A Study of The Buddhadhamma as Reflected in Kaelmor Rite of Communities in Trium Sub-District, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province

Abstract

     This thesis entitled ‘A Study of the Buddhadhamma as Reflected in Kaelmor Rite of Communities in Trium Sub-District, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province’ has three objectives:  1) to study the Kaelmor Rite of Communities in Trium Sub-District, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province, 2) to study the Buddhadhamma as reflected in Kaelmor Rite of Communities in Trium Sub-District, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province, and 3) to analysis the Buddhadhamma as reflected in Kaelmor Rite of Communities in Trium Sub-District, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province. This thesis deployed the qualitative research methodology by studying documents from the Tripitaka and the Buddhist academic works as well as field studies where the data were collected from in-depth interviews. Finally, to present the analytic descriptive.
     The results of the study are as follows : The Kaelmor Rite of Communities in Trium Sub-District found that the dialect is called “Len Mor” (the performing of Mor) or Kaelmor. The original rite wasn’t known when this ritual began to exist, it is only a story passed down from generation to generation. The purpose of the Kalmor ritual for the villagers to perform the ritual is to encourage people who are sick or have mental distress. This connection is because this community believes that the cause of mental illness or suffering is caused by Supernatural powers. The community calls this a spirit or ancestral spirit, that caused it. If the community performs the Kaelmor rite to please the spirits or the ancestor’s spirits. The symptoms of illness or mental distress disappeared and good mental health returned to living with the family as normal and happy as previously. The “Klamor” ceremony can be categorized into three types : 1) Ancestral spirit worship : This is performed to honor ancestral spirits and foster encouragement and morale. 2) Rituals for healing the sick: These ceremonies involve invoking the spirits of ancestors to assist in finding the cause of illness and the appropriate remedy. Guidance is often sought through a medium or spiritual intermediary according to traditional beliefs. 3) Ceremonies to fulfill vows or give thanks : This involves offering gratitude or making offerings to ancestral spirits in return for blessings or successes granted as per the requests
of their descendants. The Budddhadhamma, as reflected in the Kaelmor Rite of Communities in Trium Sub-District, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province, found that the faith (Saddha), the Deamon, the Spirit, grateful person (Katanyukataved), the Sickness, the Worship (Puja), Action (Kamma), the three Characteristics (Tilakkhana), the bases of meritorious action (Punyakiriya-vatthu) and the virtues for lay people (Gharavasa-dhamma).The results of the analysis the Buddhadhamma as reflected in Kaelmor Rite of Communities in Trium Sub-District, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province found that there are eleven issues, as follow; 1) the faith (Saddha), if the members in community didn’t do this ritual, the family members may get sick and suffer mentally, and it may be some danger to your life, 2) the Deamon, it is the ghosts or ancestral spirits who lives in the houses, fields, 3) the Spirit, it is a communication with the spirits of the ancestors, 4) the grateful person (Katanyukataved), it is an expression to give back to the ancestors, 5) the sickness; it is the Cured and incurable diseases, 6) The respect; it is a guideline that must be treated by teachers, 7) the Worship (Puja); It is a substitute for worship in ceremonies, 8) the Action (Kamma); It is a teaching that believes in Action (Kamma) that comes mainly from the spirits of ancestors, 9) the bases of meritorious action (Punyakiriya-vatthu), it is the generosity, the receive the precepts, and the meditation practice also include in the Kaelmor rite, 10) the three Characteristics (Tilakkhana): it is to show that the body and the possibility of human life fall into the three characteristics principle in order to understand the reality nature of life, lastly, 11) the virtues for lay people (Gharavasa -dhamma); it is the honesty, self-development, tolerance, generosity.