Publication: Bodhisattva, merit and identity: the belief and practice of Guanyin among Thai-Chinese
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2016
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en
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Bodhisattva, merit and identity: the belief and practice of Guanyin among Thai-Chinese
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Abstract
Guanyin has become increasingly popular among Thai-Chinese in Bangkok and nationwide in Thailand in the past several decades. Guanyin originally has its roots in Mahayana Buddhism as a bodhisattva and a goddess in folk religion in China. Guanyin travels with the Chinese immigrants abroad and has taken its new roots in Thailand. Basing on the phenomenological theory of Van der Leeuw, this study concerns about the meaning of the religious phenomena for the believers themselves, and focus on the belief of Guanyin in religious spirituality, merit making, morality, salvation, and identity requiring. This study relies on textual history and field questionnaires and interviews to gain an understanding of the religious beliefa and practices related to Guanyin. The integration of Guanyin as a bodhisattva and goddess gams attraction for ThaiChinese who are mostly Buddhists. They worship Guanyin and acquire good luck, security, health, wealth, and happiness. At the same time, they have gained merit as well, and merit making will guarantee their wishes, expectations and moral actions. Making merit is the way for the followers of Guanyin to achieve the satisfaction in their spirituality and the salvation from the difficulties in their lives, and it even guides them towards the ultimate goal of Nirvana. This study shows that Guanyin worship for the Thai-Chinese followers relates to ethnic identity, economic environment and gender. Guanyin is generally accepted by both Thai-Chinese and Thais as a figure of Buddhism, and is considered to strengthen their Buddhist identity. In this way, Guanyin allows Thai-Chinese to practice Buddhism but also retain their Chinese ethnic identity. Guanyin's female gender feature combines features of love, compassion, kindness, perfection, tolerance, devotion, and thus is especially important for urban middle-class women. These reasons explain why Guanyin is popular in Thailand , and growing in popularity because of the challenges of ethnic and gender identity and the pressures of contemporary urban life.
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ปรัชญาดุษฎีบัณฑิต
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ปริญญาเอก
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บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย
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มหาวิทยาลัยอัสสัมชัญ