by

Role of Religion in Siem Reap

An Overview

Theravada Buddhism, which is the oldest surviving Buddhist school of thought, is Cambodia’s official religion. Also known as “the Teaching of the Eldest”, the religion was founded in India and is practiced by 95% of the population in Cambodia.  About 2% of the Cambodians practice Islam and Christianity respectively, whereas the rest of the population practices Animism and Hinduism.

The Beginnings

Buddhism was introduced into Cambodia through two different streams, firstly from Hindu merchants in the Funan kingdom (the earliest forms of Buddhism with Hindu influences) and secondly through Khmer culture during the Angkor empire when the kingdoms of Dvaravati and Haripunchai were absorbed into Cambodia.  As such, the history of Buddhism stretches across nearly two thousand years!

It is interesting to note that Cambodia was ruled by mostly Hindu Kings in the early years of the Khmer Empire, with the occasional Buddhist King.  This meant that the official religion then was Hinduism, alongside Buddhism, and Angkor Wat is the largest Hindu temple in the world.

When the Angkor Empire was established, the primary religion became that of Mahayana Buddhism, which is a collection of teachings with doctrines that are able to coexist simultaneously.  This is a more liberal form of Buddhism as opposed to Theravada, which is the orthodox traditional form of Buddhism from the early schools.

The Developments

Theravada Buddhism became the official religion in the 13th century, when Prince Tamalinda (a senior monk) came back after studying at the Mahavihara Monastery in Sri Lanka and rejected the innovative Mahayana Buddhist practices. Mahayana Buddhists believe in achieving ultimate enlightenment (known as nirvana) by liberating others. Theravada Buddhists, on the other hand, strive toward nirvana through self-enlightenment and libration.

Though Christianity was introduced into Cambodia in 1660, the Roman Catholic missionaries did not manage to successfully convert the staunch Buddhist population.  Islam, on the other hand, was the religion of the Muslim minority groups in Cambodia, especially the Cham.

In 1975, religion was suppressed by the Khmer Rouge when it took control of Cambodia.  Buddhism was almost destroyed in Cambodia, as nearly every temple or religious place was ruined. Monks and religious intellectuals were also executed.  Those who survived were driven into exile.  The number of monks dwindled from nearly 80,000 to only 3,000 in 1980 when the Buddhist restoration took place.  Although Theravada Buddhist was recognized as the state religion again, Buddhist practices were still suppressed up till 1988 when many restrictions were removed.

Buddhist monks were revered in Cambodian life, and were often called upon to say prayers of blessing.  Before the civil war led by the Khmer Rouge,  it was customary for young men over the age of 16 to be ordained as monks (known as bonzes) at least once in their lives, as a rite of passage into adulthood, not unlike the practices in Thailand.

Cambodia Religious

Cambodian Buddhist monks shave people's heads for their being ordain (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

The Present

Today, Buddhism continues to play an important role in the life of most Cambodians. There are now around 50,000 monks and novices. Each village has its Buddhist temple (also known as wat) with residences and a hall for eating and classes. Buddhist ceremonies are also evident in Cambodians’ daily lives such as births, weddings and funerals. At the heart of a Buddhist life is earning merit. As such, it is very common to see Buddhists in Cambodia giving the gifts of money and food to monks.

religion5

A woman saying prayers while giving the gift of food to monks (Source: ferenc.biz)

Although most Cambodians subscribe to a major religion, they also believe in animism and/or ancestral worship. In the corners of pagodas, one can often find small guardian spirit shrines. There are also sorcerers in the villagers that one can call on to appease spirits.

Similar to many communities, it is not difficult to see the many ways in which Cambodians turn to religion for their social and emotional needs.

Cambodia Dispute

Where religion and daily life are closely integrated in Cambodia (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

religion2

Buddha statue in a temple (Source: Cambodiatourism.com)

religion3

Worshippers seeking blessings from Buddhist monk (Source: TourismCambodia.com)

    Bibliography

  1. http://www.tourismcambodia.com/tripplanner/general/religion.htm
  2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada
  3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Cambodia
  4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Cambodia
  5. http://www.buddhismtoday.com/english/world/country/016Buddhism%20in%20Cambodia.htm
  6. http://www.world66.com/asia/southeastasia/cambodia/culture
  7. http://www.holiday-in-angkor-wat.com/cambodian-religion.html
  8. http://www.wisegeek.com/topics/theravada-buddhism.htm#
  9. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mahayana-buddhism.htm

Posted by Wei Tsu Leong and Clara Tang

1,019 thoughts on “Role of Religion in Siem Reap”

  2. 웹하드 순위 marketing comes down to the place to be overly wordy. Mobile websites do not have that large of a display to work with as you do with a computer, so droning on and on about a product just to get more keywords in is annoying to readers. Mobile marketing copy needs to be concise and geared towards the sales.

  9. Thanks for sharing this thought. I am Jacobs Glenn here for sharing our law assignment help service, which is written by our professional writers. They are 24/7 there to help students with assignments.

  10. Thanks for sharing this informative post! As someone who is always looking for ways to expand my knowledge, I found your tips and ideas to be incredibly helpful. We provide academic writing services. Our experts are here to assist with, Online Assignment help. We have a professional assignment helper. If you are facing problems with assignments. So, you can contact us.

  11. Excellent! Your blog is good and it was so informative. I liked it you are a great writer. Wish to see you with more blogs like this. I am an academic writer of healthcare assignment help and am always ready to help students score good grades in their academics.

  13. I suddenly remembered a site that I had forgotten for a long time, so I came to visit. I see so many good comments. I was so impressed. I will visit again next time.안전놀이터

  14. Nice post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely useful info specially the last part I care for such information a lot. I was seeking this certain info for a long time. Thank you and good luck.
    메이저사이트

  16. This is a very fantastic place. It’s amazing how so many creative writings there are. It’s amazing how you got here. I’ll stop by when I have time. It was nice to meet you.먹튀검증

  26. A zero carbon building is a building in which all annual energy consumption is provided by renewable energy generated by the site without consuming coal, oil, electricity and other energy sources passive house.

  32. I went on a trip after a long time. It was a very leisurely trip. I was able to heal myself properly. It’s been a while since I visited this place, so I feel like I’m becoming richer.https://muktwiguardian.com

  34. Great post, it is helpful to many people, couldn’t have completed my dissertation without the help of these Dissertation experts. They provided me with invaluable support throughout the entire process.

  35. I thought of it for the first time in a long time, so I visited again. I checked that many posts have been updated. It’s still a blog that inspires me deeply. I am very grateful.메이저사이트

  36. Nice to see you again. You’re still running a good site. I’m very envious of that passion. I should learn passion from him. I learn a lot. I look forward to visiting again.안전놀이터

  37. Amazing information. I really enjoyed reading this thread and the discussion by the people. As someone who is involved in this niche for many years I would like to refer “Online Bazaar“

  38. The weather has gotten a lot colder. I hope you dress warmly and drink lots of warm water so that you don’t catch a cold because it’s suddenly gets cold. This cold is very strong.메이저놀이터

  40. Helpful Tips When You Need To Find A Perfect Toy

    Purchasing and playing with toys is something that people do all over the world, and today with so many choices out there it can be difficult to select the best ones.웹하드추천 Don’t be stumped any longer on the types of toys that are good to buy, as the following article has many good tips. Keep reading for a good education about toys.

    If you find a toy online at a discount, see if you can find the same thing in your local toy store

  41. How To Pick The Perfect Toys

    If you are here looking for information when it comes to purchasing toys, then this article is just for you.신규노제휴사이트 Many people each day would like to get toys, but are overwhelmed at all the different choices. You don’t have to be confused any longer, since you came across this article with many good tips. Keep reading to get educated on knowing how to select the right toys

  42. Time To Shop For Toys? Read These Tips First

    Toys are a part of every child’s life.신규웹하드 If you have children, grandchildren, or any children in your life, knowing all about toys will be of the utmost help. In the article that follows, you will be given information about toys that you may have never known about in the past.

    Consider what kind of play the toy you are buying will encourage

  43. How To Make The Best Of Your Toy Purchases

    Even if you don’t have kids of your own, toy shopping is an occasional necessity.웹하드사이트 Your family and friends have kids you probably give toys to on birthdays and during the holidays. Maybe you just need a few at home when you have visitors. Use the following paragraphs to learn a few tips about successful toy shopping

  44. Do You Need Help With Toy Purchases? Read Here!

    Do you look back fondly at the times you spent playing with great toys as a child? If so, you are certainly motivated to find similarly terrific items for your own kids or grandkids.웹하드순위 Luckily, the tips and guidance that follow below can serve as a useful reference to help you do just that.

    If you are trying to save money on toys, consider going to local flea markets and garage sales. Quite often these curb side sales have lots of toys that their families have outgrown

  45. How You Can Choose The Perfect Toys

    Purchasing and playing with toys is something that people do all over the world, and today with so many choices out there it can be difficult to select the best ones.메타파일 Don’t be stumped any longer on the types of toys that are good to buy, as the following article has many good tips. Keep reading for a good education about toys.

    Want a toy that really engages your child? Look to toys that really challenge the senses

  46. Are You Going Toy Shopping? The Info You Need!

    So you would like to purchase toys and you are running into problems because there are so many to choose from.인스타 팔로워 늘리기 Relax, the following article was written for people in the same situation as you are in right now. It doesn’t have to be confusing any longer, so continue below for solid tips to make you feel at ease when shopping for toys.

    Whether you are looking for the latest in video game consoles or teddy bears, you can find what you are looking for online

  47. Some Invaluable Tips On Finding The Best Toys

    All children love toys.인스타 팔로워 구매 Even if you don’t have children, you probably are close to people that do. That’s why you need to know how to shop for toys, and this article has some ideas for you. Read on for more information

  48. Everything You Have Ever Wanted To Know About Toys

    Are you in search of that perfect toy? Maybe one of your kids has hinted that they want a specific toy, but you aren’t sure if it is the right one? No matter why you’re here, anyone can benefit from the great advice below that is all about toys.인스타 팔로워 사기 So keep reading to get that education on toys.

    Look for toys that you already know your child will enjoy. Expand an existing collection or add a favorite toy that your child has played with at a friends house

  49. Advice For Finding The Greatest Toys Around

    Whether you are buying toys for your kids or for yourself, knowing what you’re doing helps you do it.인스타 좋아요 구매 You want to make sure you get the most for your buck. You also need to make sure you come home with quality toys. Read the following article to find out how you can make these things happen

  50. Helpful Advice When It Comes To Toys

    Who does not love to play with toys? Even when you are an adult, toys can still be fun to play with or collect.유튜브 구독자 구매 They also make great gifts for children of all ages. If you need help finding the right toys, the following advice will be very helpful for you.

    When buying a toy for a young child, if in doubt, choose something that will stimulate their senses

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *