Yantra tattooing

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Yantra tattooing or Sak Yant is a form of tattooing existing in the Tai-Khmer tradition that makes use of Indian yantra designs. It consists of sacred geometrical, animal and deity designs accompanied by Pali phrases that are said to offer power, protection, fortune, charisma and other benefits for the bearer.

Contents

History

Tattoos believed to offer protection and other benefits have been recorded everywhere throughout both mainland Southeast Asia and as far south as Indonesia and the Philippines. [1] Over the centuries the tradition spread to what is now Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and parts of Myanmar. [2] While the tradition itself originates with indigenous tribal animism, it became closely tied to the Hindu-Buddhist concept of yantra or mystical geometric patterns used during meditation. Tattoos of yantra designs were believed to hold magic power, and were used much like the kolam tattoos of India. For these people, religion is closely tied to the notion of magic, health, and good fortune. [3]

The script used for yantra designs varies according to culture and geography. In Cambodia and central Thailand, the Khom script is used. While in northern Thailand yantra tattoos may use Shan, northern Thai, or Tai Lu scripts, and in Laos the Lao Tham script is employed. [4] [5] [6] [7] The script spells out abbreviated syllables from Pali incantations. Different masters have added to these designs over the centuries through visions received in their meditations. Some yantra designs have been adapted from pre-Buddhist shamanism and the belief in animal spirits that was found in Southeast Asia and incorporated into Thai tradition and culture. [8]

Meaning

Yantra tattoos are believed to be magic and bestow mystical powers, protection, or good luck. [9] There are three main effects of a yantra tattoo. One is that which benefits the wearer, such as making them more eloquent. Another is that of protection and to ward off evil and hardship. This is commonly used by military personnel, police, taxi drivers, gangsters, and others in perceived dangerous professions. Another type is that which affects people around the wearer, such as invoking fear. The tattoo only confers its powers so long as the bearer observes certain rules and taboos, such as abstaining from a certain type of food. [1]

Sak yant designs are also applied to many other media, such as cloth or metal, and placed in one's house, place of worship, or vehicle as a means of protection[ citation needed ] from danger or illness, to increase wealth, and to attract lovers. In recent years Hollywood celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, whose tattoos were inked by Ajahn Noo Ganpai with Old Khmer script Sak yant in Thailand, have made them popular among women. [4] Angelina Jolie got a yantra tattoo of a Bengal tiger in 2004 to celebrate acquiring Cambodian citizenship. [10]

However, a modern movement in Thailand seeks to progress away from its animistic past. As part of this movement, many modern-day Thais view yantra tattoos as nothing more than good-luck symbols that are stylish. [11]

Devotee’s Rules of Abstention

The rules of abstention (khatha kamma; ข้อห้ามศิษย์ยันต์) for sak yant tattoos vary depending on the master. Each lineage may prescribe slightly different codes of conduct, which are considered essential to preserve the power of the yant. The following are the rules traditionally taught at Wat Bang Phra :

  1. Do not eat star fruit, pumpkin, or other gourd-like vegetables.
  2. Do not become romantically involved with someone who is already married.
  3. Never insult or slander anyone’s mother.
  4. Do not eat food taken from wedding or funeral banquets.
  5. Do not eat leftovers.
  6. Do not pass under washing lines or overhanging structures.
  7. Do not walk beneath a banana tree of the Musa balbisiana variety.
  8. Do not cross a single-plank bridge (larger bridges are allowed).
  9. Do not sit on ceramic urns, especially cracked or broken ones.
  10. Do not allow a woman to lie or sit on top of you.
  11. Do not let a man be touched by a woman’s clothing, especially during menstruation.

Some masters add additional rules, such as:

Types and designs

There are thousands of traditional designs of yantra tattoos, but some of the most well-known and popular include:

Locations

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Lars Krutak. Spiritual Skin: Magical Tattoos and Scarification. Reuss. ISBN   9783943105117.
  2. ↑ Cummings, Joe, (2011) Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Exploring the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan, Marshall Cavendish.
  3. ↑ Drouyer, Isabel Azevedo; Drouyer, Rene, (2013) Thai Magic Tattoos, The Art and Influence of Sak Yant, Riverbooks editions.
  4. 1 2 Cummings, Joe. (2015). Sacred Tattoos of Thailand: Exploring the Magic, Masters and Mystery of Sak Yan. ISBN   9814302546 See also
  5. ↑ May, Angela Marie. (2014). Sak Yant: The Transition from Indic Yantras to Thai Magical Buddhist Tattoos (Master's thesis). The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
  6. ↑ Igunma, Jana. (2013). Aksoon Khoom: Khmer Heritage in Thai and Lao Manuscript Cultures. Tai Culture, 23, Route of the Roots: Tai-Asiatic Cultural Interaction.
  7. ↑ Kourilsky, Grégory, & Berment, Vincent. (2005). Towards a Computerization of the Lao Tham System of Writing. In First International Conference on Lao Studies (FICLS).
  8. ↑ Bangpra, Tik (September 8, 2020). The Power Of Sak Yant: 50 Designs & Meanings Of Thai Tattoos (1 ed.). Independently published. p. 1. ISBN   979-8683996604 . Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  9. ↑ "Sak Yant - Magic Tattoo | Thai Guide to Thailand". Archived from the original on 2011-10-01. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  10. ↑ Angelina Jolie Has Three Giant New Tattoos. (2016, February 9). SELF. Retrieved February 2, 2021, from https://www.self.com/story/angelina-jolie-new-tattoos
  11. ↑ "Sak Yant Chiang Mai". Sak Yant Chiang Mai. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  12. ↑ "Rules of Conduct – Sak Yant Thai Temple Tattoos". Sak-Yant.com. Retrieved 2025-09-07. "The rules of abstention for wearers of sak yant are known in Thai as "Khor Haam"" and the full list of the Wat Bang Phra rules as given on the page

Further reading

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