Thai Holy Water: Nammon

 

 

Holy water, make or buy?

 

A personal story

 

My friend David’s mother was diagnosed with kidney stone, but since she dare not want to have herself operated; she choose to cure herself by drinking holy water. Right after consuming two bottles of holy water, David’s mother started to suffer from diarrhea and plying to and fro the toilet for two consecutive days. So David thought that was caused by contaminated water and rushed this dear old mother to hospital. To his surprised that the doctor told him that his mother’s kidney stone was gone; perhaps already discharged from her body.

 

Until today we continue to argue about if it was the water poisoning that has induced diarrhea and indirectly caused the stone to be discharged out; or it was the magical power of the holy water that indeed cured David’s mother?

 
 

In Thai we call holy water “Nammon”. People will invite the monks to use holy water to bless a new house, or bless the opening of a new business. People can also take the holy water to their homes and keep it near the altar. This water is used to clean away all bad influences. When the monks are praying, or are chanting, or are learning the teachings of the Buddha, the water is blessed. This water becomes holy water and the - monks will use the water to bless the people.

 

The origin of “Nammon”

 

In the time of the Buddha many people in a city became ill. They asked the Buddha to bless their city and drive the illness away. The Buddha prayed and chanted to make some water holy, and then sprinkled the holy water all around the city. The city and the people were then freed from the illness. We call this story of the Buddha and water the “Ratanasutra”. People follow this sutra and use holy water to wash away bad influences and to bring good influences.

 

How to get “Nammon”

 

You can get holy water in a few numbers of ways:

 

·        Making holy water by prayer and incantation – By lighting incense, candles and giving offerings, and then performing preliminary prayers, and incantations.

·        Submerge sacred items such as magical substances or amulets to empower the water.

·        Purchase it at “Phra Leab World”: There are various holy water to choose from, for curing possession, for removing bad luck and etc. Since the price only ranges from 10 to 50 Baht per bottle, many people are willing to give it a try. As to the question if the holy water is as effective as claimed; try it and let me know.