AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE MERITORIOUS RESULTS OF MATERIAL GIVING IN THE LANNA VERNACULAR BUDDHIST SERMON MAHAVIBAKA: THE WAT SI KHOM KHAM RECENSION, PHAYAO PROVINCE

Abstract

The Tipitaka explicitly explains the benefits of giving (Dāna), particularly in the Cūḷakammavibhaṅga Sutta. It states that those who offer items such as food, water, clothing, vehicles, flowers, incense, ointments, bedding, dwellings, and lamps to ascetics or Brahmins are considered to possess great wealth due to their perfectly accumulated karma of giving. Upon passing away, they are reborn in a heavenly realm, and if reborn into the human world, they will be wealthy with abundant prosperity. Simultaneously, the Dānānisaṁsa Sutta presents five benefits of giving: 1) the giver is beloved by humans and deities; 2) the wise associate with them in admiration; 3) they receive praise and a good reputation; 4) they can enter any assembly with confidence and a clear mind; and 5) the ultimate result is rebirth in a happy destination after death.

In the Lanna cultural context, local Dhamma sermons play a crucial role in propagating and interpreting Buddhist principles by adapting them to the local way of life. For instance, the Dhamma sermon on Mahāvibāka (Great Consequences) explains the benefits of giving and karma in a highly specific manner. Both sources are rooted in the principles of karma and its consequences (Vipāka), confirming that wholesome actions yield positive results, whereas unwholesome actions yield negative results. The new knowledge derived from this study reveals that in the Tipitaka, the benefits of giving are generally broad and abstract, such as being beloved, gaining a good reputation, or being reborn in heaven. In contrast, the Mahāvibāka sermon specifies concrete outcomes, such as physical strength, good eyesight and hearing, financial stability, and happiness at each stage of life. This reflects the adaptation of Dhamma principles to align with the comprehension of Lanna villagers.