This research entitled “An Analytical Study of the Significance of Suphasidphraruang Toward the Thai Societies” consists of two objectives as follows (1) to study and analyze the belief in Subhasidphraruang of Thai societies, (2) to study the significance of Subhasidphraruang on living the lives of Thai societies.
The result of this study finds that expert scholars on this matter agree that it is the proverbs that Phraruangchao taught his subjects and entourage that appeared on the first stone of inscription of King Ramkhamhaeng in the Sukhothai period mentioned that he ordered a stone to be made into a seat for the preaching of sermons by monks then established at Dong Tal. The monks were invited to be seated on it to give sermons to the people on Buddhist holidays (Wan Phra) and shaving day of monks (Wan Kon). On ordinary days, he granted audience with his subjects and ministers to listen to his instructions. So the advice in Subhasidphraruang may been spoken at this time, but there is no written evidence or any inscription in the Sukhothai period. Later on, it appeared there were poems of Praditphraruang at the end of the Ayutthaya period which was assumed to be the royal literary work of King Borommakot who saw that their value was suitable for the study by posterity. During the reign of King Rama III of the Rattanakosin period, the writings of Subhasidphraruang were inscribed at Wat Pho. Some scholars assumed that Somdet Phramaha Samanachao Kromphraparamanuchidnorot had revised the Subhsidphraruang because of the strictness of the prosody by limiting each verse to five words in each of the 158 episodes.
The researcher analyzed it to obtain new knowledge by comparison with the principle of Dhamma in the Tipitaka. It was found that the poem can go together with the principles of Dhamma, such as being satisfied in solitude with what belongs to one’s own, staying away from doing harmful things to others, being careful about general activities, not boasting, paying respects to adults, loving oneself more than property, being reasonable, courteous, polite to others and generous to relatives, courageous, economical, not vindictive, being honest, steadfast, neither credulous nor cunning, keeping in mind only useful things, always thinking before speaking, not showing off, being decisive and serious, focusing on only good examples for practice, neither negligent nor selfish about things of little value.
Researcher has interpreted all verses and expressions in the poem so that they will be more easy to understand using contemporary language and Buddhist terms which increases the value of the proverbs for influencing various aspects and values of modern society. |