ABSTRACT

                         The objectives of thesis were to study the general knowledge of Murals, the background, belief appeared on the murals at Wat sra Bua Kaew, and the values of murals reflected on the ways of life of Wongkun villagers at Tambon Nongmek, Nongsonghong district, khon kaen province. It was qualitative research by collecting data from documents and interview with samples and then the result would analysed as descriptive.

                         The result of research was found that the murals in Thailand had a long history by having only purpose of teaching Dhamma to people though image process or drawing on the walls of churchs. In order that, Buddhadhamma would be intervened in those image, which were dependent on the drawers such as; the contentment, the gratefulness, and the rule of government, but never explained with the long speech and said with the short saying to present what each images meaning communicated to.

                         Thai people’s feelings, life styles and minds were very gentle, tender, and creative inherited from the past until getting the national characteristics. The ancient drawers had their own process of creating characters and forms. Most of contents were the stories as follows; Buddha in the past, History of lord Buddha, jataka of Ten Births, Tai-phum (Tree Worlds), literature and Thai’s life, and many annals. These mentioned stories were tools to teach the morality, memorable Buddhist doctrine, and also entertained people by beautiful wording and imagination as different from listening.

                         The murals at Wat Sra Bua Kaew were found that they had values in many ways as follows; value of Buddhist doctrine such as: Teach people know how to make merit and avoid to do bad thing, how to sacrifice something to the puplic benefit without selfishness or taking advantage to society, do not harm others, know how to govern oneself following the king’s ten doctrines in the story of Mahavesantara Jataka. Besides these, one should know the values of one’s own local tradition and culture such as; Pawes Making-merit Tradition, Making-merit on Buddhist Len Day, and Making-merit on Kathin (the annual robe offered to the monks who dwelled in the monastery) in order to promote one’s own goodness and sustain the Buddhist society live strongly. The values to society and Wang-kun villagers were to make them love each other, have harmony to make merit in each occasion together, and know the value in the way of arts and appreciation such as; beautiful murals with Buddhist doctrines had been taught the visitors’ minds and had most of spiritual valuers.