Yantra cloth
Yantra cloth are red, black, or white fabrics decorated with Buddhist esoteric inscriptions known as yantra that are used in South-East Asia to seek spiritual protection for houses or individuals, dead or alive. While they are very common, they are unorthodox Buddhist superstitions as described by psychologist Stuart Vyse.[1]
Description
[edit]
Forms
[edit]The yantra cloth can be used to protect houses. In Chinese culture, it is used to cover dead bodies. In Cambodia and Thailand, yantra cloth is used to make shirts to boost Bokator fighters. The latter have also become popular for international fighters such as Thiago Silva.[2]
Dedication
[edit]Some yantra cloth remain sibylline in their interpretation. Most Khmer yantra cloth used to protect houses are decorated with rain quails.[3] In Thailand, it is common to see yantra cloth dedicated to Buddhist divinities such as Nang Kwak or Thao Kuwen or dead monks such as Luang Phor Koon.
Rituals
[edit]Fabrication
[edit]During a traditional fabrication of yantra cloth, special rituals and khatha writings are made with incantations and black magic in order to ensure to superstitious efficiency of the artefact.[4] Modern marketing may sell factory-processed yantra cloth without going through these rites.
Home blessings
[edit]Raising a yantra cloth on the beams of a new house is an essential rite in the blessing of a new house in Thailand and Cambodia in order to ward off evils spirits.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "ហេតុ អ្វី មនុស្ស មាន អបិយ ជំនឿ ?" [Why are people superstitious?]. Cam News. 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ "អាវយ័ន្ដខ្មែរពូកែអស្ចារ្យ! Thiago ខ្ញុំវា យ លើកនេះនៅក្នុងទឹកដីអាលឺ្លម៉ង់ គឺតំណាងឱ្យប្រជាជនខ្មែរ និងប្រទសកម្ពុជាទាំងមូល - សង្គម សិល្បៈ កម្សាន្ដ". Khmer News. 2023-03-23. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Sunly, Chhun (2020-12-22). "មិននឹកស្មានថា "យ័ន្តសត្វក្រួច" ការពារភ្លើងឆេះផ្ទះ មានប្រវត្តិគួរឱ្យចាប់អារម្មណ៍ដូច្នេះសោះ". sbm.news (in Khmer). Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Conway, Susan (2017). "Textiles and Supernatural Power: A Tai Belief System". Journal of Burma Studies. 21 (2): 365–394. doi:10.1353/jbs.2017.0011. ISSN 2010-314X.
- ^ Choulean, Ang. "២៨. យន្ត្រក្រួច (Yantra Krouch)". Yosothor. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
Bibliography
[edit]- Gonzalez-Wippler, Migene (2001). Complete Book Of Amulets & Talismans. Lewellyn Publications. ISBN 0-87542-287-X.
External links
[edit]- Ang Choulean. "២៨. យន្ត្រក្រួច". Yosothor. Retrieved 2024-05-16.