Buddhism and Cambodian Society

Buddhism and Cambodian Society

First of all, I would like to introduce the Cambodia site to all of you before describing the situation of Buddhism in this country; as you may know among the Buddhist countries in the world, Cambodia is one of the five Theravada Buddhist countries. Cambodia is located in the southern edge of the huge peninsula which is known as Indochina or mainland in South East Asia. There are about 181,035 Sq kilometers in size and she has border to the west and north with Thailand and Laos, to the east and to the south with Vietnam and China’s sea. She is administratively divided into 24 provinces and cities; out of about over 13 millions of the today Cambodia’s population, 95 percents are Buddhists. Therefore, Cambodia has been a stronghold of Theravada Buddhism; according to the constitution, Buddhism is the state religion of this country. Buddhism has been playing a very important role in the lives of Cambodian people both in the past and present.

All the Cambodian kings dedicated their lives for the sake of promoting and propagating their religion. Under the patronage of the former king, His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk Varman (Narottama Siha hanu Varman) who just abdicated last year(2003), once became a monk in order to be free from bringing about all reform in his kingdom, and especially with the vigorous guidance of His holiness Samdech Preah Sangharaja– Maha Sumedhadhipati ( Chuon Nath), the late supreme patriarch of Mahanikaya Buddhist sect, Cambodia has made a rapid progress in organization the education of the religious order and in propagating the Faith among the laity. Cambodia has as many as2800monasterieswith 82000 monks and novices.

In 1914, the government opened, in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, a Pali high school where young monks were instructed and gave Diplomas after four year training. The instruction was not only confined to the religious subjects but also including subjects useful in the temporal world. This school has now developed into college. In 1933, the authority began to establish elementary Pali school, where the monks are trained. The last few years a newly re-opened Buddhist University which known as Preah Sihanouk raj Buddhist University.

To achieve this program of religious instruction in Phnom Penh a Royal Library was opened in 1925 and a Buddhist Institute in 1930, later the government appointed a Tipitaka Boards consisting of eminent scholars who were asked to prepare for publication Pali Texts and Cambodian translations. The Library output of this instruction is highly credible. There are 110 volumes in bilingual series (Pail- Cambodian). A copy of all the texts of the Pali canon written by hands were sent to the sixth Buddhist council (Chatthasangayana) held in Rangoon, Burma (1954-1956).

Among the ten volumes published in Pali and translation (1938 – 1954) are the Abhidhammattha Sangaha (1938), the Visuddhimagga (1946), Bhikkhupatimokkha

( 1950), Mangalatthadipani (1952), and the Abhidhammapitaka and the Sattappakarana Abhidamma ( 1953), not fewer than 187 volumes, mostly on religious subjects, have been published in the Cambodian language by the various libraries and institutions. Thus, Cambodia has made tremendous progress in the field of popularization of Pali studies and in the education of the monks. Not only that in order to keep close cooperation between the Buddhist monastic order and the government, the ministry of religious affair was founded.

Senior members of the monastic order take part in newly all state ceremonies and observances. In turn, the government protects the land and revenues of the order, gives financial support to the maintenance of the monasteries, promotes the monastic education and fosters Buddhist teaching in schools and on radio and TV program.

The Oath of allegiance ceremony in which loyalty was pledged to the king was superseded by a government sponsored Constitution Day in which religious ceremonies had prominent places.

The Hierarchical system of monastic activities is kept under careful supervision and good discipline maintained among the quarter million monks and novices. The administrative structure of the order in Cambodia is closely parallel that of the civil government at all levels, provincial as well as central.

The ministry of religious affair looks like as special secretary general for the monastic order. The ministry oversees the budget of the monastic order and assists the officers of the order with their administrative duties.

The heads of sangha in Cambodia are the supreme patriarchies, the Samdech Preah Sanghraja who were appointed by the king after consultation with the order. The supreme patriarchies are chosen on the basic of rank and abilities. They are two in number, one is to govern the Mahanikaya sect and another is to control the Dhammayuttikanikaya one, ordinarily they remain in the office until their deaths. The present Sangharajs are Samdech Preah Sumedhadhipati Tep Vong of Mahanikaya and Samdech Preah Sugandhadhipati Bur Kry.

Cambodia literatures and mural arts have heavily upon the Sutta Pitaka and Jatakas tales of the Buddha. Aside from music and drama, Buddhism has been the inspiration of most Cambodian art forms.

Buddhist temples are always the most beautiful and ornate building in the village. The interior walls of the temple often are covered with mural painting, door and windows are decorated with intricate designs of foliage and devotes in gold against background of or black lacquer and eaves and gables are adorned with wood carving. Mosaic of porcelain and colored glass often covered the pillars, the altars and sometimes portions of the wall of Vihara. The balustrades are frequently made in the form of Naga with the heads serving for newel points. Figure of the Devas and animals are sometime set above the bases of Cetiya or of temple libraries. Considerable artistry is devoted to the roofs, which highly decorated gables. Within the images of Buddha of various sizes, some of metal, bronze, gold or silver, others of stone or crystal or of brick covered with mortar and plaster and surfaced with gold leaf. Temple doors are often covered with mother of pearl designs and various utensils and insignia of rank used in the priesthood are of the same material. Boxes, bowls and utensils are also made of gold or silver.

In the former years, every young man was expected to spend at least a few months in the monastic order to make merit for oneself and others and to study religious subject (Buddhism). This practice has diminished somewhat because of the competition of economic and educational goals for young men today.

Cambodia, however, accept their religion as heritage of belief, teaching and custom, which in time of rejoicing or death, meet emotional needs and provides answers to the mysteries of life. It supplies as doctrine of man, metaphysics, a moral law and an ultimate goal. For daily life, it provides ways for making merit for self and others, devotional exercises austerities, ascetic, enjoyment and assurance of safety and good fortune by ways of devotion, good conduct, amulets and verbal mantras.

The followers did not formulate the teachings but came to require of religion such answers and rites as Buddhism could provide. Gifts taken to the monasteries are usually carried on silver tray or in silver bowls. It has heavily been ornamented in espouse. the weaver’s skill has like wise, been devoted to the temple and result may be seen in long sloth banners with hang in temple, in special robes for imaged, in cloth bags gives to the monks for carrying scripture and small objects, and in ornate fans which mark the ecclesiastical rank of the Bhikkhus or monks. The art of the scribe has been exercised in making ollas sacred palm leaf books with character in Cambodian inscribed with a stylus, then inked, and the whole bound between ornate covers decorated with gold.

During its long residence in Cambodia Buddhism has been become literally rooted in the soul. Excavators constantly find bronze and stone image of the Buddha in unexpected places, perhaps while digging the foundations or irrigation ditches. Children and adults often wear Buddhist amulets for adornment and protection.

For centuries before Cambodia established its modern educational system, the monasteries gave instruction in reading, writing and simple arithmetic to the novices and small boys in residence. The temple boys were primarily servants who run errands carried parcels for the monks, and help to keep the monasteries premises clean. In return they received food and lodging, moral and religious instruction and a chance to study in a primary school. Some of the boys are relatives of the monks, some orphans, some the children of families living far from monastery.

In Phnom Penh, hundreds if not thousand of boys and young men living in monastery dormitories while attending high schools and university. They may or may not be depend upon the monastery for food. Cambodia is proud to say that the current Prime Minister, Hun Sen, is one of them.

The public schools are conducted in monasteries, formerly religious instruction in accordance with the tenets of Buddhism was provided for all government schools. In addition, the textbooks including materials on social behavior to meet the present day condition were also provided. Larger monasteries with from fifty to five hundred resident monks and novices living depending upon the character and enterprise of the abbot. Large and well run monastery has a Vihara or temple to worship as the principle building, an Uposatha building of similar design for ecclesiastic rites, one or more Cetiyas or stupas and numerous of huts for monks and pavilions of Sala for lay visitors. Temple yard is swept clean and sanded and it may be brightened with a few flowers and shrubs cultivated by monks or by some devotees. They are together by ties of custom and reciprocal services. By gradual adjustment through the centuries, Buddhism has become indigenous in Cambodia.

The pattern of relationship between monks and laity is in effect reciprocal and as far as the merit making is concerned, economic cost of supplying the sangha with food, gifts and other necessary is great. The rich and highly ranking devotees are expected to contribute their wealth for upkeep of the monasteries and the monks proportionately more than are the poor, but this seems not to be the case. It has been observed that the poor too, tend to spend a larger proportion of their income on making merit than their wealthier neighbors do. Here as they think that they would like to offset the previous evil or bad deed, which caused their poverty in these very lives. The poor also believe that a larger proportion of economic expenditure on merit making that they have spent as a kind of investment, and will lead to bigger accumulation of merit and greater enhancement of well being.

As observance, the most meritorious deed that Cambodian consider, are in descending order of importance as following:

1. Becoming a novice (samanera).
2. Becoming a monks (high ordination or Uppasampada)
3. Contributing enough money for the construction of monastery.
4. Having a son ordained as a monk.
5. Making excursion to Buddhist shrines throughout the country.
6. Making contributions toward the reparation of the monastery.
7. Offering food daily and on the Sabbath day.
8. Attending the monastery on all the Sabbath day and observing the eight precepts (Uposatha Sila).
9. Observing the five precepts all the time.
10. Offering money and cloths to the monks on Kathina ceremony.
11. Attending ceremonies on Visaka full moon day.
12. Offering food and cloths to the monks on Pchum Ben Day (ceremony which Cambodian celebrates for dedicating wholesome deed to those who passed away or Peta).
13. Celebrating and making merit during the Khmer New Year, etc…

Anyhow, Buddhist ceremonies in Cambodia are difficult to classify because they are numerous and yet pass the common characteristics. The sangha, the third of the triple Gems, Buddha, Dhamma and the order, participates in all formal Buddhist ceremonies including daily and weekly worship services and state, memorial occasional and life cycle rites.

Buddhism today has become dominant creed in Cambodia. It influences all walks of lives of the Cambodian; it is hardly to convert them to other faith, for instance, during the colony, French had tried to introduce the Roman Catholic form of Christianity to the land, but Cambodian remained steadfast in their ancient culture (Buddhism).

Cambodia is proud to mention that her people from the grass to the top of the society have enthusiastically supported their belief. They in order to show their strong supports and believes to their creed had become monks for sometimes in their lives. Some of the present Cambodian leaders who had been monks are:

- His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk Varman (the former king who abdicated last year).

- His highest Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the president of the National Assembly.

- His highest Prince Norodom Sirivuddh, the vice Prime Minister and minister of ministry of interior.

- His Excellency, Chea Sim, the president of the Senate.

- His Excellency, Dr. Sam Rangsy, the leader of the opposition Sam Rangsy party.

These are few names among them who had been, once time or another, monks in their lives. This clearly proves that Cambodia had made tremendous progress in the popularization of Buddhism. Therefore, the religion is so important in the people’s life that cannot be separable from each other. It may not be in exaggeration to say that Buddhism has deeply penetrated into Cambodian’s hearts.

Reference:

1. History of Theravada Buddhism in South East Asia, by K.L. Hazra, University of Calcutta, 1982.

2. Pali literature of South East Asia, by Ven. Dr. H. Saddhatissa, London, 1990.

3. Samantappanha, by Ven Viriyadharo Say Amnann, Buddhist Institute Publication, Phnom Penh, 2003.

4. Encyclopedia, Britannica Library, 2005.