“Sukhothai Woman” with Belief and Prayer Through the Inscriptions

Abstract

                  This study aims to study the women’s prayers in Sukhothai period found in religious inscriptions. This shows the thoughts, beliefs and attitudes of Sukhothai women by studying through 3 inscriptions. Including Pa Nangmoa, Wat Burapha Ram and Wat Asokaram. The study indicated that women prayed both for themselves and others. It is found that most aristocracies prayed for others but ordinary women prayed for themselves. The common desire from both aristocracies and ordinary women was to be a man in the next life and to be born in the reign of Phra Sri Ariya Mettrai. It shows that women in Sukhothai era did not satisfy with their social status and need equality in their lives. By the way,         they wreaked these feelings through their prayers on various inscriptions. It shows that not only the inscriptions are the historical record. It is also worth as a tool to record the desires and mental state of the person who owns the inscriptions.