THE BUDDHIST WAY FOR THAI LIVING: THE KNOWLEDGE DEPICTED FROM MORAL PAINTING

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study the problems, conditions, solutions, body of knowledge, and to propose the way to promote the body of knowledge of the Thai Buddhist way of life through mural paintings of temples, conducted by the qualitative research, collected data from by documents, in-depth interviewing 25 key informants who were with administrative monks, community leaders and people involved. Data were analyzed with content descriptive analysis.

Findings were as follows: 1. Problems with mural paintings of temples in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province consisted of natural deterioration problems. The solution is Providing specialized and skilled agencies to take responsibility for the maintenance and provide knowledge to those involved. 2. Knowledge of the Thai Buddhist way of life through the mural paintings of the temples was found that, the historical side, the artists had painted to portray the way of life of society, such as the dress of the kings to the villagers. The architecture of the royal castle to the community houses that today cannot be seen in reality. Therefore, it is considered a source of information for studying the lives of people in the past which transferred the environment that was close to the reality to be conveyed in the written pictures. It consisted of educating the community by visiting the area to study the history, economy, society, culture, including the current situation network by building a network through the learning process, both inside and outside of the community.