Abstract

The research on “Buddhist Principles and Community Identity Promotion related to Songkran (Thai New Year) Festival” at Khao Thong Community, Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan Province had three objectives: 1) to study the identity promotion of the community related to the festival at Khao Thong Community, Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan Province, 2) to study the Buddhist principles and the community identity promotion, and 3) to analyze the Buddhist principles and the community identity promotion relating to Songkran (Thai New Year) Festival at Khao Thong Community, Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan Province. This research applied the documentary research with collecting data from Tipitaka, academic textbooks, related documents and researches. Analysis of the data used the analysis of the content and the summary of the research used presenting the descriptive results of the research. 

Results of the Research

The community identity promotion at Khao Thong Community, Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan Province was the expression of the people in the community living in the same society. These expressions were self-confident or local identity of the community. The community identity promotion had 6 ways:  ethnic, dressing, culture and belief, food, intelligence of locality, and tradition. The Khao Thong Community was the Mon people community that promoted the community identity through all 6 ways. However, the most remarkable identity was the traditional identity promotion: Songkran Festival (Thai New Year).

The Buddhist principles and the community identity promotion  had 3 levels: 1) the small group or the family applying the basic morality, 2) the middle group or the community applying the principle of the gratefulness and the unity, and 3) the big group or the country applying the reverence and the unity.

The Buddhist principles and the community identity promotion relating to Songkran (Thai New Year) Festival at Khao Thong Community, Phayuha Khiri District, Nakhon Sawan Province that was the Mon people were the Gāravatā (the reverence) appeared in the play of holding the women’s wrists, the Sāranīyadhamma (states of conciliation) appeared in pouring water on the hands of revered elders and asking for blessing, the Kataññukatavedī ( gratefulness) appeared in the making of merits for the dead people, sprinkling water onto a Buddha image, and pouring water on the hands of revered elders and asking for blessing, and the unity appeared in all the activities. Now, the current of material and technological progress would affect the community identity promotion. Moreover, the community wanted to protect, conserve and inherit these valuable festivals continually.

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