ปุจฉา-วิสัชนา : กลวิธีทางวรรณศิลป์ในวรรณคดีไทยพุทธศาสนา / พิสิทธิ์ กอบบุญ = Puccha-vissajjana : a literary technique in Buddhist Thai literature / Pisit Kobbun
This thesis aims at studying pucchâ-vissajjanâ as a literary technique to see how it enhances the understanding of Buddhist knowledge in Buddhist Thai literature. The study reveals that pucchâ-vissajjanâ, question-and-answer, is a technique for presenting buddhadhamma in Pâli Buddhist literature both in the Tipitaka and post-Tipitaka literature. Pucchâ-vissajjanâ is a technique for teaching the dhamma employed by the Buddha and his disciples. It is a mnemonic technique for transmitting and maintaining the Buddha’s teaching in the oral tradition and descended to be a traditional technique in written Buddhist literature. Moreover, pucchâ-vissajjanâ technique is favorable for meditation practice. Pucchâ-vissajjanâ is an effective technique for clearly conveying the essence of dhamma in 3 genres of Buddhist Thai literature namely Jâtaka, Buddhadhamma literary work, and P ra ra tc h a p u c c h a (Royal inquiry on Buddhist problems). There are 4 characteristics of pucchâ-vissajjanâ: 1) Straight-forward question 2) Buddhist Riddle 3) Enigmatic question or complex question and 4) Posing a leading question and answering by the author himself. Pucchâ-vissajjanâ, as a literary technique, serves to harmonize all literary components in the text in order to ultimately communicate buddhadhamma. Pucchâ-vissajjanâ is also a persuasive technique that subtly makes a reader participate in the texts. Sometimes pucchâ-vissajjanâ is created to be puzzling to evoke and stimulate interpretative thoughts and then to clarify and explain Buddhist problems. Consequently, it brings about the delight from perfect understanding. Pucchâ-vissajjanâ is also a technique for setting particular issue, clarifying and giving Buddhist knowledge, developing thought gradually and eliminating the wrong view, leading to faith and wisdom. Pucchâ-vissajjanâ plays a significant role in Thai culture as can be seen in the tradition of Royal Buddhist inquiry on Buddhist problems, sermons as well as Thai folksongs, riddles and proverbs. Besides, Pucchâ-vissajjanâ predominantly exists in Buddhist textbooks for monks and laymen alike. Therefore we can say that pucchâ-vissajjanâ has a profound and extensive influence on Thai way of life and culture.
