Amulets Diversity

After delivering the previous article on RED methodology in The Art of Collecting Amulets, a strong sense of inspiration gradually came into my mind to write another article that is often obscured to most individual amulet owners. It is about the diversity of amulets in our collection and in the marketplace that is not easy to comprehend. Over a period of time most distinguished believers of Buddhist sacred amulets and talismans will gradually add their amulet collection subconsciously. In the early years when I obtained my 1st piece of amulet, never before in my wildest imagination that I would fill up my entire altar drawer with various amulet genres from different temples and monks. Having not enough space from my altar, a display cabinet was added to keep all my amulet treasures in the name of The Triple Gems and conduct donations.

There is a big question mark that often arises among us as collectors and believers. Which amulet piece to wear for my own benefit and faith? How to choose the one among the many pieces that can benefit me in terms of career growth, self-protection, liked by others, etc.? This question could be quite straightforward to few fellow amulet believers but not to some. But before we deal in the diversity of such amulet talismans, let’s take a look at the various genres of amulet talismans that one may have collected over the years.

The list of amulet genres for wearing on the neck or carry around can be classified into several major groupings i.e. Somdej, Luang Phor Thuad, Khun Paen, Pidta, Phra Kring, Phra Chinnaraj, Sivali, Medallion or ‘Rians’, small figurines or ‘Loop Ror’, Takrut, Doctor’s Knife or ‘Meed Mor’, magical wand or ‘Mai Tao’ while some calls it ‘Tongkat’. Popular talismans may also include Lersi, Sangajai, Jatukam Ramathep, Salika Butterfly, Palakit, Phra Rahu, 4 Face Buddha, GumanThong, Phra Ngan, Leklai, Biagae, etc. However, we must understand that the diversity of amulets that are available in the marketplace cannot be measured by the quantities but rather by qualities.

From my own research and observations, it turns out that Somdej, LP Thuad, Pidta, Khun Paen and Rians bearing a pertinent monk are being the most popular amongst collectors for daily wearing. Takrut, Mai Tao, and Palakit are mostly carried in the pocket or a carry bag. It is difficult to guess what else you could find inside a carry bag belonging to a serious believer. For the serious believers of Buddhist amulets, the shirt pocket could only hold limited amulet whereas the trouser pocket is deemed disrespect for carrying amulets since it’s below the waistline of the body. The other option to carry additional amulet talismans is to have extra carry space that is not visible to others.

Once I was shown the content of a carry bag which belonged to a long time SimplyBuy community member. Inside his carry bag contained a few Tongkat ranging from 12 inches to 6 inches in length, several Rians, Khun Paen and Takruts from various temples and Archans. To him the feeling of security and high confidence is to bring along all his powerful stuffs wherever he goes and amulet diversity can be achieved in a single carry bag rather than have too many amulets hanging over his neck. Of course this approach of carrying additional talismans in a carry bag apart from wearing some pieces on the neck chain may seem rather extreme but this is perfectly fine as long as high respect and care is given to these sacred amulet talismans. So the next time when you spot someone carrying a Louis Vuitton sling bag (genuine of course) you may wonder if the bag could contain precious amulets....Ha! Ha! Ha!

Classic Benjapakee – The Grand 5 combination set although is well known among amulet collectors but seldom we see collectors wearing it. This can be due to individual preference and the availability of many other amulet genres to choose from. Whatever the reason behind ones preferences to use one combination over the other, ultimately faith carries the highest score. Without faith and believe in amulets, even though the amulet could be very powerful it will not be of benefit to the wearer. Hence, the mental condition suffused by strong faith in having Lord Buddha’s blessings inside those amulet talismans is the foundation to use amulets as Buddhist sacred ornaments in a proper way rather than to serve as a contemporary fashion.

Choosing the Correct Amulet Combinations

There is no right or wrong in selecting a preferred amulet combination as it differs from one wearer to the other. Some wearers may choose to wear only 1 single amulet confidently while another may choose to wear a combination of 3, 5, 7, or 9 pieces of amulets combined together at one go. You may think this is ridiculous since wearing a bundle of 9 amulets on the neck can be very heavy but it’s true for some serious amulet believers. The obvious answer is a staunch amulet believer have strong faith and belief that more than 1 amulet worn around the neck could provide an all-round protection, wealth, luck and charms. In retrospect, another staunch amulet believer may choose to wear only 1 single amulet believing that one highly blessed amulet is already good enough for all round protection. There is no right or wrong in choosing amulets combination to serve the purpose of gaining protection and good luck.

Below are some examples of amulet combinations to share with all readers. Photos are courtesy from amulet collectors from Amulet Forums members and other private collections.  From these examples you may have an idea to try out what can be a good combination if you have decided to wear more than 1 piece at a time.

There is no single formula in choosing the right combination as each of us are different and may require different energies from such amulets. For instance, one may lack the energy for successful negotiation and he may borrow the energy from a Phra Khun Paen. Another may lack the energy for collecting payments smoothly and his life is always surrounded by dangerous occupation may wish to seek Phra Pidta e.g. Tok Raja or any Kelantan genres.  Some may prefer strong Metta or Loving Kindness in order to have smooth business may opt for 2 Khun Paen and Salika Butterfly amulet.  Hence, it is by one’s own effort to discover which is beneficial and useful in your daily life.

As mentioned earlier there is no single formula in successfully getting the right combination of amulet talismans for wearing. As a start, one may choose a piece of amulet to wear for a couple of days or weeks in order to feel the energies and its suitability to your temperament and smooth sailing in your career and relationship. If there’s harmony and you can feel the effect positively then that is considered the right amulet for you. If the amulet energy doesn’t quite match your personality or not suitable just put aside and keep it for future reference.

Try out other amulet pieces individually each time wearing only a single piece for a period of time in order to determine their suitability. Once you have tried and tested those you feel could benefit you in a certain manner, then you may decide to combine them together in a single neck chain in odd numbers 3, 5, 7 or 9. Each time when you acquire a new amulet, do not be afraid to try it out individually for a couple of days without wearing the rest. Insecurity will set in for some with the ‘Khanda’ playing with the mind thinking what if the new amulet fails to protect in the advent of accidents when you are without your other trusted amulets. This is not an uncommon problem faced by any amulet believers. To help minimize this insecurity feeling, you may choose to carry some amulet talismans in a carry bag wherever you go in your business affairs.

Now Playing

Next Article Story