Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in Thailand
This article theorizes new urban religio-scapes in metropolitan Bangkok, a city space of contradictory modernities. Here, I look at two contrasting Buddhist monastic spaces of sanctity from periods of fieldwork between 1998 and 2002. Firstly, as found in the modern semblance of order and discipline...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Society for the Study of Global Buddhism
2015-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Global Buddhism |
| Online Access: | http://www.globalbuddhism.org/jgb/index.php/jgb/article/view/80 |
| _version_ | 1798045748003078144 |
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| author | Jim Taylor |
| author_facet | Jim Taylor |
| author_sort | Jim Taylor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article theorizes new urban religio-scapes in metropolitan Bangkok, a city space of contradictory modernities. Here, I look at two contrasting Buddhist monastic spaces of sanctity from periods of fieldwork between 1998 and 2002. Firstly, as found in the modern semblance of order and discipline at the radically neo-conservative Dhammakaya Movement (lit. “Body of Dhamma”). Secondly, the chaotic, disordered flamboyant and kitsch space of the Sanam Chan Monastery on the outskirts of the ever-expanding Thai post-metropolis, which has similarities with the consumerist contemporary “Buddhist” feature art of the arcades and shopping centres. I argue that Wat (Monastery) Sanam Chan is a postmodern representation of sanctity; it is a response to modernity, while Dhammakaya, aside from its immense spectacle, reflects more the essentialist conditions inherent in modernity. Nevertheless, it is clear that both spaces of sanctity challenge the established religious hierarchy, its perceived orthodoxy, legitimation and the ethical bases of civic religion in Thailand. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:26:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-000302d5dc504b8393dab54e9215ab94 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1527-6457 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:26:07Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
| publisher | Society for the Study of Global Buddhism |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Global Buddhism |
| spelling | doaj.art-000302d5dc504b8393dab54e9215ab942022-12-22T03:57:17ZengSociety for the Study of Global BuddhismJournal of Global Buddhism1527-64572015-02-018011981Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in ThailandJim Taylor0University of AdelaideThis article theorizes new urban religio-scapes in metropolitan Bangkok, a city space of contradictory modernities. Here, I look at two contrasting Buddhist monastic spaces of sanctity from periods of fieldwork between 1998 and 2002. Firstly, as found in the modern semblance of order and discipline at the radically neo-conservative Dhammakaya Movement (lit. “Body of Dhamma”). Secondly, the chaotic, disordered flamboyant and kitsch space of the Sanam Chan Monastery on the outskirts of the ever-expanding Thai post-metropolis, which has similarities with the consumerist contemporary “Buddhist” feature art of the arcades and shopping centres. I argue that Wat (Monastery) Sanam Chan is a postmodern representation of sanctity; it is a response to modernity, while Dhammakaya, aside from its immense spectacle, reflects more the essentialist conditions inherent in modernity. Nevertheless, it is clear that both spaces of sanctity challenge the established religious hierarchy, its perceived orthodoxy, legitimation and the ethical bases of civic religion in Thailand.http://www.globalbuddhism.org/jgb/index.php/jgb/article/view/80 |
| spellingShingle | Jim Taylor Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in Thailand Journal of Global Buddhism |
| title | Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in Thailand |
| title_full | Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in Thailand |
| title_fullStr | Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in Thailand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in Thailand |
| title_short | Buddhism, Copying, and the Art of the Imagination in Thailand |
| title_sort | buddhism copying and the art of the imagination in thailand |
| url | http://www.globalbuddhism.org/jgb/index.php/jgb/article/view/80 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jimtaylor buddhismcopyingandtheartoftheimaginationinthailand |