Religious Literature

Buddha was an Indian Prince, born near Lumpini in the south of what is now Nepal. His birth name was Sitthatha. The events in his life before and after enlightenment are depicted in temple mural’s paintings in Bangkok and elsewhere, most of them are the following episodes:

• Pictures in which a “Maha Rishi” (a great hermit) shows his respect for Prince Sitthatha as a child, since he recognized all the characteristics of a great personality (Mahapurisa) in him.
• Pictures depicting the four symbolic visions : an old man, a dying man, a dead man and a monk. Prince Sitthata saw them on the way to his palace park. Because of these visions he decided to give up all his worldly possessions and become a monk.
• Pictures depicting unpleasant scenes in the palace: sleeping girls at court in despicable positions. From this point of view the prince felt disgusted and depressed.
• Pictures that describe the moment when the prince finally decides in favor of monasticism and looks at his wife, Princess Yasothara and his son Prince Rahun for the last time.
• Prince Sitthatha on his horse, accompanied by his court servant Chanta when saying goodbye to the court.
• Pictures showing Prince Sitthatha at the tonsure before entering monasticism.
• Prince Sittatha trying to attain enlightenment by inflicting torment on himself.
• Pictures of Lady Suchada at the handover of “Mathupayat Rice” to Prince Sitthata, shortly before his enlightenment, of that he had decided to eat regular meals again after a long fast.
• Images of Mara, the evil spirit who tried to distract the prince shortly before his enlightenment.
• Images of Buddha in meditation when he reached enlightenment.
• The walking Buddha in meditation after he has reached enlightenment.
• The Buddha’s first sermon to the five Brahma (Panjawakki).
• Buddha coming down from heaven after preaching to his mother there.
• Pictures showing Buddha in a resting position between two Sal trees before entering nirvana.
• The incineration of the Buddha, where the Brahma Tona distributes the Buddha’s relics to kings.

More details about episodes from the life of Buddha can be found in the following books: Krom somdet Phra Poramanuchitchinorot or in a book entitled “Buddhapravat”, written by the Supreme Patriarch krom Phraya Vachirayarn Varorot.

Krom Somdet Phra Poramanuchichinorot was the son of Ramas I. He was called Prince Vasukrie before he became a monk. When he became Supreme Patriach, he resided in the Vasukrie building in Wat Phra Chetupon. He is also known as a poet.

The Supreme Patriach Krom Phraya Vachirayarn Varorot (1859-1921), son of Ramas IV, wrote literary works for both monks and the general public. His residence was at Wat Bovornivet.

The Jataka stories deal with the Buddha’s earlier life. Buddhists believe in the teaching of rebirth. According to this belief, Buddha had several lives before he was born as Prince Sitthata.

There are 547 Jataka stories in the Traipitaka, the Buddhist Bible. The phrase “Lord of 500 Previous Lives” is sometimes used with reference to these stories.

According to Buddhist belief, the entry of man into his existence, i.e. his birth or death, is connected with his actions (kama).

Buddha did good deeds every time he was born, and because of his decency and good deeds in his previous life, he was able to attain enlightenment.

The Jataka stories serve to explain Buddhist principles in the form of stories. The stories are interesting and entertaining and are used as moral lessons for both adults and children. They can be compared with the Indian “Hitopadesa” or the European “Aesop stories”. There are two groups of Jataka stories in Thailand.

1. Stories of the first groups go back to Tripitaka.
2. The others were written in Chiengmai in Pali 300-400 years ago.

The Jataka stories in the Tripitaka can in turn be divided into groups according to their length and number of Katha (stanzas in Pali):

• Ekanibat: Every story is written in only one Katha.
• Tukanibat: Every story includes two katha.
• Tikanibat: There are three Katha in each story.
• Finally, the last group is called Mahanibat. The story therein encompass more than 80 katha.

The Jataka stories written by monks in Chiengmai 300 – 400 years ago form a collection of 50 stories and are called “Panyasjataka” (fifty Jataka stories) or in Thai “Phra Chao Sip Chart” (the 10 earlier lives of Buddha “). The themes and actions of these stories do not come from the Nibatjataka, but from the fairy tales and stories known in Thailand.

The last ten stories of the Nibatjataka, commonly known as Tosajataka, are the most important. Most popular is the last and longest story: Maha Jati or Maha Vessandorn.

The Vessandorn Jataka has been known as a literary work, Mahajati Kham Luang (written 1462), since the reign of King Borom Trailokanat from the Ayutthaya period.

The Thai cosmology is derived from Buddhism. The most important literary work about it is Traiphumi Phra Ruang or Thephumikatha, written and edited by King Mahathammaraja I (Phraya Li thai), and intended as a sermon to his mother. The content of this book goes back to 30 different written sources. This Thephumkatha was the first Buddhist script written in Thailand and had a great influence on the later Thai literature.

According to Traibhum Phra Ruang, the universe contains three spheres of existence:

1. Kamabhumi: the sensual world in which all beings still have sensual desires.
2. Rupabhumi: or the world of form, in which all beings can have their sensual desires under control, but have not yet given up their pursuit of existence.
3. Arupbhumi: or the world of formlessness, in which all beings stand beyond sensual desires and their current existence, but still worry about their future because they fear to be born again and have to suffer the torments of existence again.

The information about the structure of the world with the Sumeru mountain in the middle is also important in this work. The Sumeru mountain rises up to the sky, but its foot is deep underground. The inhabited regions are called Thaviep (continents). There are a total of 4 Thaviep:

1. Uttarakuru: north of Sumeru Mountain.
2. Purvavideha: in the east.
3. Amaragayana: in the west.
4. Jambhuthaviep: where we now live in the south.

The most pious people live in Uttarakura. You never get sick and live the longest. Their faces are square, while the people of Purvavideha have a round face like a full moon. The shape of the face of the people in Amaragoyana resembles the waning moon.

The Sumeru mountain, north of Jambhuthaviep, is the abode of all heavenly beings. It is surrounded by seven mountains and the ocean. : The seven mountains are called Sattabhanthakiri, the ocean between these mountains Sithandorn.

There are 6 layers of heaven according to Buddhist belief:

1. Jatumarajiga
2. Tavatimsa (where the god Indra abides)
3. Yama
4. Dusit
5. Nimmanoradi
6. Poranimitswatdi

In the universe, as described in Traibhum Phra Ruang, there are many animals that do not exist on our earth, namely “Ratchasi” (mythological lion), strange elephants, oxen and horses including “Garuda” (a mythological bird) and “Nak “(The snake king).

At the foot of the Sumeru there is a large lake called “Simplie” called “Chimplie”. This lake is surrounded by Simplie trees, on the top of which Phra Ya Garuda lives.

Apart from Garuda, other mythological animals come from Buddhism and Brahmism (Hinduism): Yaksa, Mara and Asura. Far away there are heavenly beings who are lower than Theva (deva = god) but higher than humans: Vidhayattara, kinnon, kinnari and Apsara.

Kinnon and kinnarie are bird gods and goddess. Their upper bodies are like gods, their lower bodies are like birds. They live on the slopes of the mythological mountain “Sumeru” or in the “Himmaphan forest”

In the liturature it sometimes happens that the kinnarie are kidnapped because of their beauty. Wall paintings, sculptures or decorative elements in the temple also represent kinnon and kinnarie. They are modeled in dance theater, e.g. in the “Manora”.

The idea of heaven and hell serves on the one hand to make people believe in what is good. Good deeds are rewarded, especially in the afterlife. On the other hand, the one who sins is punished and has to go into Hell.

The literary work “Ramayana”, which originates from Indian literature and whose Thai version bears the name “Ramakien”, is very well known.

The Indian version of Ramayana is just as old as Buddhism, i.e. about 2500 years.

The work was probably written by Valmiki, a hermit. The story came to Thailand no less than 900 years ago. In the Khmer temple of Pimei there are stone sculptures depicting scenes from this epic. Caves with the names Rama and Sita are mentioned on the stone inscriptions of King Ramkamhaeng of Sukhothai.

During the reign of King Narai the Great (Ayutthaya period), “Nirat Sida” or “Rajapilarp came Chan” were written. The work describes Ramas sorrow in his search for his wife Sida.

The longest Thai version of Ramakien was written by Rama I (60,000 stanzas). Other versions are from Koenig Tak Sin and Rama II, among others.

The god Indra is originally the god of lightning and thunder in Hinduism. Later he only becomes a higher, heavenly being without any function. Indra in Hinduism still has sensual desires and sometimes gets into difficulties because of this, such as in his love affair with Adulya, the wife of a hermit, and is cursed by him to get markings all over his body that look like female sexual organs.

Indra repents and asks the hermit for forgiveness, who finally turns all traits into eyes, which is why Indra is also given the name “sahasanai” (one-piece eyes). Some Thai works give it the name Tao Pan Ta (= one who has 1000 eyes).

Ganesh is the son of Siva and Uma. He has the head of an elephant and the body of a human with long ears, four arms and two fangs. Ganesh holds a long hook for leading an elephant, a noose, a bowl of holy water and a bolt of lightning. He is considered the god of science and art.

In the courtyard of the Wat Po temple there is a siva lingam in front of the large stupa, on which pious Buddhists have stuck traces of gold leaf. It is believed that Siva lingam was introduced there as a symbol of knowledge to make the temple a center of art and science.

Since Siva lingam symbolizes fertility, similar to the Greek phallic symbol, women also come there to ask to become pregnant and leave a gold leaf smear on the Siva lingam.

The figures of Mekhala and Ramasun are depicted in many Buddhist temples. Although the names come from Sanskrit, their stories cannot be found in Sanskrit literature.

The Thai people tell the story of the heavenly beings in a version that sounds like a story from India. In pictures and sculptures we see Mekhala with a crystal in hand. When she ascends to heaven, this crystal glitters so beautifully that Ramasun, a demon, wants it.

Ramasun throws his weapon, an ax, at Makhala, whereupon thunder and lightning arise. The crystal has a magical power that protects Mekhala from the demon.