Following the Buddha’s path in a different sense
The title of this article uses a familiar phrase, but Laos is not a land of the Buddha’s life. The places associated with his birth, awakening, first teaching and death are in northern India and Nepal. Laos received Buddhism much later, mostly in the Theravada form, and its connection to “the path of the Buddha” is mainly through how people live their religion day to day. This article looks at that everyday practice.
What follows is general. Lao Buddhism varies between lowland and highland communities, between towns and villages, and between ethnic groups, and many people combine Buddhist practice with older beliefs. Treat these descriptions as a starting point, and follow local guidance when you visit.
The wat in daily life
In a typical lowland Lao village, the wat is the main community building. Monks and novices live there, children may study there, and villagers gather for ceremonies, meetings and funerals. Most days begin with monks collecting alms. People prepare sticky rice and other food and place a portion in each monk’s bowl, which is understood as a way to make merit (boun) and to support the monastic community. Monks generally eat only before midday. The way these relationships work is part of the wider subject of monastery daily life and the connection of the monastic community to the laity.
Novice and monk ordination
Ordination is a major life event for many Lao families. Boys commonly ordain as novices, sometimes for a short time such as a school holiday or the rains retreat, and sometimes for years. Some young men ordain as monks for a period before marriage or work. This temporary ordination is widely seen as a way for a young man to gain merit for himself and his parents, to learn the dharma and discipline, and to receive an education. In poorer areas, becoming a novice has also been a path to schooling.
The ordination itself is a formal ceremony with Pali chanting, and the family usually holds a celebration beforehand. A procession may accompany the candidate to the temple. Ordination rules for monks are set by the monastic community. Women cannot be ordained as full nuns in the Theravada tradition as it exists in Laos today, but some women live as lay devotees in white, keeping additional precepts at temples. This is a topic on which views differ among communities, and it is not for an outsider to judge.
The Boun festivals
“Boun” means a merit-making occasion, and the Lao year contains many of them, each tied to the lunar or agricultural calendar. The following are widely known, though local observance varies and dates shift each year:
- Boun Pi Mai (Lao New Year), in mid-April, includes washing Buddha images, visiting the temple, building small sand stupas, and splashing water as a blessing.
- Boun Bang Fai (rocket festival), in the weeks before the rains, is a lively village event with homemade rockets. Its roots lie in older rain-calling traditions, and it is celebrated alongside Buddhist practice instead of being an exclusively Buddhist event.
- Boun Khao Phansa, at the start of the rains retreat, marks the period in which monks stay at their temples. It is a time when many lay people take extra care with their own practice.
- Boun Ok Phansa, at the end of the retreat, is often marked by offerings, processions and, in river towns, boats carrying lights.
- Boun That Luang, in the autumn, centres on the great stupa in Vientiane and draws pilgrims from many provinces.
The same cycle of lunar holy days is found in neighbouring countries. Readers who want to compare may look at Poya full moon days in Sri Lanka or the Vesak festival across the Buddhist world.
The baci and village customs
The baci (also written basi, or su khuan) is a ceremony in which strings are tied around the wrists of the person being honoured, usually at the same time as spoken blessings. Its purpose, in local explanations, is to call back and strengthen the khwan, a set of spirit-aspects in the body that are thought, traditionally, to wander or become weak. Baci is performed for many occasions, including births, weddings, departures, arrivals and recoveries from illness.
The baci is generally regarded as a Lao cultural ceremony and not as a strictly Buddhist rite. It has older, pre-Buddhist or Brahmanic roots, and the officiant is typically an elder, not a monk, though Buddhist chanting and monks may sometimes be part of the larger event. This blending is typical of mainland Southeast Asian religion, and communities describe it in different ways. If a host invites you to a baci, you may be given a string tied around your wrist. It is polite to accept and to keep it on for a time, as is customary, but you can ask someone about what is expected.
Many Lao villages also honour spirits of the land, house and village, often with a small spirit house or offerings at certain times. These beliefs are not part of doctrine but are part of everyday life. Treat them with respect.
Conduct when visiting
- Dress modestly and remove shoes before entering a hall. Women often wear a traditional skirt (sinh) for ceremonies, but a simple, modest outfit is acceptable for visitors.
- The head is regarded as the highest part of the body and the feet as the lowest. Avoid touching others’ heads and do not point your feet at people or images.
- Do not touch monks, and women should not hand objects to them directly.
- Greet people with a palms-together gesture (nop), with the hands higher for elders and monks.
- Ask before photographing monks, novices or private ceremonies.
For more detail on respectful behaviour, see the notes on temple etiquette in the respectful-pilgrimage section of this site, including guides to courtesy toward monastics and temple photography etiquette.
Change and variation
Lao Buddhism has changed through the twentieth century, including under the political system established in 1975, which brought state oversight of the monastic community. Practice today differs across regions and generations. Younger people in towns may attend ceremonies less often than their grandparents, while festivals remain popular. Others see Buddhist practice as a core part of Lao identity.
For places to see this living tradition, the temple guides to Vientiane temples and Luang Prabang temples describe two towns where it can be observed.