Yes, you can wear flip-flops to most temples, but you must remove them before entering any building, as shoes are not allowed inside; however, some highly sacred sites might have stricter rules against flip-flops even outside, so slip-on shoes and socks are recommended for ease, and modest attire covering shoulders and knees is always best practice.
Shoes, sandals or flip-flops. It's best to wear lightweight, comfortable shoes when you're on tour, in most temples you will need to remove your shoes before entering the main worship area. Lightweight clothing with long sleeves and long trousers or skirts.
As per Thai culture, you must take off your shoes before entering a holy place. Every temple has a shoe rack where you can safely leave your shoes while you visit. Being barefoot shows respect to Buddha.
📌 Please wear a shirt cover your shoulders, as well as long pants to cover your ankles, skirt or dress below your knees. The dress code to visit all Buddhist temples in Thailand is more flexible. But you still need to cover your shoulders and knees when entering sacred temples.
Clothing to Wear to a Temple
They should avoid wearing clothing that is casual or that does not cover the temple garment. They should also avoid wearing clothing that is overly formal, like tuxedos.
For more than two millennia, one of the appeals of Buddhism has been that happiness and freedom from suffering can be achieved by anyone, regardless of race, class, or gender. But we must remember that all convert practitioners are embodied beings who come to dharma study from somewhere.
Do's & Don'ts
There is a hygienic reason behind this. Cleanliness is as essential as preserving sanctity. Shoes move on various surfaces both dirty and clean. This cleanliness is of prime necessity to preserve the sanctity of the temple, which is the holy home of God.
The precepts are commitments to abstain from killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication. Within the Buddhist doctrine, they are meant to develop mind and character to make progress on the path to enlightenment.
On a liberal interpretation, the precept should not prohibit women from wearing earrings permanently secured on their ears or, if they so wish, from wearing their wedding bands. It does exclude perfumes, makeup, and other toiletries, but not deodorant or skin lotion needed to counter a dry-skin condition.
They are the three physical evils of killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct; the four verbal evils of lying, flattery or indiscriminate and irresponsible speech, defamation, and duplicity; and the three mental evils of greed, anger, and foolishness or the holding of mistaken views.
Avoiding Disrespect:
Don't point your feet towards a Buddha image or touch it with your feet. It's also best not to place Buddha images on the floor.
There's typically no dress code. My congregation doesn't have one. Some dress up and some come in shirts and flip flops. The most important thing is that they are there.
Dressing appropriately for Buddhist temples shows respect for local culture and religious traditions. The key is modest coverage of shoulders and knees, comfortable fabrics suitable for Thailand's climate, and easily removable footwear.
Sign of Respect and Humility Removing footwear before entering a temple is a gesture of respect towards the sacred space. It symbolizes humility and surrender before the divine. Shoes, often associated with the outside world, are considered impure, so barefoot entry maintains the sanctity of the temple.
Show respect by following some temple etiquette
There will be a designated place to put your shoes while in the temple. Both socks or bare feet are fine. When pointing, avoid pointing with your finger but use your whole hand. Never point your feet toward a buddhist statue or any other items or people in the temple.
Remind your kids before entering not to touch or climb on top of the Buddha statues. Don't touch Buddhist monks, especially if you are female. Women are not supposed to hand items to monks, either. Men who need to hand something to a monk, or take something from a monk, should try to use their right hands.
Cover up. Local dress in India is modest, and even more so in temples. Dress conservatively in trousers or skirts—no shorts—and carry a spare shawl to cover bare shoulders. In Sikh Gurdwaras, including the Golden Temple in Amritsar, both men and women are required to cover their head.
Any deviation from dharma is considered to be a serious sin that is capable of ruining the peace of the person affected. Adharma not just harms people but also disturbs the balance of the universe. The sin of Adharma is unforgivable and leads to accumulation of bad karma.
How to Respect Local Customs During Your Temple Visit
Table of Contents Brahman: The Infinite Source of Everything Atman: The Divine Self Within Dharma: Living with Righteous Duty and Cosmic Order Karma: The Law of Action and Consequences Samsara: The Cycle of Birth, Death & Rebirth Moksha: Liberation from Samsara Yoga: The Path to Spiritual Realization Brahman: The ...
A Buddhist may accept all methods of family planning, but with different degrees of reluctance. The worst of all is abortion or'killing a human to be'. This is seen to be harming a living sentient being. Pills and condoms are much more acceptable, though many prefer condoms.
Fears that Tara is able to dispel, each external fear relating to an internal state; they are the fear of: lions (pride), wild elephants (ignorance), fire (anger), snakes (jealousy), floods (attachment), imprisonment (miserliness), thieves (wrong views) and cannibals (doubt).
The country that is approximately 95% Buddhist is Thailand, where Theravada Buddhism is the predominant religion, deeply integrated into daily life and culture, with other nearby nations like Cambodia also having very high Buddhist majorities.