Cotton band

Hi,
my sister has married a Thai man and they have just had a baby. Thay have been to a Buddhist temple and had him blessed by the monks. He now wears a white cotton band on his wrist that was placed there by the monk. His father says that it is for protection and good luck. Is that the reason for the band? Can anyone tell me anything else about it?
Thanks
Sharon

[Nokkie]

well i dont know if its the same for thailand and laos but in laos we have phi(spirits) and the cottons bands hold the phi in. that was the easiest i could put it, there more about realeasing it and sickness and stuff but its mostly good luck....(thats what my parents told me anyways)

[namo]

Hi,

Yes the Cotton band is for good luck and protection, however there is some Meta Physics in use in Thailand and other Buddhist countries. Meta Physics are mostly used in the city temples, not in the strict forest temples.

You can read some more about the meaning of this cotton band here, it can mean protection, good luck and graditude.

And also the meaning can depend on the time the cotton band is given.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon...02-031.html#32

Sadhu,

Namo

[annabee]

The cotton band is called "sai sin". It can be given to anybody at any age..Other than a monk (who must always bless the cotton first) a parent or respected elder can also tie it onto the wrist of a newborn , a child and they say "fun eury fun mar kor hai yuu kup huer kup tour"..rough translation dream forward dream back may your spirit stay with your body.

In laos the cotton is actually white and tied all the way up the arm but in thailand its only usally one is tied on..and its not allowed to be broken and to break it off the person must say a small prayer to ask for permission..I have always had one tied my wrist since I was born..when one falls off after 3 or 4 years I recieve another one..the one I am wearing now is 4 years old...Its best to let it fall apart and off then try to cut it off.

Its supposed to prove good luck, its guards from evil spirits hence the may your spirit stay with your body..i have been told that thai people believe that people who have pshycolodgical problems are people who have had evil spirits rob their bodys of their spirt..

[namo]

Hi

It is true "sai sin" (PALI) is the name of the original white string, but these days in thailand a colourful band is used for more fashion, when I was a Monk for general reasons I used this highest blessing:

"SABBITIYO VIVAJJANTU SABBA-ROGO VINASSATU, MA TE BHAVATVANTARAYO SUKHI DIGHAYUKO BHAVA. ABHIVADANA-SILISSA NICCAM VUDDHAPACAYINO, CATTARO DHAMMA VADDHANTI AYU VANNO SUKHAM, BALAM. SO ATTHA-LADDHO SUKHITO VIRULHO BUDDHA-SASANE, AROGO SUKHITO HOHI SAHA SABBEHI NATIBHI. BHAVATU SABBA-MANGALAM RAKKHANTU SABBA-DEVATA, SABBA-BUDDHANUBHAVENA SADA SOTTHI BHAVENA SADA SOTTHI BHAVANTU TE. BHAVATU SABBA-MANGALAM RAKKHANTU SABBA-DEVATA, SABBA-DHAMMANUBHAVENA SADA SOTTHI BHAVANTU TE. BHAVANTU SABBA-MANGALAM RAKKHANTU SABBA-DEVATA, SABBA-SANGHANUBHAVENA SADA SOTTHI, BHAVANTU TE.

And for dreams etc I used the Mangala Suttam which is the discourse on good fortune and the Karaniya Metta Sutta which is the discourse on lovingkindness.

"Sai Sin" is not Buddhist the buddha didn't teach is followers in this way, he taught morals, meditation and wisdom. If Ghosts or Demons or other beings came he taught to teach the discourse on loving kindness. And the Buddha blessed children and other followers with various blessings. He did not give out emelets or any other good luck charms. In Buddhism there is no such teaching as LUCK!!! All worldly beings are subject to the law of Kamma.

"Sai Sin" comes from the Hindu religon, Hindu followers believe in many different Gods and superstitions. The Buddha himself did not teach to use "Sai Sin" or to be Superstitous, it is borrowed from Hinduism.

You can read the discourse on the path (or practice) that was taught by the Buddha himself:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon.../sn45-008.html

Sadhu,

Namo

[Nokkie]

the monks always tie one on both my wrists and i keep it on for a week but my mom always says it can come off after three days. in lao we call it something different, i think "poo kahn" which means something like tie the arm, poo = tie, kahn = arm but it always turns out to be the wrist thats tied. well thats how its done here in america, it could be different on the other side of the earth

[omar88]

hi, i lost the white one and yellow band it very lose, so what is traditional done?

[billk]

hi, i lost the white one and yellow band it very lose, so what is traditional done?

These things do fall off eventually. It's not a problem.

Mine tend to fall off fairly quickly, because I find having things tied around my wrists irritating and am constantly tugging at them.

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

My now wife tied one around my wrist about two days after I first met her and told me not to take it off so that I would return to Thailand. In the meantime over the years I have had many more of these given to me, particularly when my wife and I got married. They have all eventually been cut off, except that very first one she gave me which is still on my wrist nearly five years later. I have no intention of ever removing it.

David

[Khun Don]

My now wife tied one around my wrist about two days after I first met her and told me not to take it off so that I would return to Thailand. In the meantime over the years I have had many more of these given to me, particularly when my wife and I got married. They have all eventually been cut off, except that very first one she gave me which is still on my wrist nearly five years later. I have no intention of ever removing it.

David

As your public profile picture proves!