An Analytic Study of the Didactic Literature from Historical Documents of Wat Na Phra That, Taku Sub-district, Pak Thong Chai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

This analytical study of the didactic literature from historical documents of Wat Na Phra That has the objective to analyze doctrines and teaching procedures from these texts from Wat Na Phra That, Taku Sub-district, Pak Thong Chai District, Nakhon Ratchasima. The research results showed that the doctrines appearing in these old documents were purposively for teaching males to be good sons and husbands, for females to be good wives, to use appropriate language as daughters-in-law, and for Buddhist laypeople to abstain from taking life, false speech, and sexual misconduct. This also includes upholding gratitude, observing religious precepts, and maintaining Buddhism for the future. The advice for monks is to study and propagate the Buddhadhamma. The teaching procedures for this didactic literature were using direct methods, comparison, story telling and relying on Buddhadhamma and precepts.