I was looking around the temple at some of the amulet stands I don’t usually go to. There were a number of new counters that opened up recently, and I figured they were for donations and to get the blessed bracelets put on by the magee (Buddhist nuns) that reside at the temple.

I puchased a couple of bells at one location, and then saw a counter that was out of the way, and I thought just for donations.

There was a display of amulets and other things. I went over to look and they had some unique and really lovely Buddhist jewelry and Buddha amulets, Nawagote amulets, Shiva amulets, Ganesha amulets… all sorts of things – and none of these amulets or necklaces was ever seen at the temple before. It was great!

Usually the good things – the ones that mean something, are under some of the other amulets and you have to really strain to find them. This was the case yesterday as I looked under the first layer of amulets at the next shelf that was hidden by all that was on top of the first shelf.

There, staring up at me was a tri-color Ajarn Jumnien, 1st Edition Blessed Good Luck amulet that I haven’t seen at the temple for nearly two years now because they sold everything they had in that series already!

I asked the magee to show it to me and she looked at me like – “Do you know what this is?”

I knew.

If I could rewind life a couple years, I’d be right back there at the temple and buying every single one of the Ajarn Jumnien Good Luck amulets in this series – they were amazing. There were great stories told at the temple by monks, magee, and those that bought the amulets.

I was stunned when she told me the price of the amulet – and when you buy sacred amulets at the Buddhist temples – you shouldn’t argue about price. The amulet is worth everything they say it is. This isn’t a market in Bangkok, it’s the Buddhist temple… nobody is trying to take advantage of you or give you less than what you’re paying.

I wanted the amulet really bad, and didn’t have enough cash for it. I gave her 1,000 THB and asked her to hold it for me until I returned from the ATM machine with the rest of the money.

She did – and when I returned, I bought the best amulet I’ve had in years. This is a one of a kind – there are none left – literally. The Aj. Jumnien Good Luck collection sold out very fast. It was created for Ajarn Jumnien’s 70th birthday year – and there were about 500 made in various designs – primarily 2. In each amulet run there are made the affordable amulets – and those amulets that are beyond almost all Thai people’s reach – and are hundreds of dollars USD.

This is the last amulet of this quality at the temple!

The magee kept telling me over and over – with very solemn face – number 1 power… this one, number one power… in Thai, of course, she spoke no English.

This amulet is brilliant 18K gold with copper and silver for the other colors. The tri-color amulets are paying respect to the Buddhist trinity – that of Dhamma, Buddha, and Sangha.

It has been wrapped in protective clear plastic – as Thais often do with their best amulets, to preserve everything about it – as if brand new.

I love finding hidden treasures at the temples – and this has been the most amazing find, and totally unexpected. I have looked over and over – dozens of times for some more of these style amulets. I have never seen the first editions of this style – except the first day they had the ceremony to bless them on the full moon day – at the auspicious hour. Maybe my karma has come around and is giving me a great find!??

I’ll take some photos and put this on it’s own page at ThaiAmuletSales.com – under the Specials. It is special, not for the price – which will be fair, but not discounted – but for the rarity of this lovely tricolor Buddhist monk amulet.

We have many different pages of Buddha amulets, and sometimes it is hard to figure out if you’ve seen them all or not. If you follow this page and open all these links – you’ll see all the Buddhas we have on the site.

Keep in mind, these amulets are original, new (in nearly all cases), and 100% authentic – purchased straight from local Theravada Buddhist temples in Thailand.

Buddha 

New Thai Buddhas

120 Buddha Amulets

Buddha Birthday Thai Amulets

Newest Thai Buddha Amulets

Unique Buddha Amulets

Waterproof Buddha Amulets

More Buddhist Amulets

Jade Buddhas

Petrified Wood Buddha

Thai Gold Buddha Amulets

Rare Buddhas

After studying Buddhist amulets for a few months we decided that the best way we could begin an amulet business was by offering amulets straight from the Buddhist temples close to us – on the internet where people across the world could buy them.

The Thai amulets we sell are available at temples in southern and northeastern Thailand. We don’t have a monopoly on them. We don’t make them. We don’t have any special deals on them when we purchase them from the temple – even if we purchase in bulk. We accept whatever price they say – and purchase them to sell to you wherever in the world you are.

If you are coming to Thailand – don’t buy amulets from us online. Just buy them at the temples. Same, 100% authentic amulets.

Are all Buddhist temples selling authentic amulets?

Yes, and no.

Some Thai Buddhist temples don’t sell Thai amulets at all. Wat Suan Mokkh in Chaiya, north of Surat Thani – don’t sell any amulets whatsoever. The founder, Buddhadasa Bhikku, didn’t believe in them. He has since passed on, but the belief remains – and nobody is to sell amulets at that temple. There are t-shirts in the library, and some postcards and books, some videotapes and audio CD’s, but no amulets, Thai bracelets, necklaces, or anything like that.

Most temples do sell amulets. If there are monks or majee (nuns) working at the amulet stand, you can assume it is an official collection of amulets for the temple you are at. If it is a kind man or woman, then most likely this amulet stand is NOT full of genuine articles. The amulets at such a stand are probably blessed by the monks and or abbot of the temple you are at, but, there are probably some that are official from the temple – and some that are not. Which are which? Anyone’s guess.

Buy only from the Thai amulet stands that are operated by monks or majee. This way you cannot go wrong.

From across the globe you can buy Thai amulets at our amulet shop where we now have over 400 amulets for sale. We give you a free necklace with every amulet, two free blessed Buddhist bracelets from the temple, and free shipping.

Buying direct from the temple, or buying from us – buying direct from the temple – you are guaranteed to be receiving official, 100% authentic Thai Buddhist (Theravada Buddhist) amulets. You are sure to have a good experience.

Here’s a preview of ours. Click the link below the image to see the full page with over 100 amulet photos in great color:

A preview of the hundreds of Thai amulets we have posted at ThaiBuddhaAmulets.blogger.com.

CLICK THIS BELOW to GO:
http://thaibuddhaamulets.blogspot.com/view/snapshot

If you are in the market for a new Thai amulet – check out our channel, or, page 7 of the Buddha amulets that we just added. There is a link for amulet videos there below each amulet we have video for.

Metta and best of karma to you!

Ganesh amulets ->

Or, just order the one you see below by clicking the “Add to Cart” button. You can pay through Paypal or credit card – up to you.

(Click Ganesh amulet to enlarge)

3D Silver Ganesha Waterproof Amulet

1 1/4″ x 1″

(3.5 x 2.5cm)

Item – DSC382

$9.95+ Free Necklace!

+ Free worldwide shipping

How are Thai Amulets Worn?

Thai amulets are usually worn around the neck by Thais in Thailand. Some Thais wear one amulet, and some wear as many as 7 – one hanging down in the middle of the necklace, and 3 on each side. We rarely see any more than 7 amulets on one necklace, but we’re sure they are out there. Thais, as all Asians can be, are quite superstitious. Amulets arose out of this superstition. As such, there are amulets that came out of Animism – Thailand’s early religous roots, as well as Buddhism, Hinduism, and black magic type beliefs.

Some Thais hang their amulets from the mirror in their car. Some have shrines setup in their homes where they have dozens or hundreds of Thai amulets from every temple they’ve visited, and every Thai holiday they’ve ever witnessed at these shrines.

Thais believe that all amulets should be worn at head/chest level, and not kept in the pocket. Amulets should never be worn around the waist, legs, or feet – as this shows disrespect to the religion and the followers. In a similar way, images of the King of Thailand should never be worn near the feet.

What Historical Figures Are the Subject of Thai Amulets?

Typical Thailand Buddhist amulets have figures such as: Buddha, Kwan Yin, and some famous monks like Luang Phor Tuad, Luang Phor Klai, Phra Bit Tar (Biddar) and others. Sometimes the Kings of Thailand (Rama 1-9) are featured. We even sell an amulet that has portraits of all 9 Thai kings on it. Thais do love their kings, and many amulets feature King Rama V, and IX – Thailand’s current king, King Bhumibol.

The Hindu influence on Buddhist amulets can be seen with Ganesh (Ganesha) – the elephant amulets, Shiva, and other gods and goddesses.

There are such colorful characters as Lersi, Tigers, Demons, Guman Thong, and others that give a wide-breadth of figures. There is an amulet for everyone, from child to an elderly Thai on his deathbed.

By far Buddha amulets are the most popular and the most worn amulet Thais purchase. I would say then, Luang Phor Tuad, Thailand’s most famous monk – has the 2nd most wearers in the country.

Where Do Thai Amulets Come From?

Keep in mind that Buddhist amulets found in Thailand are two things… one, a religious symbol to those that believe in Buddhism, and two, a money-making scheme for dishonest companies to take advantage of good Buddhist followers.

Amulets are sometimes given directly from monks. We have some amulets that were given to us over the years from monks (Phra) at our local Buddhist temples. These are not to be sold, and most Thais hold them in special esteem. If you visit Thailand and see a bit of the country, not just one area – you will find that some monks are into amulets as lucky, bringing health, fortune, or love, and some are not at all. In fact, western monks like those found at Wat Pah Nanachat in Warin Chamrap, Thailand – Ubon province, do not have amulets at all. There are no amulets sold there at the temple, and they do not talk about special powers of amulets – choosing instead to focus on what Buddha said and did – as the way to reaching nibbana (nirvana).

Wat Suan Mokkh in Chaiya, Surat Thani province is another temple that does not even sell 1 amulet for visitors. Buddhadasa Bhikku, the first monk and founder of Wat Tum Sua didn’t believe in amulets as having any power at all, and frequently called them a product of superstitious minds. Buddha himself was not known to wear amulets.

Other monks are well-versed in the powers of amulets, and when they bless an amulet – it gains even greater power. Wat Tum Sua’s Ajarn Jumnien (Teacher Jumnien) is one such monk of Chinese lineage that is now often known as Thailand’s good luck monk. Aj. Jumnien wears dozens of amulets at a time, and is sought after for his blessing and amulets – which are known to be exceptionally powerful. Chinese people mostly, from China, Malaysia, and Singapore come from far away to see Abbot Jumnien and donate money for his temple in Krabi, Thailand.

Wat Tum Sua is our home temple, and where we get the majority of our amulets from. The temple is beautiful and well worth a stop if you happen to be in southern Thailand.

What Are Amulets Made Of?

Thailand amulets are typically made of hard materials like: iron, tin, brass, copper, bronze, silver, pewter, marble, jade, crystal (rarely), granite, petrified wood (very rarely), glass, wood, ceramic, clay, and other materials.

Fake versus Real Amulets

Amulets from Thailand are easy to replicate as fakes, and this is a giant business, not only in Thailand, but, across the globe as companies are formed to take advantage of well-meaning Buddhists that want to protect their families’ health, or ensure good karma. It is not difficult to manufacture fake amulets, because the expensive amulets – the genuine amulets from many years ago, were made with simple technology and there are no real secrets any longer about which is a real or fake amulet. The experts cannot tell fake amulets from real in many cases. In fact, recently some very expensive and rare amulets were judged to be fake at a conference of “experts” and later proven to be genuine amulets with great power. A collector bought them before the discovery – for very little money, and was rewarded with millions of Thai baht as a result.

We spent 2-hours yesterday looking at amulets that were being sold on eBay and we were appalled. Amulets that are found for $3 are selling for $150. Amulets that are no more than $10 to buy in Thailand in rip-off amulet stores – are selling on eBay for $250 and we even saw one for more than $400.

The state of the amulet industry is rather sad. How can someone from Canada, Australia, Tahiti, Spain, UK, or Czechoslovakia buy genuine amulets from real Buddhist temples?

Here at www.ThaiAmuletSales.com we wanted to come up with a way for Buddhists across the world to buy genuine Thai amulets from Thailand, without any chance of forgery or ill-intent. We came upon a simple solution.

We offer Thai Buddhist amulets only bought at the Buddhist temples in Thailand.

That’s it. We don’t buy from non-Buddhist sources.

You can be absolutely sure that the amulets you’re buying are genuine articles, crafted from Buddhist hands.

What we found was really quite sad. Amulets we sell here for $30 to $90 USD are being sold on eBay for $150 to $400 USD. These are exactly the same amulets as we have… we know this because we have been selling amulets for 4 years and there are no secrets in the industry. Every amulet seller knows where to get the amulets from.

We saw ebay sellers calling their gold colored amulets – PURE 22K gold poured and crafted. Unbelievable really, when the price of gold these days is at $1,600 USD per ounce… the amulets at the size they were, would have been selling for far less than the current price of gold. Does that make sense?

No, of course not. The amulets are not pure gold and we are 100% on that… do you know why?

There ARE NO pure gold amulets of that type made in Thailand. Really, there aren’t any made.

The only pure gold amulet you will see in Thailand is shaped like a coin – it can be big or small, but usually no bigger than a 10 THB coin or so. Sometimes bigger – yes.

But, there are no solid gold figurines of Buddha being sold in Thailand that we have EVER seen. They just don’t exist.

Likewise, there are VERY few silver Thai amulets – meaning, made of pure silver… the reason is… Buddha amulets are supposed to be made of gold – gold plating, gold paint, whatever, but the color of Buddha is always supposed to be gold. So, when you see solid silver Buddha anything – it is likely not made at a temple.

We sell only a couple of silver colored Buddhas and we were surprised to find them. I don’t know why they were made, but westerners love the silver Buddhas and we can never find enough of them.

The ebay seller that was selling “Solid Gold Poured BUDDHAS” had 12,000+ perfect feedbacks… now, how can that possibly be?

It’s because nobody cracks open their amulet to look. If they did, what would they find?

Usually the amulets that are made in Thailand are made of a metal like bronze, brass, copper, tin, pewter, or iron. They are then either gold plated, or painted gold.

Again, there are no solid gold Buddha figurine amulets in Thailand – that we have seen.

Likewise the cases of amulets are almost never solid gold.

WHY?

The case is to protect the amulet. Gold is very weak… it is like lead. It dings and scratches VERY easily. It does not make a good case.

There ARE solid silver cases though – which are a little bit harder, and can be quite beautiful. We have some.

Typically the cases are gold plated or dipped. We have both.

If you are buying amulets at eBay – please stop. I was going to say, “Be careful” – but, there is no way to be careful. I am sure the amulets we looked at today were almost entirely – fakes. They were not bought at the temple. They were not worth anything near what they were listed for sale as.

Much better for you to come to Thailand yourself and choose amulets from a temple… Or, find a seller that gets amulets from the temple – like we do.

There is no other way to guarantee you have authentic amulets that are worth what you paid. Truly… I wish it was different, but there are scammers on ebay like we cannot believe… and it’s sad to see such a thing because Buddhism is a such a great way of life.

Sad to see people take advantage of others – in the name of Buddha, and Buddhism.

Good luck to you, metta, and good karma!

J&V

Thai Buddha Photo Gallery Below: