The state religion of Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism, to which the majority of the population subscribes. Buddhism constitutes the moral fiber of Cambodian lifestyle, and includes tenets of Hinduism and animistic religions as well. Buddhists believe that life is a cycle of death and rebirth in which the individual passes through a succession on incarnations. Depending upon the person's conduct in previous lives, an incarnation may be in a higher or lower status. Buddhists strive to perfect their souls in order to be released from the cycle of death and rebirth and on to the state of enlightenment, or nirvana.

In the traditional Cambodian society, men must enter the monkhood for at least three months during their lifetime, often at the age of twelve or thirteen. During this time, they learn Buddhist philosophy, social morality, and practice chanting. The wat (temples) where they study are centers of Cambodian life, not only for prayer but also for education, medical care, and administrative organization. Since the 1950s, the Buddhist education has been systematically organized to include general modern knowledge from the primary level of education to the university level. The religious institution where Buddhist knowledge could be acquired included the High School of Pali, the Buddhist Institute, and the Buddhist University. The monks (bonzes) who reside in these wat are at the highest level for achieving nirvana. They wear their distinctive saffron robes and shaven heads, and set out each morning to collect food from the local people.

Cambodian Poetic Texts in Religious Recitation

One meter, when being applied to different styles, will change its rhyme-structure. The manner in which all the techniques are used determines the quality of a poem. By and large, the more patterns, variations and combinations used in a poem, the better the poem will be. A good poet is he who has the ability to demonstrate many different patterns in his poems. However, in general, the plain, or basic, meter tends to predominate.

Pathya Vat

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 8

13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20

21 22 23 16

25 26 27 16

29 30 31 32

In the pathya vat meter, the end-syllable 8 of the third line must rhyme with end-syllable 8 of the second line. When having more than one stanza, the end-syllable 16 of the second line of the new stanza must rhyme with the end-syllable 16 of the fourth line of the previous stanza.

Khnhomm saum bangkum

champuoh Preah Puth

trung kung khpuoh phott

leu trai loka

Neam Preah Kodamm

baramm sasda

chambang leu moha

neak prach taing lay

Translation

I salute

the Lord Buddha

who resides the highest

of the tri-world.

The name is Preah Kodamm

the Supreme

who is greater than

all sages.

All the existing materials on Cambodian poetry indicate that only those traditional meters of the early periods have specific designations in their usages, as described earlier. The more modern meters of longer forms, consisting of twenty-eight syllables or more, have been used in various situations according to the poet's intention.

Of all sources, only Pich 1987 and Sam 1988 mention the pathya vat meter--one which serves as the basis of about seventy percent of all Cambodian song texts. The pathya vat meter, as well as "Cambodian poetry" as a whole, is perhaps known more to teachers and students of the Faculty of Choreographic Arts of the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh than to others, as it was taught there by the respected professor and former monk Mr. Thach Prang (poetry class: 1970s).

Cambodian poems are written to be read aloud, but are more often recited. As recitation could perhaps be considered the most ancient form of utterance which transmits, for instance, the famous epic of Ream Ker (Ramayana) is executed in many different styles. They are kmeng vatt (temple boy), piporanea (description), tumnuonh (grief), smaut (reciting), kamhoeung (anger), chbapp (traditional code), ka-ek lot (crow hops), and ka-ek baul (crow calls), etc. In fact, the beauty of Cambodian poetry lies not only in the writing styles--internal and end-rhymes and various stylistic meters--but also in the rich reciting styles, which provide the final touches to evoke the soul of Cambodian poetry.

From Buddhist scriptures to classical literature, from epics to fables, from books of games to dance manuals, the written forms are sometimes in prose, but most often are in verse. In dance and theatre, the poetic writing is adapted and set to song and music. The recitation of Cambodian poems is perhaps better referred to as "singing," as we really sing the poems rather than recite them. Cambodian recitation is therefore considered to be sweet, melodious, and musical. The poetic singing is executed in a rubato style devoid of strict pulsation. Its melody is not found in any musical piece. The songs, on the other hand, have their own melodies and are set to their prescribed rhythm. The distinction between the recitation and song is that the former is sung in a rubato style, whereas the latter is more metrical (sung in musical meters). It is not that recitation is less musical; the Cambodians can simply tell the difference between the two styles and refer to them accordingly.

Chanting in Pali (mostly), some in vernacular Cambodian.

Today, many Cambodians feel that chanting in Pali does not make much sense as Buddhists who do not have a mastery of Pali do not understand it. More and more, chanting in Cambodian has increased.

Source: www.umbc.edu/eol/cambodia/religmus.htm

Before the French organized a Western-style educational system, the Buddhist wat, with monks as teachers, provided the only formal education in Cambodia. The monks traditionally regarded their main educational function as the teaching of Buddhist doctrine and history and the importance of gaining merit. Other subjects were regarded as secondary. At the wat schools, young boys--girls were not allowed to study in these institutions--were taught to read and to write Khmer, and they were instructed in the rudiments of Buddhism.

In 1933 a secondary school system for novice monks was created within the Buddhist religious system. Many wat schools had so-called Pali schools that provided three years of elementary education from which the student could compete for entrance into the Buddhist lyc�es(high school). Graduates of these lyc�es could sit for the entrance examination to the Buddhist University in Phnom Penh. The curriculum of the Buddhist schools consisted of the study of Pali, of Buddhist doctrine, and of Khmer, along with mathematics, Cambodian history and geography, science, hygiene, civics, and agriculture. Buddhist instruction was under the authority of the Ministry of Religion.

Nearly 600 Buddhist primary schools, with an enrollment of more than 10,000 novices and with 800 monks as instructors, existed in 1962. The Preah Suramarit Buddhist Lyc�e--a four-year institution in Phnom Penh founded in 1955--included courses in Pali, in Sanskrit, and in Khmer, as well as in many modern disciplines.

In 1962 the student body numbered 680. The school's graduates could continue their studies in the Preah Sihanouk Raj Buddhist University created in 1959. The university offered three cycles of instruction; the doctoral degree was awarded after successful completion of the third cycle. In 1962 there were 107 students enrolled in the Buddhist University.

By the 1969-70 academic year, more than 27,000 students were attending Buddhist religious elementary schools, 1,328 students were at Buddhist lyc�es, and 176 students were enrolled at the Buddhist University.

The Buddhist Institute was a research institution formed in 1930 from the Royal Library. The institute contained a library, record and photograph collections, and a museum. Several commissions were part of the institute. A folklore commission published collections of Cambodian folktales, a Tripitaka Commission completed a translation of the Buddhist canon into Khmer, and a dictionary commission produced a definitive two-volume dictionary of Khmer. No information was available in 1987 regarding the fate of the temple schools, but it is doubtful that they were revived after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime.

Data as of December 1987

In response to the hip-grinding, booty-shaking tunes of the West, one Cambodian teacher of music and poetry endeavours to keep tradition alive.

Photo by: Ou MomRetired arts lecturer Yan Borin is teaching a group of teenage students who want to learn the traditional form of Khmer poetry and set it to the sounds of the flute.

While many of Phnom Penh’s teens listen to hip-hop and R&B, a group of around 30 teenagers at Baktouk High School are listening to a retired teacher of traditional drama. 

The youngsters have formed a group to learn to compose and recite traditional Khmer poems and accompany them on flute, under the tutelage of 61-year-old Yan Borin. 

The former Royal University of Fine Arts lecturer said he had given up his Sunday mornings to nurture the teenagers’ keen interest in studying this traditional artform.

“The students created this study programme and just invited me to teach them,” Yan Borin said. “I didn’t demand a fee from them, but they gave based on their capacity.”

Yan Borin said that while music is part of the curriculum in many countries, the Cambodian education system lacked resources to teach students to play musical instruments. So he endeavours to give his students two hours per week, saying he is proud of them and that they are gifted in poetry.

“They can even get it quicker than some of those who I used to teach at RUFA,” he said. 

Seiha Oudom, 15, is one of the original Baktouk High School students who instigated the poetry club.

“We created this poetry club because Khmer poetry is not widely recognised in Cambodian society,” he said.

Seiha Oudom and three friends entered a poetry competition in Phnom Penh last June, with a “fighting drugs” theme.

Seiha Oudom received first prize while his friend, 15-year-old Chheiv Rachana, came fourth. 

One of the club’s leaders, Seiha Oudom said the group was also promoting Khmer poetry to other students. 

“We also welcome students from other schools as members of our club,” he said.

“We also want to suggest that even if we copy music from other countries, we should then develop it into the Khmer style.”

He said he felt it was important to preserve the Khmer national identity.

“We have asked permission from our school’s principal to recite poems we composed to persuade kids to study hard while showing respect to the national anthem,” Seiha Oudom said. 

Yan Borin said he believed Cambodia has one of the world’s widest ranges of poetry styles. 

“My co-worker and I have found about 60 kinds of Khmer poems and we believe there are still more,” he said.

Chheiv Rachana, who wants to become a doctor but also takes the poetry classes, suggested other students should try to learn about their 

traditional identity rather than simply adopting foreign culture.

“If you are interested in poetry, please do not worry about your voice or talent,” she urged. “At least we can understand the prosperity of the plentiful Khmer poems, which have more value than modern music.”

Yan Borin said traditional music such as Yeke, Basak, and Mohaory had a place alongside modern music. 

“If we, as Cambodian people, don’t try to preserve our culture, who will preserve it for us?” he asked.

Source: www.phnompenhpost.com

VietNamNet Bridge – Once touring Bac Lieu and visiting cultural and historical indigenous attractions such as Vung Hung ancient tower, Bac Lieu ancient house, Nha Mat sea tourists should take a step to Xiem Can Pagoda to discover old Khmer décor and experience the stillness and peace of the sanctuary.

A view of Xiem Can Pagoda in Ca Mau Township

The pagoda, built in the nineteenth century, is in Bien Tay Hamlet, Hiep Thanh Commune, about six kilometers from Bac Lieu Township. The pagoda is renowned with imposing architecture filled with Angkor décor with clusters of towers, tombs striking with colorful and meticulous patterns and bas-relief clearly presenting Buddhist culture in harmony with Indian civilization.

The pagoda captures romance and tranquility by poetic surroundings of seasoned trees and many kinds of flowers. Interior designs are frescoes telling the life of Sakyamuni.

The pagoda is not only a place for locals to worship and pray for good luck and health but also the cultural and education center of the Khmer people. There are training courses for Khmer and Bali languages as well as Buddhist teachings.

The pagoda is also a venue to celebrate traditional cultural festivals such as Ok Om bok, Chol Chnam Thmay and Don Ta. Visiting the pagoda on these occasions, tourists can join the animated festive atmosphere and learn more cultural features of the Khmer people.

VietNamNet/SGT

Source: http://english.vietnamnet.vn

LONDON, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The first ever arts and cultural festival drawing on Buddhist cultural traditions has been unveiled in Britain.     The festival, known as The Many Faces of Buddhism, is held in London at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum and the Barbican Center in collaboration with the Hong Kong-based philanthropic organization -- Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation.

    Highlights of the festival include an International Forum on Buddhism and the Arts Today held last Saturday, the opening of the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Gallery at the V&A, performances of Buddhist sacred dance, and the first International Buddhist Film Festival in London.

    The new Buddhist sculpture gallery which is to open to the public on Wednesday is the first such gallery in Britain. It features treasures from the V&A's world class collections ranging from monumental Chinese temple sculptures to tiny portable gilded Buddhas.

    The 50 or so sculptures created between AD 200 and 1850 are arranged in geographic groupings demonstrating the diversity of artistic expression throughout Asia, and reflect the differing Buddhist practices of India, Sri Lanka, the Himalayas, Myanmar, Java, Thailand, China and Japan.

    The new gallery includes an 18th-century monumental gilt bronze seated Buddha from China's Tibet, a powerful 7th-century marble torso of the Buddha from Tang Dynasty of China and the head of Buddha, once carved directly into the rock face of a 6th-century cave temple complex at Xiangtangshan, northern China.

    The International Buddhist Film Festival will showcase over 40 films from 18 countries, including 27 UK premieres from May 7 to 17.

    At a press preview of the new gallery held at V&A on Monday, Robert Yau Chung Ho, director of the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation, said: "The objective of the Foundation is to support broadly Chinese arts and culture. We sincerely hope that our audience for the Many Faces of Buddhism Festival will begin to appreciate Buddhism's rich enduring history and message and through it will find new ways of experiencing and approaching the world."

    The festival will run through May 17.

Editor: Xiong Tong

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