Buddhism is recognized as the nation religion of Thailand, with over 90% of the population identifying themselves as a Buddhist. Although the government never officially declared Buddhism to be the national religion, the king is required to be Buddhist. Buddhism in Thailand is modeled after the Theravada school of Buddhism and incorporates ideals from Mahayana Buddhism, Hinduism, and the old folk religion of the people. Buddhism originated in India and since then has spread all over the world, inspiring societies and cultures everywhere. Buddhism however is not a religion, The Oxford Dictionary of English defines religion as “The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.” Buddhism does not
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The Thai flag which has two red stripes on the outer ends followed by two white stripes in the inner part of the flag and a single blue stripe in the center. The three parts of the flag are a representation of the three most important values of the country. According to the online World Atlas, red is for the blood of life, blue is for the monarchy in other words the king, and white is for the Buddhist faith (“Thailand Flag and Description”). In Thailand, the country is heavily influenced politically by Buddhism and so it can be confusing for people to understand that Buddhism is not a religion. Similar to how other religions are influenced by their national religions, for example the influence Catholicism has over many countries including the Vatican, and entire country where the state religion determines its politics. Buddhism isn’t protected by the government, it is only influenced by, and promotes, Buddhism. It is because of the big influence that Buddhism has on the government in Thailand that it is often mistaken for an official religion. The argument can be made that made in religion, followers believe in a god or multiple gods, and some people view the Buddha as a god. He is not a god though, he is a teacher, and it is not uncommon for Buddhists to also follow other religions and believe in a god or other
The Thai flag which has two red stripes on the outer ends followed by two white stripes in the inner part of the flag and a single blue stripe in the center. The three parts of the flag are a representation of the three most important values of the country. According to the online World Atlas, red is for the blood of life, blue is for the monarchy in other words the king, and white is for the Buddhist faith (“Thailand Flag and Description”). In Thailand, the country is heavily influenced politically by Buddhism and so it can be confusing for people to understand that Buddhism is not a religion. Similar to how other religions are influenced by their national religions, for example the influence Catholicism has over many countries including the Vatican, and entire country where the state religion determines its politics. Buddhism isn’t protected by the government, it is only influenced by, and promotes, Buddhism. It is because of the big influence that Buddhism has on the government in Thailand that it is often mistaken for an official religion. The argument can be made that made in religion, followers believe in a god or multiple gods, and some people view the Buddha as a god. He is not a god though, he is a teacher, and it is not uncommon for Buddhists to also follow other religions and believe in a god or other