Chee-Pa-Khaw in Lanna Society

Abstract

The concept of Chee-Pa-Khaw is old, it can be found in India, Egipt and Palestine. There were different names such as Sannayasi, Rueshi, Tapasa, Samana. The dress also were different, some dressed with animal skin, some dressed robe made from tree skin and some in all white robe. The daily practice were pray, meditation and giving suggession to people who came for advise. Thai society got this concept from Brahmanism-Hinduism and Buddhism till it became the practice-form of Rueshi, Chee-Pa-Khaw and Maechee. In Lanna society it was found this concept in manuscrips as Mulasasana and Jamadevivong. There were many kinds of Chee-Pa-Khaw ; one who observed Pancasila or Atthasila but not saved his/her heir, one who observed Pancasila or Atthasila and saved his/her heir and one who observed 227 sila and saved his heir. The last was worshipped from people and his life was not different from the monk as Chee-Pa-Khaw Pee or Pha-Khaw Pee.

                  when Lanna got influence from outside the concept has changed ordination of the old was agreed by people, no one wanted to be Chee-Pa-Khaw for his long life. Nowaday it remained only Chee-Pa-Khaw who observed Pancasila or Atthasila and spent a day and night at the temple on holy day, in the same time the type of another Chee-Pa-Khaw arose and became popular it was women-Chee-Pa-Khaw or Maechee. The Maechees observed Pancasila or Atthasila, saved her heir and stayed in temple. People respected them but not like the monk.