THE STUDY OF MUENWAI COMMUNITY HISTORY AND WAT MUENWAI’ S UBOSATHA AT MUENWAI DIRSTICT, AMPHUR MEUNG, NAKHON RATCHASIMA

Abstract

This research was conducted with 2 objectives: 1. To study the history of Muenwai community and 2. To study the designs of arts and belief about the Buddhist Ubosatha in the water at Muenwai Temple area. This was the qualitative research, conducted by implementing historical, archeological, and art methods.  The results of the research revealed that the name of the village “Muenwai” was found as the name of the route of the army from Bangkok to Vientiane in 1826 (B.E.2369) as appeared in the archive meeting entitled “Prap Krabot Vientiane” in the reign of King Rama 3 who ordered Phra Racha Wang Borworn Maha Sakdipalasep to lead the army to defeat Chao Anuwong. In addition, there was evidence showing the name “Muenwai Military base” appeared in Rattanakosin period literature titled “Khun Chang and Khun Paen”, Wachirayan national library version in which the chapter narrates the story when Phrachao Lanchang was offering Nang Soi Tong to Phra Panwawongsa. The study of the art designs of Muenwai templess showed that structural plan system, arrangement of buildings, construction techniques, design of walls to meet the gable end, drilling door holes and light holes, and temple decoration are found in late Ayutthaya period, from the reign of Somdet Pra Narai Maharat to early Rattanakosin period. For gable-end designed with Pudtarn flower pattern. This pattern was famous in the period of King Rama 3. Finally, in terms of belief about the Ubosatha in the middle of the water at the area of Muenwai Temple, this is the belief of Langka and Mon culture in Myrnmar to create purity and cleanness in Buddhist ordination ceremony.