| Buddhism, the great eastern religion founded by the | | | | dominant religion. It reached its height under the reign |
| Indian Prince Siddhartha Gautama 600 years before | | | | of King Ramkhamhaeng's grandson, King Li Thai |
| the birth of Christ, first appeared in Thailand during | | | | [1347-1368 A.D.], when about 30 volumes of the |
| the 3rd century B.C. in the area of the present day | | | | Buddhist scriptures were studied and rewritten by |
| provincial capital Nakhon Pathom. Once established, it | | | | the king into one volume, the Tribhumikatha, a |
| proved such a durable and pervasive force that | | | | treatise on Buddhist cosmology and the three planes |
| some ethnic groups who migrated into that area | | | | of existence-Sensuous, Corporeal, and Incorporeal. |
| during the Dvaravati period readily adopted it as their | | | | Not only was this the first Buddhist treatise by a |
| state religion. | | | | Thai, but it was also the first known Thai Buddhist |
| At its inception, Buddhism had been a reaction against | | | | and didactic literary work.The Tribhumikatha's impact |
| Brahmanism, eschewing Brahmanism's emphasis on | | | | on religious arts such as mural paintings can be seen |
| caste and dogma regarding sacrifice and ritual. At the | | | | today in many monasteries in various provinces. |
| same time, it modified Brahmanic concepts of karma | | | | Through the centuries Buddhism has been the main |
| and rebirth. | | | | driving force in Thai cultural development. Much of |
| Briefly, Buddhism teaches that one's life does not | | | | classical Thai art, particularly architecture, sculpture, |
| begin with birth and end with death but is a link in a | | | | painting, and early literature is really Buddhist art. |
| chain of lives, each conditioned by volitional acts | | | | Then, as now, Buddhism coloured everyday Thai life. |
| [karma] committed in previous existences. The | | | | Although Buddhism became the primary and state |
| concept of karma, the law of cause and effect, | | | | religion, Thais always subscribed to the ideal of |
| suggests that selfishness and craving result in | | | | religious freedom. Thai constitutions have stipulated |
| suffering. Conversely, compassion and love bring | | | | that Thai kings must be Buddhists, but monarchs are |
| happiness and well-bring. Therefore, only by | | | | invariably entitled "Upholder of All Religions". |
| eliminating desire can one find peace of mind.The ideal | | | | Consequently,the government, through the Religious |
| Buddhist aspiration is to attain perfection through | | | | Affairs Department -t; annually allocates funds to |
| Nirvana [Nibbhana], an indescribable, immutable state | | | | finance religious education and to construct, maintain, |
| unconditioned by desire, suffering, or further rebirth, | | | | and restore monasteries, mosques, and churches. |
| in which a person simply is, yet is completely at one | | | | At present Thailand is the location of the |
| with his surroundings. After its introduction into | | | | headquaters of the World Fellowship of Buddhists |
| Thailand,Buddhism gained wide acceptance because | | | | (WFB),an international Buddhist organization consisting |
| its emphasis on tolerance and individual initiative | | | | of 98 regional centers in 37 countries which promotes |
| complemented the Thais' cherished sense of inner | | | | coordination and cooperation to enhance Buddhism |
| freedom. Fundamentally,Buddhism is an empirical way | | | | throughout the world. H.E.Professor Sanya |
| of life. Free of dogma, it is a flexible moral, ethical,and | | | | Dhamasakti, former Prime Minister and present |
| philosophical framework within which people find | | | | President of the Privy Council of H.M. the king has |
| room to fashion their own salvation. | | | | been unanimously elected President of the WFB |
| Sukhothai's King Ramkhamhaeng [1275-1317 A.D.] | | | | twice consecutively. |
| established Theravada Buddhism as Thailand's | | | | |