Market Friday: paying respect to holy relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples at Sanam Luang Pavilion, Bangkok.

The cooling evening made the walk towards Sanam Luang very pleasant and joyful. There was some strange vibes in the air which seemed to make time slowed down, even the crowd became very calm and easy going. I slowly followed people towards the green lawn. Lots of people were dressed in white clothes which would be customary when they entered a meditation period at temples. The white shirts and trousers signified that these people were very ardent practitioners. I wouldn’t follow the convention as a routine as I tended to get white clothes dirty in a few hours. So, I would stand out as a sore thumb on the meditation hall.

I could see the golden pavilion built specially for containing the holy relics from India. I stopped to take photos of the surrounding atmosphere and people of all ages gathering around the stage and food court. This was a good idea to have food and drink available as many people spent hours traveling from nearby provinces to be at this auspicious exposition. It’s a chance of a lifetime to be in the presence of Lord Buddha’s relics and his two most outstanding disciples too. It’s very kind and generous of the Indian Government to allow these precious and holy relics to come to Thailand.

Most Buddhist practitioners knew that these holy relics would be accompanied by many high ranking angels and guardians. So, the vibes in this area could be quite electrifying for some people and meditators. Most people believed that paying respect to relics of Lord’s Buddha and those of Arahats (enlightened monks) would bring them good karmic results. They hoped at least the invisible angels and guardians would bless them and give them good vibes. Most people usually had to endure some kinds of problems or sufferings which couldn’t be solved easily. So, they tried to find solace in holy environments.

I was touched by the compassion and sacrifice of the Lord Buddha and his legendary disciples for finding the path towards enlightenment and true liberation of the mind. I felt I didn’t deserve to be in this amazing setting. I haven’t accumulated lots of good karma and my mind was full of impurities. I asked for permission to enter the outer layer of the pavilion. Hundreds of people were performing circumambulation around the golden pavilion. I felt good to see so many ardent Buddhists gathering at Sanam Luang. This gave me hope about the future of our society.

The space around the pavilion wasn’t spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people. So, people started walking clockwise around the pavilion on the outer perimeter. I was quite afraid of being crushed in the inner circle of the pavilion, it’s packed like sardines. Down on the road, we had enough room for moving away in case of a stampede. Several elderly people came with their wheel chairs, this opportunity wouldn’t be repeated again. That’s why Buddhists would make an effort to be at Sanam Luang.

Some people came as a group with their respected monk to circumambulate around the pavilion. It was so good seeing people seeking good karma and paying respect to holy relics. Hopefully they would continue to practice the Lord Buddha’s teachings so that more positive vibes would be covering over the whole land. Perhaps bad politicians would felt ashamed of their corruptions and started to change their behaviours.

It puzzled me how a staunch Buddhist country like Thailand could have so many corrupt politicians and civil servants. Hopefully their bad karma would catch up with them very soon. It was getting dark so I took a ride on a motorbike to the nearest pier. I was just in time to catch the last express boat back to Sathorn bridge. Most passengers were Chinese tourists heading towards Chinatown for their dinners.

Our country has been very lucky to have loads of tourists since last month. Big double decker buses were seen parked at various sightseeing spots in Bangkok, making vendors very happy and optimistic. I continued to pray for divine intervention against dark plots to sabotage the peace and security of our country. May all these dark forces be melted away!

Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.

Stay strong and cheerful.

#marketfriday hosted by @dswigle