Ric and Sharon Bruce On a journey with you to Thailand 
The Chedi
Where we put things speaks to our character. Think about where you sleep. What do you keep closest to you while you rest and what do you grab first when you wake up? One of your values may be punctuality if your answer to that question is an alarm clock. If it’s a cell phone maybe something you value is connectivity.
Today when I went to a local temple to map the grounds I was looking for patterns, symmetry and organization but I was trying to look deeper than that too, at things below the surface. Outward behavior is a manifestation of our core beliefs, our “worldview”. I saw a lot of evidence of underlying core values while doing this exercise.
Below my crude hand-drawn map I have placed a gallery of images with the Thai name, an English approximate and a brief description of each building’s use. Each photo was taken while walking around the temple grounds in clock-wise order with the central building last. Let us know in the comments what you see in this pattern.
I'm a missionary, not a cartographer.
1. ซุ้มประตู - "soom pratoo" The Temple Gate. There are many varieties of doors.
2. หอไตร - "haw trai" Place to store important artifacts.
3. ศาลาที่พัก - A "sala ti pak". Usually donated by family of a deceased person.
4. สถูป - "satoop" a religious monument containing important relic(s)
5. ศาลา - "sala" A general purpose room used most often for funerals. The body stays here for a few days before cremation
6. ห้องน้ำ - "hong nam" Bathroom. Currently under costruction. In this picture they were inserting the septic tank.
7. โรงครัว "rong krua" cafeteria
8. เจดีย์ - "Chedi" bell-shaped pagoda
9. กุฏิ "goot dee" a house for monks
10. โบสถ์ "bot" chapel
11. ต้นลำไย "ton lamyai" A large Longan fruit tree. Click the picture to learn more.
12. ศาลาสังขจาย์ "sala sang ka jai" This is a little place for this particular type of statue.
13. หอระฆัง "haw ra khang" bell tower. I have no idea when it's rung or why. We'll investigate.
14. วิธาน "weet han" Most important ceremonial building containing the largest statues.
Thanks for taking a look at where things are in a local temple or วัด. Let us know what stands out to you in the comments.
Tags: buddhism, buildings, culture, help, monk, names, places, temple, Thai
[...] learned about three or four ways to do this position depending on the occasion (mostly at the temple) and tried them all with about the same degree of success: little to none. Pretty much all of them [...]
Ric and Sharon,
This is a pretty cool idea. I like it. You should do more culture lessons and stuff like this to involve us in your life there in Thailand.
This is better than Sudoku! (haha)
I’m noticing a pattern of houses. It’s a big open space with lots of individual shelters. Maybe they view the spirit world as individuals, each with their own space, much the same as the Thai people each have their own houses. This would tell me they value shelter and protection, which is what they want to gain from the spirit world by in turn giving the spirits physical shelter and protection.
In the center of the temple is the largest building with the most statues. (14) Because it is immediately visible as soon as you walk through the gate, they highly value that building with those statues. Perhaps the bigger the idol, the more powerful the Thai believe it to be?
The house for monks is right next to the important ceremonial building, (14) which reveals the monk’s desire for closeness to their gods from the time they wake up till the time they sleep.
The amount of ornate doors and gates that appear all over the temple also tell a bit more of the culture. The Thai people want to find the way in, and they value knowing where the right door is. Their hearts are deceived desperately, and they enter through gate after gate and door after door looking for truth. That is why Matthew wrote, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” And Jesus tells us the gateway: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 16:4)
This temple shows the endeavors of the Thai culture to reach God through their own devices. Praise the Lord that you two are over there to teach truth in the power of God! Love you both.
Hi Ric and Sharon,
These are fascinating pictures. I wonder how old these buildings are and if they continue to build them with such detail currently? Thanks for the geography lesson!
Praying for you.
Liz