Customs and languages

Religion

Khmer religion is not so simple to explain. It works on three levels. It depends a bit on your definition of the word "religion".

Khmer are traditionally Buddhist but that is only part of the image. As a matter of fact, Buddhism is not really a religion, the Buddha is not a god, but a human who found enlightenment.  There have been four Buddhas in the history and one more is to be expected. Buddhism will show respect to any religion and all Gods it encounters. When the Khmers Rouges had expelled all foreigners including Christian priests and preachers, Buddhist monks went to burn incense and candles for the Christian Idols in their churches and places of worship.  

The other religion in Cambodia is Brahmanism, but this religion is practised inside and through Buddhism. The respect for the King has a religious character through the Brahman heritage. The four faces that you encounter on monuments, temples and pagodas and on people's houses represent Preah Prum, Lord Brahma. Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are also worshiped, while thevadas will preside over the New Year festivities. 

Cambodia may be traditional Buddhist, it is fundamentally Brahman and Cambodian Buddhism cannot be understood without understanding the Brahman roots.

So, now you will think that all those little temple-like houses you see inside or at the entrance of virtually every house in Cambodia must be dedicated to the Preah Put, Lord Buddha or to Preah Prum, Lord Brahma. 

They are not. They are for the spirits, who are the real owners of the house and with whom Khmers better make good friends lest they seek bad fortune. Spirits are not only the owners of the land and the house, they can also bring about good or bad luck. They are the spirits of ancestors who still live around.

Towns and villages have their own guardian spirits. They are often heroes from local legends or royal devotion. When travelling to Sihanoukville, do have a stop at the place of devotion for Yey Ma, burn some incense for her and sprinkle some of the water over yourself or wash your face in it. Her magical powers are famous all over Cambodia. And in Pursat, have a stop at the monument for Nheak Ta Okhna Khleang Moeun

• Hindu Deities have their say when good luck and bad luck is concerned, when the powers of nature are involved, they govern what you get out of this life, the harvest, wars and the offerings you must make to have success in any of these things. At the Royal court, there exists still a Brahman priest cast which presides over traditional ceremonies such as the Royal Ploughing ceremony.

• Lord Buddha concerns death and what comes after that, He teaches the right way, the Preah Thoa or Dharma. 

• Spirits however are what you live with every day. They make part of your family, and you better accommodate Them well or They will you move out. Nothing is more real than the spirits.

• There is also magic. Some Cambodians practise magic. Not so infrequently, people are killed, accused of having cast evil spells.

All this said, a Cambodian will answer you without any trace of doubt, when asked for his religion, "Buddhist" and any difference between Preah Put and a Deity will be inconsequential to him.

Traditional offerings are food before 11 am. After that time, offer packets of tea, sugar, cans of condensed sugared milk, incense, candles, bottles of soda, lotus flowers and cigarettes. Add some money.

Contrary to the Vietnamese monks, Cambodian monks do smoke, though the word about the dangers of smoking is slowly spreading. However they will never drive a motorbike nor even a bicycle and they will always have someone drive them. Vietnamese monks on the contrary drive joyfully around on their motors. 

When sitting down before a monk, one should not  cross the legs, but fold them next to the body. Same position is used to pray before de Buddha or another Idol. This is considered a sign of respect.

Monks are only allowed to eat during the morning until 12 noon. After that time, they can still drink but no longer eat food. It is also considered good practise for every boy to become monk for at least a few months, this is not compulsory as in Thailand.

In the morning, it is polite to offer food. It will be eaten, if not by the monks, then by the nuns, the poor and the pagoda boys. When not in the Preah Vosa period, monks go barefoot  in the morning to beg for rice. This is to do you a favour so you do not need to go to the pagoda every day. Cambodians offer generously to their monks.

On a number of "special days", pagodas will be crowded. These dates usually fall according to the lunar calendar on the day before full moon and the day before new moon.

  History, Buddhism, and New Religious Movements in Cambodia