Buddhist visions, dreams, and possession trance: spiritual authority, ritual diversity and religious innovation in Thailand

Thai religious life is diverse and dynamic, drawing on Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, Brahmanism, and spirit cults. A notable feature is the continual emergence of new spiritual figures at the center of devotional cults without direct precedents. The author describes processes that expand the Thai religious pantheon and explores how founders and followers authorize worship of novel deities, spirits, and Buddha images. Drawing on origin narratives from followers of new ritual movements, the author argues that access to oneiric space—extraordinary experiences including meditation visions, dreams, and possession trance—is central to spiritual authority in Thailand and drives the ongoing proliferation of religious and ritual diversity.

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Thai religious and ritual life is diverse and dynamic, drawing on a wide range of influences including Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, Brahmanism and spirit cults. A notable feature of Thai religiosity is its productivity, with a continual increase in the number of new spiritual figures at the centre of devotional cults that often have no direct precedents in established forms of ritual. I describe the processes that support the expansion of the Thai religious pantheon, as new spirits and gods emerge alongside established supernatural figures. I explore the question of how founders and followers of devotional cults authorize the worship of novel deities, spirits, and Buddha images. Drawing on origin narratives from followers of new ritual movements, I argue that both lay and monastic access to the field of oneiric space, extraordinary experiences that include meditation visions, dreams and possession trance, is central to notions of spiritual authority in Thailand and is an important source of the ongoing proliferation of religious and ritual diversity in the country.