When you visit the Reclining Buddha in Bangkok, you’ll notice a row of prayer bowls along one wall of the building, along the back side of the Buddha. For good karma, you can purchase/donate about $1 in exchange for 108 coins. As you walk along this wall you place the coins, plink plink plink, into the bowls one at a time.
108 is an auspicious number in Buddhism, by the way, and in some lineages it’s believed to represent the number of sins one could commit. You’ll notice that it’s the number of beads on a mala (rosary) necklace.
Once placed in the bowls, this is how the coins look.
See more lovely photos at DeliciousBaby’s Photo Friday!
Travel Well!
Beth
Related Links
Vietnam & Cambodia Tour for Women
Bangkok Photo Gallery
Nicole says
I imagine feeling great satisfaction with the plink of each dropped coin. I’m not sure about keeping track of sins, though. 🙂
Anna says
I visited Bangkok in 2004 but unfortunately didn’t see the reclining Buddha. I love Thai customs though, especially if they bring good luck!
jessiev says
gorgeous photos, even more beautiful the concept behind it. thank you!
Dominique says
The act of walking along and dropping the individual coins into each bowl might be a meditative type thing? The little ritual puts me in mind of walking a labyrinth for some reason…