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Arts & culture |
Laos religion |
Temples' rules
Buddhism first appeared in Laos during the eighth
century A.D., as shown by both the Buddha image and the
stone inscription found at Ban Talat near Vientiane, now
exhibited at Hor Pra keo Museum. After the foundation of
the unified Kingdom of Lane Xang, King Fa Ngum (14th
Century) declared Buddhism as the state religion and
urged the people to abandon Animism or other beliefs
such as the Cult of Spirits. His policy meant to develop
the Lao culture based on a common faith: Theravada
Buddhism.
Today, Theravada Buddhism is the professed religion of
about 90% of Lao people. Buddhism is an inherent feature
of daily life and casts a strong influence on Lao
society. Lao woman can be seen each morning giving alms
to monks, earning merit to lessen the number of their
rebirths. It is expected that every Lao man will become
a monk for at least a short time in his life.
Traditionally, men spent three months during the rainy
season in a Wat (Buddhist temple). Today, however; most
men curtail their stay to one or two weeks.
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Source: Lao National Tourism Administration
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