A Buddhist Monk’s Journeys to Heaven and Hell

Abstract

Phra Malai, the Buddhist saint known for his legendary travels
to heaven and hell, has long figured prominently in Thai religious
treatises, works of art, and rituals – particularly those associated
with the afterlife. The story is one of the most popular subjects of
nineteenth-century illustrated Thai manuscripts. The earliest examples
of these Thai manuscripts date to the late eighteenth century, though
it is assumed that the story is much older, being based on a Pali text
from Sri Lanka. Phra Malai is mentioned in a Burmese inscription
from the thirteenth century, and anonymous Northern Thai versions of
the story may go back to the sixteenth century. In nineteenth-century
Thailand, it became a very popular chanting text for weddings and
funerals.