Sak Yant
Encyclopedia
Yantra tattooing, also called sak yant , is a form of tattoo
ing practiced in Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia
, Laos
, and Thailand
. The practice has also began to grow in popularity among Chinese Buddhists in Singapore. Sak means "to tap [tattoo]", and yant, derived from the Sanskrit word yantra, means "sacred geometrical design."
Sak yant designs are normally tattooed by wicha (magic) practitioners and Buddhist monks, traditionally with a long bamboo stick sharpened to a point (called a mai sak) or alternatively with a long metal spike (called a khem sak).
and the original Buddhist Pali
script. Records have shown that yantra tattooing dates back to Angkor
times. Different masters have added to these designs over the years 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 the Southeast Asia
n sub-continent and incorporated into the Thai tradition and cultures.
In Cambodia
, the tattoo is used for self-protection. Cambodians believe a yantra
has magical powers that ward off evil and hardship. The tattoo
is particularly popular amongst military personnel. The tattoo supposedly guarantees that the person cannot receive any physical harm as long as they observe certain rules.
Yant designs are also applied to many other mediums, such as cloth or metal, and placed in one's house, place of worship, or vehicle as a means of protection from danger or illness, increasing wealth, or attracting lovers.
, Ayutthaya
, and northern Thailand
.
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
ing practiced in Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. The practice has also began to grow in popularity among Chinese Buddhists in Singapore. Sak means "to tap [tattoo]", and yant, derived from the Sanskrit word yantra, means "sacred geometrical design."
Sak yant designs are normally tattooed by wicha (magic) practitioners and Buddhist monks, traditionally with a long bamboo stick sharpened to a point (called a mai sak) or alternatively with a long metal spike (called a khem sak).
History
The script used for yantra designs is a mixture of ancient Khmer scriptKhmer script
The Khmer script is an alphasyllabary script used to write the Khmer language . It is also used to write Pali among the Buddhist liturgy of Cambodia and Thailand....
and the original Buddhist Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
script. Records have shown that yantra tattooing dates back to Angkor
Angkor
Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit nagara , meaning "city"...
times. Different masters have added to these designs over the years through visions received in their meditations. Some yantra designs have been adapted from pre-Buddhist Shamanism
Shamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
and the belief in animal spirits
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
that was found in the Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n sub-continent and incorporated into the Thai tradition and cultures.
Meaning
Yantra tattoos are believed to be magic and bestow mystical powers, protection, or good luck.In Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, the tattoo is used for self-protection. Cambodians believe a yantra
Yantra
Yantra is the Sanskrit word for "instrument" or "machine". Much like the word "instrument" itself, it can stand for symbols, processes, automata, machinery or anything that has structure and organization, depending on context....
has magical powers that ward off evil and hardship. The tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
is particularly popular amongst military personnel. The tattoo supposedly guarantees that the person cannot receive any physical harm as long as they observe certain rules.
Yant designs are also applied to many other mediums, such as cloth or metal, and placed in one's house, place of worship, or vehicle as a means of protection from danger or illness, increasing wealth, or attracting lovers.
Types and Designs
There are many traditional types and designs of yantra tattoos, but some of the most well-known and popular include:- Ongk Pra (translation: Buddha's body) - one of the most commonly used elements in yantra tattooing but can also be a more complex standalone design. Meant to provide insight, guidance, illumination, etc.
- Haa Taew ( translation: five rows) - one of the most common yantra designs for women in Thailand but also used for men. Typically tattooed on the back left shoulder. Each of the five lines relates to a different blessing for success and good luck.
- Gow Yord ( translation: nine spires) - typically tattooed on the center top of the back in various sizes and levels of complexity. Simple version pictured at the top of this article.
- See Yord ( translation: four spires) - to influence the feelings or actions of others and protect the bearer.
- Paed Tidt (translation: eight points) - represents protection in the eight directions of the universe. Round shape; typically tattooed on the center of the back. Pictured in gallery below.
- Sip Tidt (translation: ten points) - a version of Paed Tidt but protects in ten directions instead of eight.
- Mahaniyom (translation: great preference) - to grant the bearer favor in the eyes of others. Round shape; typically placed on the back right shoulder.
- Yord Mongkut (translation: spired crown) - for good fortune and protection in battle. Round shape; typically tattooed on the top of the head.
- Bpanjamukhee (translation: five Deva faces) - intended to ward off illness and danger.
- Sua ( translation: tiger) - typically depicts twin tigers. Represents power and authority.
Locations
Of the countries in Asia where yantra tattooing is carried out, Thailand is by far the country with the highest number of devotees. Sak yant is performed throughout the country in temples in BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya (city)
Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya...
, and northern Thailand
Northern Thailand
Thailand's northern region is geographically characterised by multiple mountain ranges which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar and Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them...
.
- One of the most famous temples in the present day for yantra tattooing is Wat Bang PhraWat Bang PhraWat Bang Phra is a Buddhist temple in Nakhon Chai Si district, Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand, about 50 km west of Bangkok.Wat Bang Phra translates into English as the "Temple of some Monks", or alternatively 'Temple of some Buddha Images'...
in Nakhon Chaysri, Nakhon Pathom ProvinceNakhon Pathom ProvinceNakhon Pathom ) is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi...
, Thailand. Ajarn Noo Kanpai, perhaps the most famous practitioner of sak yant in Thailand, trained here. - One well-known temple in northern Thailand is Wat Keam, which means "needle". It is located in San Patong just outside Chiang MaiChiang MaiChiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
and home to the sak yant master Phra Ajarn Gamtawn, who died in Chiang Mai on 14 September 2010. - In the Lum Phli area on the north side of Ayutthaya, Thailand, Ajarn Kob and his son, Ajarn Oh, are well-known sak yant masters.
External links
Further Reading
- Ian Harris: Cambodian Buddhism: History and Practice. Honolulu 2008.
- Jana Igunma: Human body, spirit and disease: the science of healing in 19th century Buddhist manuscripts from Thailand. In: The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Universities. Vol. 1 2008. S. 120-132.
- Chean Rithy Men: The Changing Religious Beliefs and Ritual Practices among Cambodians in Diaspora. In: Journal of Refugee Studies. Vol. 15, Nr. 2 2002. S. 222-233.
- Victoria Z. Rivers: Layers of Meaning: Embellished Cloth for Body and Soul. In: Jasleen Dhamija: Asian embroidery. New Delhi 2004. S. 45-66. ISBN: 81-7017-450-3.
- Donald K. Swearer: Becoming the Buddha: the ritual of image consecration in Thailand. Princeton 2004.