INFORMATION
D
oing Doing Ayambil Oli in Bangkok By Yifan Zhang
Aymbil Oli in Bangkok By Yifan Zhang
Yifan Zhang is a Ph D student in Jain Studies, Ghent University, Belgium and a Ph.D. student in Religious Studies, Renmin University of China, China. His Doctorate dissertation topic is “The Jains in Contemporary Southeast Asia(Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore): Their distinctiveness and identities.” Currently he has completed his 4 month fieldwork in Thailand and will undertake 2 months fieldwork in Singapore and 4 months in Malaysia.
Over the course of around one century, the Jain diasporas have dispersed and established communities across many countries worldwide, extending beyond the borders of India. Notably, a significant number of these diasporas have settled in English-speaking nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States, alongside numerous other countries spanning diverse regions globally. Significantly, due to the favorable geographical location and the historical cultural and trade linkages, a considerable number of Jain community members have chosen to reside in prominent cities within the Southeast Asian region in order to pursue their business ventures and advance their careers. The Jains residing in Southeast Asia, constituting a small minority within the cities or regions they inhabit, have devised distinct strategies for navigating cultural space and fostering communal consensus. These approaches are tailored to accommodate their unique lifestyle, religious rituals, and collective identity. As an earnest devotee of Jain Dharma and doctoral student in Jain Studies, selecting to conduct an ethnography-based study in Southeast Asia enables me to establish a closer connection with the Jain communities residing in various Southeast Asian locales. I am delighted to present my observations, acquired knowledge, and conceptualizations derived from my fieldwork in Southeast Asia. Recently, I have resided alongside the Jain community in Bangkok, Thailand do conduct my fieldwork. Hence, I will commence my account from Thailand. Ayambil Oli as a method of my approach One of the notable experiences I would like to highlight is my active engagement in participatory observations at the Ayambil Oli event. at this period, I had the opportunity to intertwine academic fieldwork, spiritual exploration, and the establishment of trust, all from my own perspective and position. As an external type of Jain Tapas, it is said that Ayambil is made to generate bodily, mental, and spiritual benefits for the 36
Jain believers who actively participate in. The practice of fasting observed throughout the nine-day period of Ayambil Oli entails a personal endeavor to exercise self-restraint in relation to the indulgence in various flavors, with a focus on consuming solely boiled food. The triumph over the influence of taste signifies the achievement of liberation from specific karmic entanglements.
I have been informed through a notice from a WhatsApp account dedicated to event announcements about the occurrence of 2023’s onsite communal Ayambil Oli practices at the Śvētāmbara Jain mandir located at Soi Phuttha Osot alley, which is in close proximity to the diamond and gemstone district of Bangkok. Through extensive discussions and consultations with members of the Jain community residing in Bangkok, it has come to my attention that Ayambil Oli is a practice of great significance. However, it is important to note that not all members of the Jain community approach this practice with the same level of sincerity. Only those individuals who demonstrate unwavering commitment and successfully complete the nine-day Ayambil Oli are bestowed with the esteemed reputation of being recognized as a sincere Tapasvi within the community.
