An Analysis on the Morale of Witchcraft appeared in Manuscripts of Thung Saliam District, Sukhothai Province

Abstract

This research is of three objectives: 1) to study beliefs on witchcraft and gatha in Sukhothai Province; 2) to study and collect the witchcraft and gatha appeared in Manuscripts of Thung Saliam District, Sukhothai Province, and 3) to analyze the moral of witchcraft and gatha appeared in Thung Saliam District, Sukhothai Province. The Followings are its results:

     Thung Saliam Buddhist People, many of them were originally Lanna people from Theoun district. They believe in superstition together with Buddhist Triple Gems. Such a belief came from the declining of Brahmanism and arising of Buddhism. Thung Saliam people, however, still hold this belief of witchcraft firmly. Having collected the Manuscripts in 5 Sub-Districts of Thung Saliam, the numbers of witchcrafts and gatha such as: the great merciful spell or Piyamahasanei, the fortunate spell, the safety spell, the black magic spells, and the invincible spells (Kharm) were found. On the found morale, there are classified in to 6 aspects:

     In the great merciful spell, the Buddha’s loving kindness was fond. In the fortunate spell, the virtue of worship to whatever is worth to worship in the Blessings of life. In the safety spell, the virtue of not to live with carelessness. In the invincible the mindfully fight against the obstacles in life was found. In the black magic spells, it discovered the unwholesome minds arising from the greedy, the anger, and the delusion. Lastly in the spiritual values, it utilizes the witchcraft as the media approaching to Dhamma that has appropriate reflected Lanna style way of life belonging to the Thung Saliam District people.