Wanwiwat Ruttanalum
Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
The significance of the Saraburi Buddha’s footprint in Thai culture can be seen in many literary texts, for example, Punnowat Khamchan by Phra Maha Nak in the Ayutthaya period, and Nirat Phra Bat by Sunthorn Phu in the early Rattanakosin period. They show the belief and the popularity of the pilgrimage to the Saraburi Buddhapāda Temple. Later in 1913 (the reign of King Rama VI), Prince Narathip Praphanphong composed Khlong Lilit Dan Tamnan Phra Phuttha Bat [The Legend of the Saraburi Buddha’s Footprint] which tells the legend of the Saraburi Buddha’s footprint, the royal patronage to the Temple and the popularity of the pilgrimage tradition to the site from the Ayutthaya period to the Rattanakosin period. This text, unlike previous literary texts on Phra Phuttha Bat, reflects the change of beliefs in the Saraburi Buddha’s footprint – from a footprint truly imprinted by the Buddha himself, to be only a representation of the Buddha and his teachings. This Thai ‘modern’ religious worldview seems to be influenced by Western education and academic disciplines such as history, geography, and science. However, although the footprint is not a ‘real’ one, the author still emphasizes its significance as a sacred place to promote faith in Buddhism and encourage people to follow the teachings of the Buddha.
(Presented in the International Conference on Buddhist Studies: Buddha's Biography – Buddhist Legends, 18-19 July 2015, Le Meridien Bangkok Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Department of Thai, Faculty of Arts, The Pali and Sanskrit Section, Department of Eastern Languages, Faculty of Arts and Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University)