การศึกษาภาพสะท้อนสังคมในวรรณคดีเรื่อง “พระสี่เสาร์กลอนสวด”
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Abstract
A Study of the Social Reflections in the Literary Work “Phra See Sao Klon Suad”
This research article was derived from an analysis of the literary work titled “Phra See Sao Klon Suad”, a widely popular Buddhist literature during the early Rattanakosin period. The focus was to study the reflections of the Thai society using the documentary methodology. This literature whose content was based on Sisora Chadok was anonymous and the period of writing was unknown. The findings indicated that apart from the Dhamma instructions, “Phra See Sao Klon Suand” featured interesting reflections of the Thai society in the old days. For governments and politics, it reflected the reign of absolute monarchy and some characteristics and roles of a king. For economy, it gave a picture of an agricultural society of the old days. For family, it pointed out the closely knitted relations of the family and the roles of a woman as a wife. For culture, it revealed the royal traditions and the people’s ways of life, beliefs and values. For education, it showed that the Thai society in the past held onto Buddhism and the institute of family as vital to its education. The results of the study brought about knowledge and understanding of the life, ways of living and thinking of the ancestors of the Thai people. They suggested that the Thai society had once embraced good culture and ways of living, but some aspects of this decency have somehow disappeared from the modern ways of living.