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Why the monks
had to have tattoos?
Master Ar Jahn
Lao says that many centuries ago, cars had
not been invented yet. In those days, the
only 'vehicle' people possessed was 'Car No.
11' (look at your legs, do they not look
resemble the number '11'?). So when they
monks went around for alms, or travelling from
place to place and state to state to practice the Buddhist precepts and help the
commoners in understanding Nirvana, their
only mode of traveling was to walk.
Sometimes after
a day of traveling, by night they land up in
a place without any temple, hut, or person
around. Monks must be prepared to sleep on
their back with nothing but the sky for a
blanket and the grassy or sandy earth as a
bed. At other times, there isn't even flat
ground to lie on. Monks travelled
everywhere, including remote mountainous
areas or secluded valleys, as long as there
is a chance that there might be civilization
there, or civilization on the other side of
the mountain or valley. Once it was
nightfall, if they hadn't found civilization
yet, the monks would sleep in the wild with
whatever beasts and snakes that lived there.
One of the
Buddhist precepts is not to take any lives.
The Buddhists believe that every grass,
flower, tree, crawly insect, bird in the
sky, mammal on land, fish in the sea, has a
soul. Buddhists do not hurt anything that
has a soul. The ancient Thai Buddhists were
especially austere about this and obeyed
this precept to the extent that even if a
wild beast attacked the monk, he would not
retaliate. Even if an eagle pecked at him,
he would not retaliate. Isn't that certain
death, you ask?
Master Ar Jahn
Lao explains that that is why all new monks
must learn to recite at least the very basic
Buddhist mantras for protection, and have a
tattoo personally designed and tattooed onto
their body by their Shi Fus. These tattoos
help avert calamities, ward off evil
spirits, and help one avoid harm.
Haven't many
sutras recorded Masters in various periods
of history displaying miraculous blessed
powers and abilities e.g. healing powers?
Haven't some Masters been reported to have
been unaffected by deadly poisons? Haven't
some records described how wild beasts have
run away from Buddhist Masters? These can be
attributed to their 'powers', Buddhist robe
('Jia Sha') and their tattoos. |
Since I'm
not a monk, how does tattooing help me?
Master Ar
Jahn Lao explains that tattooing is an ancient skill,
power and language that no modern language can explain
or replace. It represents the essence and magnitude of
'powers' that inherently exist on earth, waiting to be
tapped into by us mere mortals. These natural powers
exist to help us common mortals help ourselves. These
natural powers helps us avoid being plagued by troubles
('ma fan') or bad luck. Buddhist monks, through their
learning, become people who are able to tap into these
natural powers and it is through them that we can come
to help ourselves.
Based on
the earliest scriptures that teach about religious
tattooing, in the realm of religious tattooing, there is
no goal that 'cannot be achieved'. In other words, there
is nothing that through tattooing, 'cannot be done'.
This is because these powers mingle with the wishes of
the believer's 'heart'. Whatever the heart wishes, will
be reflected in the tattoo. As long as the heart truly
believes it can be done, and wants it to be done,
nothing is impossible. (Or as the Chinese saying goes,
'Xin Cheng Ze Ling').
However,
have no worry, this does not mean that even those whose
heart wish for evil or mischief will be aided by the
tattoos and become invincible. Do not forget that
another important Buddhist belief is that of Karma, and
reincarnation. What goes round, comes round. It is all a
matter of time.
But if
you have accumulated some bad karma in your previous
life, or in the earlier part of this life, and now you
are repentant and your heart wishes to atone, tattooing
can help you lessen or even dispel the influence of any
previous bad karma and give you a fresh start. It is
never too late.
Buddhist
tattoos can help everybody. This is because there are an
infinite number of different mantras, yantras and other
Buddhist images/symbols that can be used in tattoos but
not every 1 of them suits every individual. What is
right for you may not be right for your friend. But
these mantras, yantras and images/symbols can be
combined to create different results and it is the
different combinations that allows Buddhist tattoos to
help every person who seeks for help and blessing.
For
instance a Thai Muay-thai boxer may want a tattoo
designed to make him impervious to pain or have greater
strength and speed. But even if 2 boxers want the same
result, they may need 2 different tattoos for that same
purpose. It depends on their birth-dates and signs. If
you are not a boxer but instead you are a fan of a
boxer, asking for the same tattoo out of idolization
will also not help you. This is why most people visit
the Thai temples or Buddhist shops in Singapore with a
resident Thai Buddhist Master like Master Ar Jahn Lao,
to have the 'expert' calculate what is the best tattoo
for them, and also for the 'expert' to accurately do the
tattooing for them. This is a permanent tattoo, you will
want to get it right.
That is
why Fo Guang Hang invites Master Ar Jahn Lao to
Singapore for a week or a fortnight every month, to help
believers in Singapore. The Master cannot stay here
permanently as he has many disciples and believers in
Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan as well. He
spends most of the rest of his time practising the way
in Thailand. Many Singaporean believers fly to Thailand
to pay him a visit and thank him for his help after they
experience the change in their lives from his blessings.
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