The Phra Malai legend in Thai Buddhist literature: A study of three texts.

Abstract

The story of the arhat Phra Malai and his visits to heaven and hell is often described as one of the most pervasive and influential themes in Thai Buddhism. The story exists in numerous and varied poetic and prose forms and is also depicted in painting and sculpture. However, the story has never been studied comprehensively in terms of the various contexts within which the different versions are recited. In this dissertation I have traced the background and development of the earliest known Thai version of this story from its Sri Lankan roots to its florescence in the northern Thai kingdom of Lan Na. I have suggested that the Lan Na version of Phra Malai, which is recited annually as a preface to the Vessantara Jataka, was introduced as a promotional text to encourage participation in the Vessantara Jataka festival. The recitation of this Jataka, I propose, was promoted as a means of preserving the Buddhist teachings, which according to an earlier prediction, would disappear in the 2000th year of Buddhism. I have also compared this early version of the story with two later versions from central Thailand. One of these is the highly literary Kham Luang, or royal version, which appears to have been written as a work of merit-making. The other is the popular colloquial Klon Suat or chanted version, which has provided edification, entertainment, and personal merit-making opportunities in for sermons, weddings, and funerals. Finally, I have translated and annotated the Kham Luang, which has not yet appeared in translation in a Western language. My study has demonstrated that the Phra Malai theme has been used in quite different contexts for different purposes. This flexibility as well as the story's recontextualization of Buddhist teachings into an accessible format account for its pervasiveness over the centuries.