ตำนานพระศรีอาริย์ในสังคมไทย : การสร้างสรรค์และบทบาท / อภิลักษณ์ เกษมผลกูล = Myths of Phra Sri An in Thai society : creation and roles / Aphilak Kasempholkoon
To study Phra Sri An myths in Thai society concerning their creation and roles. The 149 stories of Phra Sri An were gathered from every region of Thailand, both written and oral versions. Phra Sri An myths in Thai society can be classified into 8 subgroups. They are 1) the Buddha’s life history stories, 2) the Phra Malai stories, 3) the Chief white crow stories, 4) Phra Sri An’s previous karma stories, 5) the Venerable monks as Phra Sri An Bodhisattva stories, 6) the Lotus scheme stories, 7) the Dammikkaraj Kings stories and 8) the Prophecy stories. The creation of Phra Sri An myths is categorized into 2 groups. The first group, the myths created by the adaptation from Buddhist scripture, is modified by adding the relationship between Gotama Buddha and Phra Sri An which is based on the concept of Karma, adding the description of Phra Sri An’s previous lives, and adding the details of Phra Sri An’s era. Whereas the second group, the myths newly created in Thai society, is composed with an intention to explain the linkage between Gotama Buddha and Phra Sri An, combine Phra Sri An’s previous lives into his life structure, describe the imagined social states in the religious gap, and connect the story to Thai localities. Putting all the myths from the time before Gotama Buddha’s era to the time of his enlightenment enhances the complete life structure of Phra Sri An. Various stories of Phra Sri An are used in many aspects by many people from different social status. The analysis of the roles of Phra Sri An myths in Thai society reveals that these myths play the significant role as religious myths. Concerning the religious function, the myths construct the systematic belief about the future Buddhas and the ideal world, provide the wish–fulfillment mechanism for the Buddhists, enforce the moral standard, and justify the rituals. Regarding the political function, they establish not only the explanation for people’s social status and their politic rights but also social rules for people in the society. Moreover the myths have function in art, they are the inspiration for the creation of sculptures, paintings and music. All of these functions confirm the popularity of Phra Sri An myths and their roles in various aspects in Thai society.
