Yantra tattooing

Yantra tattooing, also called sak yant (Thai: สักยันต์, Khmer: សាក់យ័ន្ត)​, is a form of tattooing practiced in Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. The practice has also began to grow in popularity among Chinese Buddhists in Singapore.[1] Sak means "to tap [tattoo]", and yant, derived from the Sanskrit word yantra, means "sacred geometrical design."[2]

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).[3]

Contents

History

The script used for yantra designs is a mixture of ancient Khmer script 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 Asian 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.[3]

In Cambodia, the tattoo is used for self-protection.[4] 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.

Types and Designs

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

Locations

Of the countries in Asia where yantra tattooing is carried out, Thailand is by far the country with the highest number of devotees.[3] Sak yant is performed throughout the country in temples in Bangkok, Ayutthaya, and northern Thailand.

Gallery

External links

Further Reading

References

  1. ^ http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=57,8938,0,0,1,0
  2. ^ http://www.sak-yant.com/archive/108yant/
  3. ^ a b c http://www.thaiguidetothailand.com/magic-and-superstition/sak-yant-magic-tattoo/
  4. ^ http://www.leisurecambodia.com/Leisure_Cambodia/No.17/tattoo.html
  5. ^ http://www.sak-yant.com/?page_id=2150
  6. ^ http://www.sak-yant.com/?page_id=2153
  7. ^ http://northernthailand.com/a/en/chiangmai-cultural/tattoos/214-sak-yat-at-wat-kheam.html
  8. ^ http://www.thaiguidetothailand.com/magic-and-superstition/phra-ajarn-gamtorn-sak-yant-chiang-mai-r-i-p/