Watcharaporn Distapan
Thammasat University (Thailand)
Belief, legend and ritual concerning Phra Upakhut (Upagutta), one of the Buddhist legendary figures, has long been transmitted in traditional Thai society. As a magical monk who has protective power and who can “subdue Mara,” Phra Upakhut tends to be invited to protect the ritual space whenever a ritual is going to be performed, particularly in northern and northeastern Thailand. Interestingly, it is found that, in present day Thailand, such belief, legend and ritual not only persists in a traditional context, but is also being reproduced in modern media and in new social contexts. Previously, perception of Phra Upakhut legends can be categorized in six various tale types, but nowadays, new versions and new tale types have been found resulting from mixing the old tale types or combining the legends from the old sources with new sources.
Rituals concerning Phra Upakhut, which traditionally tend to be practiced in northern and northeastern Thailand, are also found to be culturally reproduced in central Thailand with new purposes. Accordingly, Phra Upakhut belief, legend and ritual has expanded in terms of ritual space, ritual practice and ritual context. It will be argued that the world of capitalism, materialism and Buddhist commercialism are the factors impacting the dynamism of the perception and the worshiping of Phra Upakhut.
(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)