn pink as they get older.
Pink dolphins are also found in small populations off the coast of China and Vietnam and are struggling to survive due to pollution and over-fishing.
We arrive back to Khanom in the evening and head to the weekend market in town, where stalls are selling aromatic fish soup, fried chicken and vermicelli salad. Business is brisk and before long, the stalls kill the lights, signalling that their pots are empty.
A giant colourful playground has been set up in an adjacent lot and the local children are having a great time on the slide. A group of women are taking part in an aerobics class while others, their shopping finished, have gathered around the stage to watch traditional dancing, country folk performances and comedians.
"The market is busy and there are many more people because of the Jatukam ceremonies. The amulets are being made and consecrated every day. It's good for us, we sell more," confides a merchant, gesturing towards the shrine where, despite the late hour, an incantation is just finishing.
Even here, in quiet Khanom, Jatukam fever is raging.
Nattaporn Luangpipat
The Nation
01 August 2007
MONK'S COOKIES MAKE THEIR MARK
Jatukham snack manages to rock amulet craze
Story by PIYAPORN WONGRUANG
Bakery staff press "Jatukham" cookies that mock the public craze for Jatukarm Ramathep talismans.
Revered monk Phra Payom Kalayano, who introduced the "Jatukham" cookies to mock the craze for the Jatukarm Ramathep talismans, has shrugged off the uproar by producers of the highly prized amulets.
The monk said he viewed the angry response positively. It showed the cookies were a success. Otherwise the amulet producers would not be up in arms.
"I learned that there were positive and negative responses to the cookies," said Phra Payom.
"My cookies are intended to bring back people's consciousness. They can have faith in sacred items, but they should also be sensible in leading their lives."
For months, the monk had watched the craze for the talismans with growing concern. He said the talisman worshippers were drifting away from the Lord Buddha's teachings, which accentuate self-reliance and good deeds.
People were coming to believe the talisman had supernatural powers to bring wealth.
"This will lead people to nothing but losing their rationality. It is unhealthy for the religion if we allow this trend to go on like this," the monk said.
He had some help from his followers in launching the cookies, which he called Jatukham, playing on the talisman's name but altering the spelling.
Somboon Ijayavorakul, chief executive officer of the graphic design company Watta, helped design the four-bite biscuits.
Mr Somboon said he appreciated the monk for his attempts to educate Buddhists, particularly through his columns in a newspaper.
He got the idea from a comic strip that featured a character munching a talisman he had mistakenly thought was a cookie.
The thought-provoking cookies resemble the popular talismans, and are the same size. One side bears the word "Jatukham" with a gold leaf, and the other the words Ou Ar Ka Sa, as well as Phra Payom's signature.
The four words are taken from the Lord Buddha's teachings, reminding Buddhists to maintain self reliance, from which everybody can be rich.
The words mean diligence, saving money, association with good and moral people, and being simple and modest.
"If it was not for Phra Payom, this would never happen.
"He is the kind of person who is capable of understanding and embracing new and innovative ideas," said Mr Somboon.
The monk's assistants are also capping the production to prevent any misunderstanding that the cookies are being sold for profit.
Phra Payom does not intend to put the biscuits on supermarket shelves. They come packed in sets, four to an aluminium can. People can buy them by contacting Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi's Bang Yai district. They get a free dharma lecture CD with each purchase.
However, the queue is so long that today's orders will be delivered early next month.
The temple's clerk said orders have gradually eased, not like in the first few weeks. This may reflect the declining popularity of the talisman itself, she said.
"If people were more conscious about the craze for Jatukarm, the cookies' popularity would decline as well," she said.
However, Sataporn Assatarakul, a 47-year-old customer, said she did not believe the biscuit buyers and talisman worshippers were of the same group.
Many purchase the cookies for their friends in the hope of spreading Buddhist teachings.
"We are trying to help. If our friends can think a little more about what is good for their lives, that is good.
"But if not, we just think of the purchase as a chance to make merit, while our friends have nice cookies to eat," said Ms Sataporn.
http://www.readbangkokpost.com
Distinguishing Jatukams
The Wat Wang Tawan Tok area of NST, long an area for buying and selling amulets, has turned into a paradise for those who want to buy sought-after models of Jatukam priced from 70 to 100 baht each. Priced this low, it is doubtful they have passed through the sacred ritual, which, along with the materials used to produce them, distinguishes the "real from the fake" images. Reportedly, only a skilled eye can tell the difference.
When Perspective visited Wat Wang Tawan Tok last month there was a huge crowd of people, even though it wasn't on the weekend. Most locals know about the place where people can buy Jatukam that have not passed through the sacred ritual. Many people were buying the Jatukam for souvenirs or gifts, others purchased large amounts but declined to say why.
Vendors were also close-mouthed about how and where they obtained the Jatukam.
If only people paid attention to the materials which are purportedly incorporated into certain models of Jatukam, they would likely question how they could be obtained.
Brochures and leaflets promoting various Jatukam models list the components. For example, one model claims to use bits of earth surrounding the burial site of the placental material and umbilical cord of Luang Por Tuod (Wat Chang Hai, Pattani), who is said to have passed away 425 years ago. When Perspective tried to contact persons in charge of the production of this amulet at Wat Mahayong in NST to ask about the claim, a monk deferred the question to some people at a downtown centre. When these people were tracked down, they also failed to provide any information on how they were able to find the place where the placenta was buried.
On reflection, it would seem that many of the materials might be quite hard to secure, such as soils from places mentioned in the chronicle of the Lord Buddha's journeys in India and Nepal. Some Jatukam models are even claimed to contain leaves of Sara trees in Kushinagar, the place where the Lord Buddha attained paranirvana.
The agencies responsible for obtaining the materials claim they are able to get them by sending people to India and Nepal, but they do not want to be named in newspapers.
The sacred rituals are usually performed at various temples. Some models advertise that the ritual is performed on multiple occasions - three, five, seven, up to nine times - on particular Jatukam. Most models perform the ritual, at least once, at Pra Mahathat Voramahaviharn temple, the main temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat, which is fully booked until the end of this year.
The rituals have certainly interrupted the normal schedule of those who wish to study and practise Dharma. One nun and her followers had to move their classes from the main Vihara of the temple to a kitchen. "There are a lot of noises since the temple became the venue of sacred rituals for Jatukam," said the nun.
The rituals for some models are held on mountaintops which are considered sacred, or the "umbilical cord of the sea", reportedly at the mouth of the Nakhon Si Thammarat sea located in Pak Phanang district.
There are a number of monks, shamans and Brahmans whose presence is highly prized at these rituals. Some producers say they have to put a large amount of money into an envelope for each of these holy men.
Bangkok Post
AMULET SENDS MIXED BLESSING
While Jatukam may have brought fortune to some, the majority of people in Nakhon Si Thammarat are still lacking in basic necessities. — NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
The Jatukam talisman craze and related businesses have injected a stimulant into Nakhon Si Thammarat's economic growth, but at what cost, asks SUPARA JANCHITFAH
On the surface, it seems that the booming trade in Jatukam talismans in Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST) is a completely positive development for the province. When one looks deeper, however, it becomes apparent that there is a downside to being ground zero for the phenomenon that has taken Thailand by storm.
The abrupt success of Jatukam-related businesses has translated into jobs and prosperity for many people. Locals commonly observe that the amphetamine trade in the province is not as widespread as before. This is in line with statistics from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) which reveal that in October of last year there were 121 drug cases in NST province. Six months later, in March, the number of cases had drastically declined to only four (see graphic).
No clear explanation has been given behind the waning of activity, but it seems plausible that it could be due to a switch from amphetamine trafficking to the legal marketing of Jatukam.
On the other hand, reports on crimes such as theft, often involving Jatukam, are on the increase in the province, as a quick glance at local newspapers attests. This might be related to the high demand for some Jatukam models.
Many locals are also worried that some people in the Jatukam trade do their business in dishonest ways. "I met one of my students who purchased imitation Jatukam that cost him around 100 baht for three images. He said he sells them for 800 baht each in Bangkok," said a teacher at a secondary school.
"I asked him, don't you think this is a sinful act? He told me that he was just satisfying the needs of those buyers who want to get special models at a low price," he added.
Moreover, there are a number of reports that some vendors have run away with money from buyers who paid in advance for yet-to-be released models, using forged advance reservation books. The fake agencies do not show up on the appointed days to give buyers the talismans.
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