The dhammakāya verse has been recognized in the Lan Na regions for centuries, with historical inscriptions confirming its existence dating back to the 16th century, specifically at Wat Tham Suea in Phitsanulok. The inscriptions, including one dated 1470 Mahasakkarāja, reveal the cultural and religious significance of the dhammakāya verse among Buddhists. Found in royal contexts like Wat Phra Chetupon, the continued existence of these manuscripts showcases the verse's lasting impact on Thai Buddhism and its teachings about the Dhamma body of Buddha. Such artifacts enrich our understanding of Thai religious history and the dhammakāya's importance in spiritual practices.
หัวข้อประเด็น
-Historical significance of dhammakāya verse -Inscription of dhammakāya -Buddhism in 16th century Phitsanulok -Wat Tham Suea -Gold-plated manuscripts in Thai Buddhism
ข้อความต้นฉบับในหน้า
Although there is no date on the manuscript, the dhammakāya verse has been known in the Lan Na regions for many centuries. It also appears on a 16th century stone inscription unearthed at the site of Wat Tham Suea, Changwat Phitsanulok, northern Thailand. This inscription was given the identification number of 54 in the Corpus of Thai Inscriptions, and published under the name “Inscription of dhammakāya” by the Office of the Prime Minister in 1965. The inscription was transliterated from Khom Thai script into modern Thai script by Professor Cham Thongkhamwan and identified as the beginning of the dhammakāya verse recorded in the Lan Na manuscript. The Phitsanulok inscription is dated Friday, the first day of the third waxing moon, 1470 Mahasakkarāja, which is equivalent to 2092 BE (or 1548 CE). The scribe was a Buddhist monk: Maḥāthera Śribaṅśa. The inscription was commissioned by Mahā Brahmakumāra with the support of a group of donors. This dated inscription confirms that the verse, and the concept of the Dhamma body of the Buddha, was known to Buddhists in the city of Phitsanulok during the 16th century. At this time, Phitsanulok was part of the kingdom of Ayutthaya, and was ruled by King Maḥācakkraphat (r.1548-1564 CE).
Another piece of evidence that shows the age and the importance of the dhammakāya verse for Thai Buddhism is a gold-plated manuscript found in the monastery of Wat Phra Chetupon, Bangkok, a royal Wat founded by King Rama I (r.1782-1809 CE). The gold-plated manuscript was found during a reconstruction of the jetiya of Srisanpedchadayan that was carried out by the Fine Arts Department in 1988, and is now kept in the monastery museum. The gold-plated manuscript was sealed in the chamber at the top part of the jetiya together with Buddha relics, miniature crown jewels and several other gold-plated manuscripts, mostly containing abstracts from the seven books of the Abhidhamma. This particular manuscript contains the Paccayākāra-anekajātisaṃsāram, a text about the chain of causation, as well as the dhammakāya verse, which is identical to the Lan Na text discussed in this article. The inclusion of the dhammakāya verse in the royal Wat’s collection of gold-plated manuscripts shows its importance during the early Ratanakosin or