Benst
Member
I wasn't sure where to place this, but since Burma is officially a Theravada country perhaps here?
I've become quite interested recently in the Nats and the veneration of them as national spirits. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm talking about a pantheon of thirty-seven spirits venerated by Buddhists and Animists in Burma. The Nats are viewed as Humans who were killed in such a way as to prevent them for a time being reincarnated.
I was wondering if anyone here venerated them and how the system works? I understand that each family have their own particular Nat they venerate, Mahagiri being very popular, and that Sakka (Indra) is the head of the 37? I also understand that each region of Burma is protected/overseen by a particular Nat, as is various different domains like the rice paddy, the forest, the town, childhood, etc,. I've only just read about the natwives, these are women who devote themselves to a particular Nat through out their lives, roaming around the countryside performing rituals for the particular Nat they are devoted to. Do Bhikkunis ever become Nat wives?
Having read a little into the ceremonies, it strikes me as being very similar to West African spirit religions like Santeria and Orisha religions... is this a good comparison?
I've become quite interested recently in the Nats and the veneration of them as national spirits. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm talking about a pantheon of thirty-seven spirits venerated by Buddhists and Animists in Burma. The Nats are viewed as Humans who were killed in such a way as to prevent them for a time being reincarnated.
I was wondering if anyone here venerated them and how the system works? I understand that each family have their own particular Nat they venerate, Mahagiri being very popular, and that Sakka (Indra) is the head of the 37? I also understand that each region of Burma is protected/overseen by a particular Nat, as is various different domains like the rice paddy, the forest, the town, childhood, etc,. I've only just read about the natwives, these are women who devote themselves to a particular Nat through out their lives, roaming around the countryside performing rituals for the particular Nat they are devoted to. Do Bhikkunis ever become Nat wives?
Having read a little into the ceremonies, it strikes me as being very similar to West African spirit religions like Santeria and Orisha religions... is this a good comparison?