tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116175452009-11-11T15:32:02.251+08:00straycatnoreply@blogger.comBlogger311125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-59847259871848932502009-08-15T11:01:00.000+08:002009-08-15T11:04:47.407+08:00

05. khit theung baanThose left behind: A new identity: Concrete feels so different from rice straw:Most of the teachers left home to ordain around the age of 13-15, in order to further their education beyond primary school. Some like Monk TYF & 3-day old monk stepped into school for the first time only at age 9-11. While Monk TYF's parents were supportive, packing him off to a larger village in

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-89945620678143769892009-04-20T00:53:00.000+08:002009-04-20T00:54:09.734+08:00

04. monk fashion vs. novice fashionDuring this trip & subsequent trips to Laos, the cat encountered many questions about monks' robes. On discovering that it was Buddhist, Western tourists usually quizzed it about the Theravada tradition - stuff like why Burmese monks wear maroon but Lao monks wear orange & some Thai monks wear ขนุน (khanun aka. jackfruit - dull brown dye from the wood of the

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-22880275115964872342009-03-09T01:58:00.001+08:002009-04-25T20:39:14.058+08:00

03. clot, clots & clottingThe teachers started pointing at all sorts of stuff & quizzing the cat on the English terms for each object. When it came to the naga carvings...Monk TYF: This?cat: Naga (as pronounced in Lao/Thai)Monk TYF: Naga? You sure? N-A-G-A?cat: YesMonk TYF: Have tourist tell me that correct way for N-A-G-A is pronounced 'na-jar'cat: ...For the record, the 'G' in 'naga' is

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-20586879465078350002009-03-08T18:03:00.002+08:002009-04-25T20:39:31.436+08:00

01. motorbikeBack at 'Lao language school', the cat found some teachers busy examining a layman friend's motorbike parked outside Monk A's kuti. They took turns to sit on it & fiddle with various parts, dreaming of the day they would get to ride one of their own after they had returned to laylife. From time to time during the cat's last afternoon in Luang Prabang, we would all turn to look &

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-26021729434131771922009-02-01T15:43:00.001+08:002009-02-01T15:46:32.776+08:00

On the reverse side of the exhibition pamphlet:Click here for larger versionAt first glance the cat thought that both lines of characters in red were Pali words written using Tham script. Later it realised that the writing in the second line looked a lot more like the modern Lao alphabet than the Lanna alphabet...When the cat's Lao teachers saw the leaflet among the cat's belongings, they pounced

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-2328024516127338032009-02-01T01:38:00.001+08:002009-03-09T03:03:17.911+08:00

Back to the Royal Palace Museum to finish up the rest of The Quiet in the Land, the exhibition that the cat had stumbled upon the previous day...Two of the works touched upon the practice of vipassana meditation - Hans Georg Berger's The Floating Buddha, & Ann Hamilton's The Story of the Meditation Boat. The former is a photographic documentation of the first two vipassana meditation training

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-80847171685731621962009-01-17T22:16:00.000+08:002009-01-17T22:20:53.332+08:00

That Chom Si, that is...*CRUNCH* *MUNCH* *MUNCH* *BURRRRP*

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-76387782002196031152009-01-17T22:13:00.000+08:002009-01-17T22:14:57.744+08:00

ໃບລານ bai laan (palm leaf) manuscript library:Sticky rice offerings plastered everywhere: Anywhere will do...

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-15625548609006627502009-01-17T21:38:00.000+08:002009-01-17T21:43:03.729+08:00

After covering the whole ceiling with stencils of scenes from the life story of Gautama Buddha, & filling the entire front wall with gilded stucco depicting the Vessantara jataka, the artists who decorated the front verandah still managed to squeeze in the epic tale of Pha Lak Pha Ram (aka. Ramakien or Ramayana) - onto the horizontal beams above... ...with every available bit of surface area so

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-55002369132203401352009-01-13T22:22:00.000+08:002009-01-13T22:22:30.451+08:00

มหาเวสสันดรชาดก aka. Vessantara jataka, the story of the penultimate life of Buddha (before his rebirth as Prince Siddartha), covers the front wall of the viharn:This story of the charitable Prince Vessantara who gave away every single thing he had, including his wife & two children, is recounted in a marathon recitation by monks & reenacted by laymen during the Boun Pha Wet festival in Laos &

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-90896001638256623232009-01-11T19:40:00.002+08:002009-01-12T13:05:26.287+08:00

First posted on 30 March 2007.Revised on 11 January 2009.Notes in square brackets added by the cat.The guys & girls who have been educating the cat on all things Lao & providing you readers with all the bits & pieces on Lao language, culture, society, village life & education system, Theravada Buddhism & more, & who are referred to in this travelog as the Lao 'consultants'...Among them are Tai

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-26010837490920825522009-01-08T23:41:00.002+08:002009-01-08T23:43:54.622+08:00

On the east side: The gable shows the birth of Gautama Buddha:Not sure what story the west gable depicts, but Buddha is holding an alms bowl in his left hand:Stencilled in gold on the ceiling of the porch are pictures from the life story of Gautama Buddha......including his birth (upper left), the night when he was disgusted by the sight of the dancers, singers & musicians of the royal court

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-410169483880204002009-01-08T23:11:00.001+08:002009-01-10T23:42:57.193+08:00

aka. Wat Si Suvannaphoumaham, the town's royal temple. Suvannaphoum is the Lao romanisation of Suvarnabhumi, better known as the name of Bangkok International Airport. View of Wat Mai from Phou Si:There used to be one scripture library each on the left & right sides of the viharn, but both no longer exist.The front porch (below, left) of the viharn was added on later in 1891 to the viharn that

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-6644826135842467192009-01-04T16:13:00.001+08:002009-01-08T22:40:41.980+08:00

As seen from the grounds of neighbouring Wat Xieng Mouane:Chinese dragon on the gable:The wat where everything seemed crooked & out of alignment - left & right doors of the viharn: Cracks in the plaster (above left) make the cat wonder if the viharn structure is sinking to one side?Another attempt to keep a fish out of the cat's reach - at the top of the banner pole:The apex of the stupa beside

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-10101626226120989312009-01-04T15:47:00.000+08:002009-01-04T15:50:46.674+08:00

Click here for larger versionFor anyone who might be interested, books on such patterns can be found in the bookstores of places like Silpakorn University (directly opposite Grand Palace & Temple of Emerald Buddha in Bangkok).Click here for larger versionClassroom where drawing skills are taught:On the left is a room where some of the paintings are on display (fourth photo from top in link) for

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-55488890152949336402009-01-04T15:45:00.000+08:002009-01-04T15:47:27.139+08:00

Photos from December 2006 & October 2008 visitsUNESCO centre for training monks & novices in Lao traditional decorative arts and building crafts, on the grounds of Wat Xieng Mouane:Such traditional skills used to be passed on from master to pupil within the Lao sangha, but were lost due to upheaval & political change in the 1970s, which saw the closure of two temples dedicated to such training.

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-20492305660699520982009-01-04T15:44:00.001+08:002009-01-04T15:44:55.131+08:00

Going...Going...Gone...

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-54625529869599231242009-01-04T15:33:00.002+08:002009-01-31T23:02:21.179+08:00

Leftover rice from the alms round spread on the enamel tray for birds & ants to help themselves:Battle of the buffalo - a side plot in the Pha Lak Pha Ram tale where the monkeys Phalichan (Vali) & Sangkhip (Sugriva) battle the buffalo demon Thoraphi (Dundubhi):Ultimate balancing act - standing on one foot on the back of a snake-like naga that swims in water:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-73953647215618511712009-01-04T15:31:00.001+08:002009-01-04T15:32:44.348+08:00

[41] Buddha descends from Tavatimsa heaven to earth, accompanied by Pha Phom & Pha In.Click here for larger version[42] On a full moon day nine months after Buddha's enlightenment, 1250 disciples whom he had personally ordained gathered spontaneously at Veluvana bamboo grove, an event now marked by Maha Puja day.Click here for larger version[43] No idea![44] Is this the preparation of Buddha's

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-65170922719678925592009-01-04T15:21:00.000+08:002009-01-04T15:26:45.715+08:00

Click here for larger version[18] Sujata preparing milk & rice pudding as an offering of thanks to a tree spirit that had granted her wish.[19] Sujata offering milk & rice pudding in a golden bowl to Sakyamuni, who breaks his fast.[20] Sakyamuni throws the bowl into the river, & it floats upstream instead of downstream, indicating that he will become enlightened; the bowl is saved by a naga king.

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-22876205630380869812009-01-03T16:18:00.000+08:002009-01-03T16:19:23.460+08:00

The various events in the life story of Gautama Buddha have been a major source of inspiration for Buddhist painting, woodcarving & sculpture. Key events are still celebrated as major Buddhist festivals to this day. For those who read Lao, click here for a Lao version of Gautama Buddha's life story.Click here for larger version[1] 3X zoom can't reveal to a short cat what's going on up there in

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-75692745345653745402009-01-03T13:48:00.000+08:002009-01-03T13:49:06.921+08:00

Viharn:The front wall of the viharn is covered with paintings depicting the life story of Gautama Buddha:Not even a square inch is spared:Design of 'archway' (ซุ้มประตู soom bpratuu) above the left & right side doors:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-50054971033387910662009-01-01T20:55:00.000+08:002009-01-01T20:56:19.055+08:00

From a short cat's point of view:Perimeter walls:Something the cat has not seen elsewhere in Laos so far - Buddha in the 'Western' or 'European' style sitting pose, with both legs hanging down straight instead of crossed in a lotus or half-lotus position:

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-55634377231315276332009-01-01T20:45:00.000+08:002009-01-01T20:46:07.680+08:00

straycatnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11617545.post-22614846626184652852009-01-01T20:38:00.001+08:002009-01-01T20:42:25.520+08:00

Main gate:Almost all photos of this temple were taken from this side......to get away from the whistling from the novice monks hanging around on this side:Viharn:The seven-headed naga king Muchalinda coiling its body to raise Buddha above the rising floodwaters & using its hood to shelter him from the storm caused by the evil Mara:Hongsa + Chinese dragon + naga at upper corners of the main

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