Religion in Cambodia

Thearavada Buddhism is the official religion in Cambodia which is practiced by 95 percent of the population-- just like that of Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka. However, Christianity and Cham Muslim are being active and popular among a large number of population as well in the capital and provinces, showing a sign of growth. Daoism and Confuism are also commonly practiced among the Chinese people. Indochina tours Cambodia
Buddhist monks are highly disciplined and must follow 227 rules in addition to the ten basic precepts of being a good Buddhist. Monks cannot take part in entertainment. They lead simple lives dedicated to Buddhism and the temple.
Buddha
Buddhists see the universe and all life as part of a cycle of eternal change. They follow the teaching of Buddha, an Indian prince born in the sixth century B.C. Buddhists believe that a person is continually reborn, in human or nonhuman form, depending on his or her actions in a previous life. They are released from this cycle only when thy reach nirvana, which may be attained by achieving good karma through earning merit and following the Buddhist path of correct living. Cambodia travel tours
Earning merit is an important of Buddhist life. Buddhists in Cambodia earn merit by giving money, goods, and labor to the temples, or by providing one of the two daily meals of the monks.
Children often look after the fruits trees and vegetable gardens inside their local wat, or temple. Boys can earn merit by becoming temple servants or novice monks for a short time. Most young men remain monks for less than a year.

Theravada Buddhism is Cambodia’s state religion and has been since the 13th century, except during the Khmer Rouge period. During that time, all monks were disrobed or killed and most religious scholars were murdered or fled into exile. Today the country is about 95 percent Buddhist. There are also two Muslim communities, the Cham and the Malay, making up 3 percent of the population. Just under 3 percent are Christians, plus there is a substantial population of Western missionaries trying to raise that figure. In the northeast of the country, many of the ethnic minority groups practice tribal religions.

cambodia monk religion
Religion is important in Cambodia, and monks are revered. The country also has a sizable Cham Muslim population, too.
Before Cambodia embraced Buddhism, there was Hinduism. Back in the day, Hinduism was one of the Khmer Empire’s official religions. In fact, Angkor Wat is the largest Hindu temple in the world, and one of the only dedicated to Brahma. And while Hinduism is no longer directly practiced in Cambodia, it influences Khmer Buddhist practices, such as weddings, funerals, and the use of astrology to find auspicious dates for important events.
The Cambodian approach to Buddhism is the same as their approach to most things: relaxed. Most Cambodians visit the pagodas for the major Buddhist holidays, such as Pchum Ben (Ancestor’s Day), and this is often the extent of their religious observances. Few Cambodians abstain from all of the Five Precepts of Buddhist belief, which prohibit killing, stealing, fornication, lying, and drinking. While they may not follow all of the rules, Cambodians still believe in reincarnation and the idea that one’s position in life is derived from past actions. (This may explain why, as a rule, they treat their dogs so poorly.)
Most Cambodians identify as Buddhist, but their version of Buddhism includes forms of ancestor worship, shamanism, and animism that predate Buddhism. In almost all Cambodian homes (and even at the temples), you’ll find spirit houses, small shrines to appease bad spirits and keep them away from the homes’ residents. Most Cambodians, particularly in the provinces, believe in ghosts and spirits. There are myriad folk tales about sorcery and ghosts that many Khmers accept as fact. One such is the story of a half-ghost, half-girl who slips through the windows of houses after pulling out her internal organs and leaving her corpse outside. Khmers call this spirit arb, or arb thmob. Shamans are often consulted for illnesses which are believed to have been caused by evil spirits.
Religion in Cambodia
Older women, particularly widows, often choose to live at Cambodian pagodas as helpers.
Unlike in most Christian religions, Buddhists who take vows to become a monk do not commit to this calling for life. It is common for Cambodian men to become monks for a short period of their life — usually a few weeks or a few months — to bring merit to their parents and to become closer to their Buddhist faith. This is usually done earlier in life, starting at age 13. The most common reason, though, that low-income Cambodians choose to become monks is to gain access to education that they might not be able to get otherwise. And for poor families in the provinces, having one less mouth to feed is a tempting proposition (long-term monkhood is much more common among Khmer youth from the countryside). Today less than 5 percent of men become monks, compared to 50 percent in the pre-Khmer Rouge days and close to 100 percent a century ago.

A Buddhist's Life in Myanmar

A Buddhist's Life
Buddhism plays an influential part in the life of most Myanmar people from the cradle to the grave. A Buddhist child may wake up each day to the sound of his parents or grandparents at prayer at the break of day, offering a meal to the Buddha through His image, reciting scriptures in His honour and sharing merits. The mother may cook rice and other dishes first thing in the morning to offer to the monks on their alms rounds. Long lines of monks in yellowish brown robes, holding their alms bowls and keeping their heads bowed, humbly receive whatever food is offered for their sustenance in order that they may help lay people on their way to Nibbana (Nirvana). Tours Indochina Myanmar
In the evening, children must pay respects to the Triple Gems, or the Buddhist Trinity, as well as to their parents according to the teachings of the Buddha.
A Myanmar boy will become a novice during the school holidays for periods ranging from a week or longer when he reaches his teens, or sometimes earlier. He will have his hair shaved, wear a robe, and stay in a monastery learning as much scripture as he can. Parents and grandparents take pride in sponsoring the novitiation ceremony for their children, normally associated with a feast. Many girls, too, will join meditation centres or have their hair shaved and become young nuns in a nunnery during their school holidays. Myanmar holidays

When the boy comes of age and gets married, a feast may again be held for the monks as a meritorious deed. Another feast for the monks may be held each time a new-born child is named or on any special occasion, be it social or religious. As the person gets older, he may spend most of his time reading religious books, listening to sermons, keeping fast on Sabbath days, joining meditation centres or doing the practice at home, to make the most of his life. And when he finally dies, there will be many offerings, including meals, made to the monks who in turn recite scriptures in a solemn ceremony meant to help the deceased on his way to another existence
Monk Cremation Ceremony (Phone Gyi Pyan)
A monk's funeral rite is one of the most important religious occasions among Myanmar Buddhists because the highly revered monks have taken an influential role in society since the time of royal monarchs. They set disciplines and examples for the lay people and help them in the areas such as education, organization, welfare and counseling in addition to religious services. Consequently, when the chief monk of a monastery passes away, the whole community mourns, takes part in his funeral rites, and celebrates on a grand scale in his honour.
The origin of the Buddhist cremation ceremonies can be traced back to Indian customs. In fact, all the Buddhist monks and laities follow the example of the Buddha, who had His remains cremated after his demise and whose relics were subsequently distributed and enshrined in many parts of the world.
In a typical Myanmar funeral, when the incumbent of a monastery dies, the body is usually embalmed so as to extend the time for final tribute while preparations are made for the funeral. The coffin, covered with a decorative and richly embroidered piece of velvet, is placed on a stately bier with royal ensigns at the four corners. On the day of the funeral, the coffin is placed on a hearse that is either a motor vehicle or a trailer drawn by the cortege. People from far and near throng to attend the funeral procession. In rural areas, some form of entertainment usually accompanies the occasion in order to attract or please the visitors. When the bier has reached the cemetery, the coffin is placed on top of the catafalque which has been filled with combustibles and sandalwood. Finally, the pyre is ignited from a distance by means of rockets, creating a spectacular fiery experience for the mournful onlookers.