Origins of the term temple dha?

[RhysMichael]

Originally Posted by PUFF

I do not know what people in Burma do. But in Thailand, Theravadin buddhist do not use knife or alike in religious ritual. Although some knives were blessed by medic shaman or Sangha (monk), they are mainly used as a talisman to protect ones from evil. Some shaman use the a blessed knife in non-religious ceremonies such as cut off a string of newly constructed temple marks (Bhramin/Buddhist mixed ceremonies). The blessed knives mostly are drop-point, similar to Meed Morh in this thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2451

The knife in the picture above could be a Burmese dressing knife, worn in social ceremonies.

Thanks again Puff, I have been told that many of the swords have buddhist stories on them do you know anything about this ? Or again is this only an often repeated fable ?

[PUFF]

Unlike Burman, story etching on blades is not a common practice for Siamese.

Most of story etched blades are imported from Burma, then, being sold in a tourist market in ChiangMai. I 've never seen any Siamese blade with an etched story.

If there are some, they must be very rare and hard to find items

[Ian]

Thanks PUFF. It has been difficult to work out whether these dha were manufactured in Thailand or simply sold there. The N. Thailand (Chiang Mai) market for selling these swords seems to have been around for many years, but where they were made has been harder to determine. Do you know where in Burma they are made?

Ian.

[PUFF]

Some Lanna (northern Thailand) dressing knives...

http://www.thaiblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25674

[katana]

Hi Puff,
unfortunately, the link you have posted opens the 'log in' page of the website.

[PUFF]

[PUFF]