The literature used in Isan sermons

Abstract

        This research aimed to study the literature used in Isan sermons. This paper is a qualitative research conducted by collecting the data from documents, in-depth interview and observatory participation in 5 districts, Roi-Et province; namely, Mueang, Changhan, Suvarnabhumi, Thawatchaburi and Selaphum districts. These districts are the area where many Isan sermons are continuously organized. There were 3 groups of informants: the experts, preacher monks and sermon listeners (total 15). The gathered data were analyzed and described by the descriptive method.
        The research results found that there are four types of literature used in the Isan sermons: (1) Dhammapada; (2) folk tales; (3) Bai Lan; (4) real life of people in society. The popular stories used in sermons included ‘Vessantara’, ‘Lover eats skin and hater eats bones’, ‘white dog’, ‘a clump of bamboo of grandma, Nok-eang’, and ‘Lady, Leelavadee’, etc. However, all of these story outlines contain the contents of the Buddhist doctrine, especially the Three Meritorious Actions (puññakiriya-vatthu) otherwise known as the three methods to create merit leading to happiness as its fruition: 1) generosity (Dāna) is merit by sharing things, donating assets to others for the benefit of people in society; 2) the precepts are merit-making through physical and verbal controls with peace called physical and verbal purity; 3) mindfulness is the merit making through the cultivation of meditation, training the mind to be pure, clean, bright and intelligent. The practice of the Three Meritorious Actions is considered as the principle and the basic guidelines that all Buddhists should behave because it is the heart of Buddhism which is to abstain from doing evil, to remain in goodness and to make one's mind clear.