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regular school, college and university, who one that it relates to the ùriteû as defined by

transmit the scientific knowledge under the Guénon, and another that follows Guénonûs
domain of reason. definition on ùceremonyû. Since for Guénon
It is due to the meaning and the appli- ùceremonyû is not considered metaphysical,

cability of the words khru and achan in Thai in order to safeguard the metaphysical as-
tradition that the rituals for paying grateful pect of the traditional Wai Khru, the researcher
respect to teachers in Thailand is called Wai differentiated these rituals into two terms, wai

Khru and not Wai Achan. Thus, using the khru (æ‘∏’‰À«â§√Ÿ) in lowercase, and Wai Khru
perspectives of Guénon, khru belongs to the (‰À«â§√Ÿ) in uppercase.

metaphysical sense of the word, where The wai khru (æ‘∏’‰À«â§√Ÿ) in lowercase
metaphysic is ùbeyond physicsû, khru is, by letters, or phithi wai khru, is the annual cer-
the very fact, beyond achan. Therefore, the emony organized by schools or institutions

Thai tradition of paying grateful respect to that once a year gather people to respect and
teachers in Thailand must be called Wai Khru remember those who have gone before. Tak-

and not Wai Achan. ing the example of the wai khru ceremony
It shall be said that the researcher in no organized by the Federation of Thai Tradi-
ways attempts to fully define and clarify the tional Medicine Associations of Thailand

Thai words, because ùonly something that is (FTTMAT), held at the Ministry of Public
limited is capable of limitationû. Some excep- Health, the ceremony happens on the last
tions are found in Thai society, such as call- Sunday of March, because it is a convenient

ing a teacher of Thai traditional knowledge date for the community. The FTTMAT orga-
as achan, or calling teachers of elementary nizes and performs the wai khru ceremony
school, who could be considered as a teach- following a book titled The Manual for Tradi-

ers of scientific knowledge, as khru. Thus, tional Thai Wai Khru (§Ÿà¡◊Õ°“√ª√–°Õ∫æ‘∏’‰À«â
the researcherûs assumptions on these two §√Ÿ·æ∑¬å·ºπ‰∑¬), written in Thai, and edited

Thai words were given only in a purpose of by the Health & Development Foundation.
this study, but not limited to that. This book was written in order to protect and
preserve the Wai Khru in Thai tradition, shar-
5. The wai khru (æ‘∏’‰À«â§√Ÿ) and the Wai
ing information about the meaning and sig-
Khru (‰À«â§√Ÿ)
nificance of the ceremony:

On the Wai Khru in Thai tradition, the çThis wai khru ceremony is performed
researcher has identified two types of rituals, in the applied form suitable for the present