Symbolism and Influence: The King of Nagas in Contemporary Thai Buddhist Practice
Keywords:
King of Nagas, big snake, OppatikaAbstract
This research consisted of 4 objectives such 1) Investigate how symbols and signs related to Nagas are culturally constructed and interpreted within Thai society. This includes understanding how these symbols influence beliefs, behaviors, and societal norms, 2) Explore how these symbols influence beliefs, behaviors, and societal norms, 3)Interpret meaning to the King of Nagas in their religious rituals and daily lives, and 4)Analyze the influence beliefs, behaviors, and societal norms. The dissertation entitled “Symbolism and Influence: The King of Nagas in Contemporary Thai Buddhist Practice” involves examining how symbols, signs, and meanings associated with the King of Nagas (Naga) are interpreted and integrated into religious and cultural practices. Both quantitative and qualitative methodology is applied. This research focused on understanding meanings and interpretations of symbols, thus the qualitative approach was the main focus. Designing research on the influence of the King of Nagas on Buddhist behavior in Thai society of the 21st century from a semiotics perspective involved several key considerations. The final results were found that Nagas in Buddhism appear in the form of large snakes, some of which have magical powers that can transform into human form. It is believed that Naga lives in the ground. Some of them live in water, such as streams, rivers, seas, and oceans. Some live on land, such as in caves. The character of the Naga can be collected in 9 ways: 1) It has a crest, 2) It has scales, 3) It has a tail, 4) It has a long body, 5) It looks like a big snake, 6) It looks like a demigod, 7) It looks like a god, 8) It looks like an oppatika, and 9) It can change its shape
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