The Role of Buddhism in the Way of Life, Rituals and Beliefs of Isan People

Abstract

The research article aims at exploring the role of Buddhism in the way of life, rituals, and beliefs of Isan people. The study discovered that Isan people perform rituals based on the beliefs of each area. In the past, rituals were frequently carried out as a legacy from the ancestors in the hope that proper performance would bring happiness and prosperity to oneself and family. The belief and performance have been kept alive to the present day as a means of preserving Thai identity and serving to symbolize the diverse and varied beliefs of people. Thai people perform rituals on different occasions, some of which are based on local original beliefs, while others are based on Buddhist, Brahminic-Hindu, or other religious views. As a result, the way of life, rituals, and beliefs make up the fabric of society. Isan people exhibit the influence of Buddhism on Thai culture by emphasizing the preservation of Buddhism via the following components that have long been practiced in rituals, as follows: 1) Mores which is something that each society has adhered to and has been practiced repeatedly and consistently; 2) Tradition which is rules and regulations that each society has formed and followed, both directly and indirectly; and 3) Convention which refers to ordinary things that everyone should do. There is no formality, right and wrong, like there is in tradition.