STUDY OF KILLING IN LANA PALM-LEAF SCRIPTRUE AS LEGEND OF HOIHAI, WAT THADUER, SANPHISUEA SUB-DISTRICT, MUANG DISTRICT, CHAING MAI PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to study the principles of killing in Theravada Buddhist philosophy; 2) to study killing in Lanna palm-leaf scripture as the legend of Hoihai, Wat Thaduea version, Sanphisuea sub-district, Muang district, Chiang Mai province; 3) to analyze and compare killing in Theravada Buddhist philosophy and Lanna scripture as legend of Hoihai, Wat Thaduea version, Sanphisuea sub-district, Muang district, Chiang Mai province. The research was documentary research with analysis and descriptive presentation.

The results of this research found that:

Killing means to injure animal to death according to the 5 elements of killing as the measure of wrong doing, namely, the animal was alive, knowing that animals was alive, having intent to kill, 4. having perseverance to go kill and the animal died in painstaking that effort to kill.

This palm-leaf scripture was pagan scripture created by engraving on palm leaves with Lanna Dhamma alphabets for use in propagation and giving guidance to the Buddhists to know how to observe the precept of killing by taking story of daily life to compose it into the jataka tale for easier understanding and clearer vision.

Killing in Theravada Buddhist philosophy and palm-leaf scripture had the same meaning as principle of practice in creating peace for all beings living on the planet without harassing and hurting one another. The person committing act of killing animal with cruel mind after passing away from this world would fall into state of misery and when he was born as a human again, he would be short-lived.