Cambodia has a population that is 90% Khmer.  Cambodia is the most uniform type of country. The language they speak, the culture and religion are the same and predominant throughout the country. They take pride in the Angkorian era, which is the time where the capital area held more than a million of its inhabitants.

The Khmer kings constructed large water works and majestic temples. It was the time that Angkor dominated much of Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and of course, modern Cambodia. Buddhism in Cambodia has been practiced in Cambodia since the fifth century.  Currently, an estimated 95% of the population’s faith is Buddhism.

Theravada Buddhism has been a way of life among the Khmer people and those living in the lowlands of Southeast Asia. Up until now, a large population in Cambodia reside in villages wherein the symbolic centers are temple-monasteries or wats. The wat served as an important function in education, culture, and society apart from it being the moral-religious center of the village. Several wats were preserved from generation to generation and these provided knowledge and teachings regarding the Khmer culture and language. These are also the cornerstones of Cambodian Buddhism.

There are no formal ties with other Buddhist bodies. Theravada Monks from other countries like Thailand, Laos, Burma and Sri Lanka may participate in religious rites and ceremonies. The Buddhist Monks also have their own social class in Cambodia.  They are traditionally given a great amount of respect. This is evident in the language used with addressing a monk and when speaking about them. Their attire consists of bright orange robes, shaved heads, and use begging bowls. Boys would spend a period of their lives as monks. While this is a returning practice in Cambodia, it is not as prevalent compared to Thailand, Laos and Burma.  Buddhist monks do take vows that keep them as monks, although some remain permanently as monks.  Buddhist law regulates a monk’s life, and when they stay in the wat, they follow a strict routine. A bhikku follows several rules of monastic discipline and precepts that all Buddhists should follow. Monks must not involve themselves in political affairs. They are not eligible to vote or run for public office. 

Buddhism is different around the world, although there are some similarities in the doctrine: 

• In terms of God, Gautama Buddha, who was born in Nepal around 560 BC, is revered and recognized as the divine being. Although he never declared himself as a deity, believers offer prayers to him. 

• In terms of revelation, Buddha would provide teachings as an example for fellow monks.

• Buddha declared ‘four noble truths’: Suffering is universal, the cause of this suffering is our own selfish desire, the cure for suffering is by eliminating selfish desire, and eliminating selfish desire comes through following eight principles. 

• Like Hinduism, Buddhism teaches that when a person passes away, their soul goes to a new body through the process of rebirth or reincarnation.  Everyone carries with them the consequences or the karma or their previous lives. 

• Those who follow the eight disciplines – the Noble Eightfold Path – will achieve ultimate enlightenment also known as Nirvana.

To Buddhists, Nirvana does not dominate their being, although it is important to some degree. They are more focused on the merit-making which holds believers to Buddhism. Most Cambodians understand that the core principle of Buddhism in simple words is, “Do good deeds, get good.” This merit can be achieved by participating in numerous rituals or ceremonies called Boeun. These practices of the Boeun is not a pure Buddhist ceremony but actually come from Hinduism, animism, and ancestor worship.