People’s Thought and Belief on Worshiping Buddha's Relics in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Abstract

The objectives of the research in “People’s Thought and Belief on Worshiping Buddha's Relics in Nakhon Si Thammarat” were 1) to study the form and the development in worshipping Phra Borammathat Chedi Nakhon Si Thammarat and 2) to study the beliefs in worshipping Phra Borammathat Chedi Nakhon Si Thammarat using worshipping tributes. Data were collected from documents and held in depth interviews. Data analysis was to identify the distinct and interrelated and checked for accuracy. Then the results were presented with method of descriptive analysis. Therefore, the conclusion was based on the fact most.

The research findings were the followings: 1) The results of Buddhism worshipping revealed that Buddhists had faith on local beliefs. A concept was based on the life cycle such as birth and death. Early sculpture of Buddhism showed the development of worship after the Buddha cremation ceremony. Building pagoda was for place the Buddha’s relics. Therefore, pagoda had become a symbol of the Buddha. 2) The form and development of the behavior worship with offerings in Buddhism with good rice that made of honey and molasses, the land to build temple, the dance, sing, garland and the fragrant appeared after the Buddha cremation of the Buddha’s body. Pagoda used for place the Buddha’s relics and kept for worship Buddha. In the early, the worship of a memorial of Buddha didn’t use any human image but used for the empty throne or Buddha’s footprint in order to show respect as walking clockwise three times around Bodhi tree and pagoda. Worshipping with pressing the hands together at the chest and forehead greets showed highly respect to the people and places. There were many ways of worshipping maintenance in Buddhism such as donating money and buying land to build temple and repairing pagoda. Also, the form and development of worshipping pagoda of placing Buddha’s relics was one of worshipping Phra Borommathat Chedi Nakhon Si Thammarat. Later, the development of worshipping flowers, incenses and candles became the tradition in Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahavihan. The development of worshipping monk cloth to Buddha’s relics pagoda showed respect by walking clockwise three times also became to the tradition as well as the development praying a side of pagoda.