 |
Arsenal | Gotcha | Fortune | Lawless | Relax | Merit |
 |
Now if you are willing to go out late enough or early enough, you are still able to see traditional type activities. At most temples later in the evening (late enough to avoid most of the water throwing) people attend ceremonies and make merit in any number of ways. At left, people honor a Buddha statue by pouring water (gently) from a plastic cup. |
| You can also avoid the water throwing by waking up early and attending ceremonies around the city. Here at a city plaza is a gathering of monks and people wishing to make merit. One way to make merit is to purchase from a vendor a small wicker basket that holds a bird. The idea is that you buy the bird and free it, thereby making merit because you are merciful. Personally, I avoid this activity. If I make merit by freeing the bird, what kind of karma is the person who captured the bird going to get? And if I am creating a market by buying the bird, this is encouraging people to capture the birds and I am therefore culpable as well. This child, and most Thais, don't have such compunctions though and at most ceremonies and activities for making merit, you will find these captive birds. |
 |
|
Another way of making merit is to buy a number of coins at the temple and put them in each of these bowls. Don't worry about the bowls getting too filled up... a young monk will soon come by and empty the bowls--they will never fill up! An endless supply of luck to get you ready for the New Year... |
 |
