| 2004 Autonomous Vehicle Blessing |
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and Natthakarn Pantiyanurak blessing Team Phantasams Autonomous Vehicle Ladibug, March 8th 2004]] Tham Kwan Rod Blessing The blessing, referred to as Tham Kwan Rod is commonly practiced in South East Asia , specifically Thailand . The blessing is meant to promote safety and have the object being blessed do as little damage as possible. The Blessing is practiced by Theravada Buddhist Monks on a wide range of inanimate objects including cars, airplanes, buildings etc. The Ceremony commonly consists of prayers being chanted, a mixture of water and garlic paste being lightly sprinkled on the blessed object and the placement of fingerprints in the shape of a triangle on the object. The significance of these actions can be traced back to early Animistic practices in the region. History On March 8th 2004 in Barstow California Team Phantasams Ladibug became the first ever Autonomous Vehicle to have the Tham Kwan Rod blessing placed on it. A letter was sent offering the blessing to all participants. Team Phantasm's leader Warren Williams was the only person to respond from any team. He requested the blessing be made and envited Patheep Noingbangk , Natthakarn Pantiyanurak and Guston Sondin-Klausner to be team members for the day of March 8th. The Blessing was performed at roughly mid-day and lasted for 18 minutes. Controversy There was controversy surrounding the Blessing after it occurred. One of the team members Bill Zimmerly wrote in the article, "One man's story of promotional monks and mechanical friendships" : "We received an email from a group of Buddhist Monks, asking us if they can come and "Bless" our vehicle. Being a Christian myself, I would have preferred that they not do this, but I'm not the team leader, and Warren thought that it would be a great media-attracting story, so I reluctantly agreed to give them a ride from the registration area to the garages. Warren was right your brothers and sisters in the media flocked to our section to witness the "blessing"." News Coverage The Autonomous Vehicle blessing was reported in several news sources nationally and internationally. Each of the sources portrayed the blessing in different ways commonly mis-interperting its meaning and message. Further reading William J. Klausner, Thai Culture in Transition (Bangkok, Amarin printing and publishing 1997). ISBN 974-8298-52-3 Phra Thepsophon, A Buddhist Worldview (Bangkok, Mahachula University Press 2000). ISBN 974-575-629-6 EXTERNAL LINKS
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