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RELIGION-THAILAND: ‘Monks With Traits of a Crow’

Prangtip Daorueng

BANGKOK, Nov 13 2007 (IPS) - Few would have thought that a painting would have the power to shake the foundations of modern-day temple life in Thailand, a country which prides itself as the centre of Buddhism.

But before painter Anupong Chanthorn started working on his masterpiece ‘Bhikku Sandan Ka’ (Monks With Traits of a Crow), he spent time seeking meaningful messages in Buddhist texts. That diligence paid off and when the painting bagged the country’s most prestigious national art award in September.

Since then, the powerful message in the painting has not only elevated the painter to the ranks of well-respected national artists, but also shocked society into an open argument on how much monks, who symbolically represent a fundamental part of Buddhism, can be criticised.

The painting, done using a yellow cord traditionally worn by Buddhist monks, portrays the painter’s disagreement with immoral behaviour attributable to some of them. It shows two monks with pointed and sharp mouths resembling a crow’s beak. The monks squat facing each other on the floor with crows looking over their shoulders.

Shortly after the painting was displayed at the annual art exhibition in Bangkok, a group of monks staged a series of emotional protest rallies which served only to stimulate further debate.

Late September, about 100 laymen and monks from two major Buddhist Universities protested in front of the Silpakorn University campus where the exhibition was held. Saying that the painting insult monks in the country, they demanded the university withdraw the award given to the painter and remove the painting from the exhibition.

Angry protesters carried Anupong’s picture decorated with wreaths and monks who joined the protest chanted a Buddhist prayer that is traditionally used at funerals. Civilians in the group later ‘cremated’ the picture.

Protest leader Satian Wibhroma from a Buddhist group called People’s Network to Protect the Nation, Religion and the Monarchy, accused the painter of insulting Thai monks as a whole. While crows in the painting represent greedy and evil spirits, amulets in the alms-bowls indicated superstitious beliefs which are against Buddhist teachings.

The painting, he said, associated monks with immoral behaviour and would adversely impact Buddhism in the country if put on public display.

But painter Anupong dismissed such claims. He said while painting he intended to present certain facts of modern-day Buddhism to society. One reality was that some people became monks only to take advantage of the religion which, he said, hurt many Buddhists.

Anupong said that Buddhist texts faithfully reproduced the Buddha’s mention of different types of immoral behaviour that may afflict monks. The phrase ‘Monks with Traits of a Crow’ was among expressions he used in describing such monks. “I intend to use this painting to bring back good conscience in people,” he told IPS.

Theravada Buddhism has been a leading spiritual force of 94 percent of the country’s population for hundreds of years. Although monks are traditionally beyond criticism, the corruption and sexual scandals involving temples and individual monks, as reported in the local media, have slowly changed public attitudes.

‘’Too many of the 250,000 to 300,000 monks in this country do not observe even the most rudimentary precepts required of lay Buddhists – let alone the 227 precepts that those who take up the saffron robe are supposed to observe,’’ said an editorial in the respected ‘The Nation’ newspaper on Oct. 6.

‘’ Buddhist temples used to be centres of learning, and monks were the guardians of our cultural heritage, but many temples have turned into dens of iniquity. The failure to reform Buddhism and keep it up to date with the drastic social and economic changes has not only resulted in the religion’s diminished influence as a force for good but also contributed to corruption and social decay,’’ the editorial further commented.

Public reaction to the painting was mixed. Some government officials and Buddhists said the painting, regardless of what it conveys, could hurt feelings of most Buddhists in the country.

But many leading intellectuals, artists and an overwhelming number of anonymous writers in the Internet said otherwise. They defended the painting for its honest message. Some said monks should be open-minded in listening to frank criticism.

Different opinions surfaced among monks too. The revered monk Phra Payom Kalayano said the painting was an attempt by the painter to express his concerns to the society. “Monks who are the subject of criticism should recognise facts, as Lord Buddha taught us to accept criticism from people,” he said.

This was the second time in the year that a majority Thais were confronted with religious extremism – a tendency which has never been well-accepted in this society.

Only a few months before the painting incident, groups of monks and laymen staged a campaign demanding that the new constitution declare Buddhism as the state religion. The campaign was aimed at the Constitutional Drafting Assembly which was set up after the military coup last year.

Buddhism has never been declared as Thailand’s national religion. The previous constitution did mention that both the king and the government traditionally upheld and supported all the religions in the kingdom.

The Assembly rejected the demand and maintained the same words in the newly-drafted constitution as in previous constitutions. It said the state will protect all faiths, with no mention of Buddhism as the national religion.

Despite month-long rallies and hunger strikes, the campaign was not well-accepted by the majority. Instead, it was criticised as politically motivated. A poll by a Bangkok-based organisation also pointed out that about 80 percent of Thais who participated in the survey disagreed with the demand.

The campaign died down after Queen Sirikit of Thailand expressed her concern over the issue in her birthday speech in August. The Queen stated that she disagreed with having the charter enshrine Buddhism as the national religion as she did not want Buddhism to be involved in politics.

Painter Anupong seems to have many friends who support his cause. Silpakorn University and members of the panel of judges for the art awards recently released a statement standing by their decision. They refused to withdraw the award to the painter and said they would continue displaying the painting in future exhibitions.

Committee member and senior artist Kiartsak Charnnaroth said those who disagreed with the painting had the right to express their opinion, but such criticism would not reduce the value of the painting in any sense.

“I see moral courage in telling society the truth here,” said independent academic Cholthep Panboonchu. “I also think that the argument of the monks (who criticised the painting) was an attempt to bring in cultural and spiritual discourses to silence others.”