Buddhism started in India 500 years before our era, more or less at the same time as Pythagore.
It was first revealed by the words of a man of noble origin (the son of a King or a Rajah) who devoted his life to finding the remedy for all men’s hardships and tribulations, found it, and gave it to them. So, it was a man and not a prophet who started this religion with no God, nor spirits and with no casts or classes. A very influential and philosophic way of thinking in the Middle-East and Asia; a belief for which, for once, no wars or crusades ever took place.
This doctrine was (...)

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According to the Buddhist calendar, which is still used in many countries, including Laos, Buddha’s birth goes back 543 years before J.C. Historians are unanimous as to the real existence of a man, Gautama (also called Siddhârta or Sakyamuni) who dedicated his life to the research for a transcendence or superiority, repudiating spirits and Gods.
He even went as far as to go against the principles of destiny and of divine judgement. He wanted to put man’s body and soul in his own hands, at a time when, not only was there the impact of classes over men’s lives, but when he, because of his (...)

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His father, Suddhodona was the King of the Sakya clan (he was probably only Rajah, or landowner of the warrior class) having married Queen Maya, very wise and virtuous who stayed pure even during the beginning of her marriage. One day she had a dream : she saw, without feeling the slightest pain, a small white elephant with 6 tusks penetrate her flank ; the birth took place 10 months after the premonitory dream. The child was born in a grove in the Lumbini park in the shade of a fig tree, and it was Brahmâ himself who received the child, already full of science and memories of his past (...)

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Laos is mainly Buddhist with a Theravada or small vehicle tendency (over 60% of the population). Buddhism, like Christianity, hides numerous splits and ruptures which date from the death of Buddha. One of the main controversies concerns intermediary existence : some people think that its a short twilit life separating death from rebirth; whereas others refuse this idea. Still others think that we still have a voice after death, whereas others again think that the five organs cease to exist ......
We don’t need to name here all the schools and sects acknowledged in Buddhism. The following (...)

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The morning collection of the bonzes (in Lao : Tak bat) is an animated tradition for the population of Luang Prabang. It has become an important tourist attraction because of its beauty. However, when tourists don’t know the customs, their clumsiness can disrupt this ceremony. We would like to draw your attention to this religious observation which has a great meaning to the inhabitants of Luang Prabang.
How to respect the Tak Bat
Observe in silence and only make offerings if, for you, they correspond to a religious step that you can take with dignity.
Buy your rice in the market, (...)

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Buddhism, which is participated in, by most Laotians, gives a rhythm to their life as from first thing in the morning. Daytime, as we say here, starts in the evening with the preparation of sticky rice that will serve as a basis for the morning collections. This rice needs a long preparation as several hours are needed before it becomes edible. (Before being cooked, it must be carefully cleaned, by hand, of its impurities, then it must ‘rest’ for about 6 hours in water, before being cooked at around 5 to half past 5 in the morning).
In Luang Prabang more than anywhere else in Laos, the (...)

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