Chuanpit Napatasai
Independent Researcher
The spiritual healing of patients by ritual prayer and Dhamma preaching in Lanna folkways has been inherited in Chiang Mai and Lamphun provinces. The data collected from documents, interviewing and ritual observation, found that fifteen stories from texts have been used to heal patients from the past up to present.
In terms of folklore, the texts are commendation and the teaching of the Dhamma of the Buddha. The ritual contexts are empowered to believe in the Dhamma. The practice to use ritual has meaning as it is a way of making merit to help patients. The ritual of inherited Lanna ideas and beliefs is that the ritual helps spirits go to a better world.
In terms of psychology, the texts use the rites to teach the patients to have confidence in the Dhamma, including teaching mindfulness practice and letting go in order to relax. The context of these rites creates a sense of emotional stability and build faith of hope. The healing rituals are good social support to patients to meditate in order to calm their minds using the praying therapy from the priests and may cause the patient to achieve the transpersonal stage smoothly.
Recently, Buddhist Literature for Spiritual Healing uses three stories – Mahawibak, Karma Waja and Bojjhanga 7 – most actively in healing. The other twelve stories are not popular because of dynamics of the inconveniences of the texts.
In addition, because of changes in the attitude of the priests, as well as confusion in the belief of new age Lanna people, teaching the Dhamma to patients and their relatives has changed to become rites of making merit only.
(Presented in the 2017 Chulalongkorn Thai-Tai Heritage Forum: Healing and Herbal Medicine (การรักษาโรคกับการใช้ยาสมุนไพรในวัฒนธรรมไทย-ไท), 22-23 June 2017, Le Meridien Chiang Mai Hotel, Chiang Mai, organized by the Empowering Network for International Thai and ASEAN Studies, Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Lanna Studies Center, Faculty of humanities ,Chiang Mai University and Thai Language Department, School of Liberal Arts Mae Fah Luang University)