A Study of Roles and Rituals in the Buddhist Consecration Ceremony of Sacred Objects Celebrating the 50th Birthday of Phra Ajarn Sucheep Suchinno (Kru Ba Phan Bot) at Wat Pa Sok Thep Sathit, Dong Ling Sub-district, Kommalasai District, Kalasin Province

Abstract

          This research aimed to examine the roles, functions, and symbolism in rituals performed during the Buddhist consecration ceremony of sacred objects celebrating the 50th birthday of Phra Ajarn Sucheep Suchinno at Wat Pa Sok Thep Sathit, Dong Ling Sub-district, Kommalasai District, Kalasin Province by interview with ritual participants and participant observation. The findings revealed that the consecration ceremony comprised 3 rituals: the Bai Sri Sue Khwan ceremony, the worship ceremony for guardian deities, and the Buddhist consecration ceremony for the statue of Phra Ajarn Sucheep Suchinno. The ritual practices integrated Buddhist beliefs, traditional Northeastern Thai beliefs, and the specific lineage teachings transmitted through various master teachers. The symbolic objects identified in the ceremonies were categorized into three types: objects for worshipping master teachers, objects for the consecration ceremony, and objects representing sacred items obtained through consecration. Furthermore, the roles of the 50th birthday Buddhist consecration ceremony were classified into three dimensions: individual, family, and social roles. The social dimension exerted the most significant influence on the community, as people believed that inviting renowned Buddhist masters to perform the consecration brought auspiciousness to the temple and prosperity to Dong Ling Sub-district, Kommalasai District, Kalasin Province. Additionally, receiving blessed water or head-tapping blessings from these esteemed masters provided participants with peace of mind and strengthened their motivation in daily life.