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The Roles of the Buddha in Thai Myths

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The Roles of the Buddha in Thai Myths THE ROLES OF THE Introduction BUDDHA IN THAI MYTHS: Animism had been practiced in Thai REFLECTIONS ON THE society long before Thai people adopted ATTEMPT TO INTEGRATE Buddhism. Traditional accounts relate that BUDDHISM INTO THAI Buddhism was introduced to Thailand after 1 the third Buddhist Council at Pataliputa LOCAL BELIEFS (modern Patna) in the 3rd century BE. Moggalliputta Tissa had sent out two 2 Poramin Jaruworn Buddhist missionary monks, the Elder Sona and the Elder Uttara to the Suvarnabhumi Abstract region. After that initial introduction, evidence shown in inscriptions and myths that Buddhism was received from Ceylon at This article aims at identifying the roles of various points in time.3 One may ask why the Buddha in Thai myths in order to Thai people were so receptive to Buddhism, explain how the Thai were able to integrate which was a new religion, and why Buddhism into their indigenous beliefs. Buddhism came to play an important role in Certain myths played an important role in the Thai people’s lives, replacing the recording the conflicts in the minds of Thai indigenous religious beliefs. ancestors as to whether they should continue to hold to indigenous beliefs or Myths are a form of narratives that existed whether they should adopt Buddhism. The before written records. In Thailand, both roles played by the Buddha in certain myths oral myths and written historical myths can reflect the fact that the Buddha took over be found. The historical myths are usually roles that were once performed by local composed of two parts: a mythical part gods. Such roles were the provision of which relates supernatural events, followed fertility, light and water. Attitudes of the by a historical part which tends to be Thai embedded in the myths offer insight chronologically dated. into the mechanism through which Buddhism was able to be integrated into the In this article, the role of the character of indigenous belief system. the Buddha in various myths is analyzed to explain how the Thai accepted and integrated Buddhism into their religious system. 1 This article is a part of a Ph.D. thesis entitled Conflict and Compromise in Thai Myths which The Buddha in Thai Myths was financially supported in part by a Chulalongkorn University Graduate Scholar- ship Commemorating the 72nd Birth Aniversary Thai myths are of various in kinds. There of H.M. King Rama IX and by The Royal are myths that explain nature or natural Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program Scholarship, The phenomenon, such as creation myths, rice Thailand Research Fund. myths, solar and lunar eclipse myths, and 2 Lecturer, Department of Thai, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. 3 See Visudh Busyakul (2002); Piyanat Bunnaag (1991). Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 01:20:49PM via free access MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities (Special Issue No.9 2005) rain myths. There are also myths that to make a hole in the giant gourd through explain the origin of culture heroes, and which people of various ethnic groups myths of ancient places. Moreover, there could crawl out. are myths concerning the introducing of Buddhism to the Thai-Tai region, such as The gods and the fragrant soil myth type myths of the Buddha’s relics, the Buddha’s though does not tell stories about the footprints, and the images of the Buddha. creator but focuses on the origin of man. Lastly, there are myths that explain rituals. This type of myth relates that human beings Given the wide range of myths transmitted descended from heaven. Devatas, deities, by the Thai-Tai, it is of importance to study came down to earth where they ate the how the myths reflect the religious beliefs fragrant soil at the beginning of the new of Thai people. The author has found that cosmic age. They then became earth-bound the Buddha in Thai myths played a variety human beings. The male and female of interesting roles. devatas copulated and had children together.4 The Buddha as World Creator The first and the second types of myths Creation myths are stories about how the relate that Pu-Ya, who are local gods, world, human beings and nature were created the world and human beings, or that created. Thaen, another local god, gave birth to a man by bringing a giant gourd, which The content of Thai creation myths can be contained humans inside, down from categorized into three broad groups, which heaven to earth. We can see that these kinds are: Pu Sangasa–Ya Sangasi (Grandfather of stories did not mention the role of the Sangasa (ปูสังกะสา)–Grandmother Sangasi (ยา Buddha in creating the world and human beings. สังกะสี)) myth type, the giant gourd myth type, and Devata (deities) and the fragrant There are, however, certain versions of soil myth type. such creation myths which mention the role of the Buddha in creating the world. In the The Grandfather Sangasa–Grandmother Pu Sangasa–Ya Sangasi myth type, certain Sangasi myth type focuses on the creation versions state that the Buddha explained to of the world and the first man and woman. his disciples about the world and The stories tell that Pu-Ya (Grandfather – cosmology. The Thai Khoen (Chiang- tung, Grandmother) created the world and/or Myanmar) and the Thai Yuan (Northern human beings first, then they made 12 Thai) myths mention that after Pu–Ya had animal toys out of clay for their 12 created the world there would be Buddhas children. The stories always end with the born and enlightened on the Indian sub- statement “Pu-Ya were ancestors of people continent. today.” Moreover, two versions of Isan (North- The giant gourd myth type focuses on the eastern Thai) myths describe the role of the time of the world after the deluge when Buddha in different ways. Thaen (แถน-the sky god) brought a giant gourd down to the earth. Then he used a pointed iron rod that had been heated in fire 4 Siraporn Nathalang (2004b: 81-98). 16 Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 01:20:49PM via free access The Roles of the Buddha in Thai Myths The first version: Pathamamula (ปฐมมูล), a The Buddha advised Pu-Ya to make northeastern Thai version from Ban merit. The Buddha mixed dirt from Nonglom Temple, Muang District, his body with water and soil and Mahasarakham Province states that: sculpted it into Mount Sumeru and Mount Sattaparibhanda. The Buddha explained to the enlightened disciples that at first The first version integrates Pu–Ya which there were no moon and sun. Only represents the indigenous belief air and wind existed. The wind incorporating the Buddha by saying that Pu blew to create water, and there was was reincarnated to be born as the Buddha. Ananda fish in the water. The giant In the second version, it is claimed that Pu– fish rolled up the land and rock. Ya was created by the Buddha. These two There was Putthangkaiyasangasa* versions may differ in detail, but they both (ปุตถังไคยะสังกะสา) to guard the land and imply that the Buddha was superior in there was Itthikaiyasangasi** (อิตถีไคยะ status to the local gods. The Buddha was สังกะสี) to guard the rock. Pu-Ya the world creator that had higher status than created plants and animals. They Pu-Ya, who were the world creators had five children. Itthikaiyasangasi according to the old beliefs. This obviously died and was reincarnated as earth. shows the attitude of the storyteller who Putthangkaiyasangasa died and was told these two versions, that Buddhism was reincarnated as a bird. Both of them superior than the indigenous religion. were reincarnated many times and then became enlightened as the These two versions of the Pu Sangasa–Ya Buddha. Sangasi myth type were an inversion of the indigenous Pu-Ya type mentioned before. The second northeastern Thai version: In the indigenous version, Pu-Ya created Mulapathamapanna, (มูลปฐมปนนา) from Ban the world first, and only later was the Nonglom Temple, Muang District, Buddha born; in the Buddhist version, it Mahasarakham Province states that: was the Buddha who was born first and then created Pu-Ya. This changes the status The Buddha explained that of the Buddha to world creator, replacing previously the cosmos had nothing. Pu-Ya, the creator in the old beliefs. There were no sun and no moon. The Buddha meditated and he The Buddha as Fertility God perspired. He mixed dirt from his body with water and soil, and sculpted it into Pu Sangasa and Ya Rice is the staple food of the Thai, and rain Sangkasi. Both of them ate is the main factor in growing rice, and light ambrosia so they had no lust. But affects the growth of all that lives. In Thai when they ate rice they had lust and myths, there are stories telling that rice, rain then they copulated. They had eight and light came from supernatural beings children. They gave their children that granted these things out of compassion eight kinds of animals to play with. for human beings. If human beings did wrong and did not worship the supernatural beings properly, they would be punished and would suffer from drought. The stories * give Pali forms for Grandfather Sangasa. ** give Pali forms for Grandmother Sangasi. 17 Downloaded from Brill.com09/30/2021 01:20:49PM via free access MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities (Special Issue No.9 2005) like this appear in rice myths, rain myths There was a famine. The Buddha had to and the solar and lunar eclipse myths. make a journey to ask the rice goddess to come back.5 The Fertility Role of the Buddha in Rice Myths The stories of the relation between the rice goddess and the red-eyed seer myth type The indigenous god that gave fertility to relate that previously the rice goddess was a rice is the rice goddess or Mae Phosop (แม celestial being who sacrificed herself to be โพสพ-Mother Rice).
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