You can spot Brahma Shrines inside many Folk Chinese Temples in Singapore and Malaysia. It is due to the influence of Hong Kong Actors / Actresses who started the trend of praying to the Four Faced "Buddha" of Erawan Shrine , near the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand , since 1980s.
Who is Brahma?
Origin from Hinduism: Brahma is one of the three major gods in the Hindu faith alongside Vishnu and Shiva, and together, they make up the Trimurti. Brahma's role is as the creator of all things, and he sits alongside Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiva, the destroyer.
In Buddhist tradition: When Buddha attained enlightenment, the deity "Brahma Sahampati" appeared before Buddha and invited him to teach the knowledge that he gained. Brahma is regarded as the part of the Buddhist cosmology. He is the lord of the heavenly realm of rebirth called the Brahmaloka. In Buddhist culture, the iconography of Brahma varies along with the ideology but normally, he is represented by four faces and four arms.
Phra Phrom: Phra Phrom (Thai: พระพรหม) is the Thai representation of the Hindu creator god Brahma. In modern Thailand, Phra Phrom is often worshipped outside of Hindu contexts by regular Buddhists, and, like many other Hindu deities, has usually come to represent guardian spirits in Thai animist beliefs, which coexist alongside Buddhist practices.
Interesting Fact: When the Chinese Folks pray to the deities , majority of them have no interest , or don't be bothered to understand who the deities they are praying to. All they have to do is to buy the joss-sticks and joss papers from the temple, pray to all the deities in the temple, and drop money inside the donation boxes beside the deity statues.
Since the Chinese Folks are keen to pray to Four Faced "Buddha", so by adding the Statue in the Chinese Temple, there will be 4 more donation boxes on each side (4 sides) of the statue, hence more "donation money" going to the temple.
While the Chinese Folks (Singaporeans / Malaysians) are praying to Four Faced "Buddha", ironially, very few Hindus pray to this deity - Brahma. Yes!!! Majority of Hindus don't pray to Brahma!
Here are the 2 popular myths on why Hindus don't pray to Brahma (Phra Phrom):
1) Shiva Purana: When Brahma and Vishnu had an argument about who was the most powerful amongst the Trimurti. The argument went on and on until they asked Shiva to intervene. Shiva then took the form of a gigantic lingam made of flaming fire, and that went up to the heavens and also descended underneath the earth. Shiva told them that the one who can find the end of the light will be considered the most powerful among the Trimurti.
Brahma took the form of a swan and started the search for the end of light along the length of ascending lingam. On the other hand, Vishnu took the form of a Varaha (wild boar) and started the search for the end of the light along the length of descending lingam.
They kept moving fast and continuously. But their search was in vain. Both couldn’t find the end.
Vishnu realized that Shiva was the greatest of the triad and he had been outdone by Shiva. But, Brahma thought that he could outdo Shiva with trickery. He passed the ketaki flower and requested ketaki to tell Shiva that he had in fact reached the uppermost end. Ketaki told Shiva that he had seen Brahma reach the upper end of the lingam.
Shiva knew that he was lying and that made him really angry. So, he cursed Brahma that he shall never be worshipped on earth. Also, the ketaki flower was cursed that it shall never be used in any of Hindu worship rituals.
2) Matsya Purana: When Brahma created the universe, he made a female deity known as Shatarupa (the one with a hundred beautiful forms).
The goddess’s beauty was alluring and Brahma too was allured and infatuated by her beauty. He could not contain his passion and pursued her wherever she went But Shatarupa had no such desire and moved in various directions so that she could avoid his gaze. For each direction she went, Brahma developed a head, until he had four, each for the direction of the compass. Shatarupa had no other option but to leap over Brahma. Even then, Brahma developed another head on top of others. He had a total of five heads now.
Right then, Shiva appeared and cut the top head. He told Brahma that Shatarupa was, in fact, Brahma’s daughter because he created her, and Shiva told him that it was not right for him to be obsessed with her. It was deemed unholy by Shiva. So, he directed that no proper worship should be done in the name of “unholy” Brahma. Ever since Brahma has been reciting the Vedas so that he can be freed from his sins.
There is another version of the story that talks about different kinds of animals that were born. When Brahma grew his fifth head, Shatarupa then turned into a cow to avoid his lust. When Brahma found about that, he turned into a bull and found her. Then, Shatarupa turned into another female animal; Brahma again turned into a male version of that animal. That process went on and on until Shiva arrived and cut Brahma’s fifth head to end his lust.
Conclusion: While Chinese Singaporeans and Chinese Malaysians Folks are praying to Four-Faced "Buddha", the Hindus don't pray to Brahma. If You are a Chinese who pray to Four Faced "Buddha", remember not to drag Your Indian friends, who happens to be Hindu, to follow You to pray to Brahma. High chance they are not interested.
