ABSTRACT

                   The objectives of this thesis were to study about virtue and sin in Theravada Buddhism, to study on belief of virtue and sin in the sermon of Phra Malai Sutra, and to study the values of belief in virtue and sin as being influential to E-sarn people’s way of life. This was a qualitative research conducted by collecting data from documents and interview on the field of target group and then all data was analyzed by descriptive method.

                   The results of research found that virtue in Theravada Buddhism means the tool for purifying the mind clean like fresh water, sin means sadness of mind. There were many kinds of virtue and sin; bodily, verbal and mental. There were four places called ‘heaven of merit makers after their death’ as follows; the world of human beings, the world of Devas, the world of brahma and the world beyond world. For ‘hell of sin makers after their death’, there also were four places as follows; going to the hell, being a hungry ghost, being a demon, and being a beast.

                   Virtue and sin in the sermon of Phra Malai Sutra; while Phra Malai was travelling in the hell, he saw many hell beasts getting the results of their own bad actions done, and during his travel to the heaven, he saw Devaputras with many friends because of their own merits done, and while talking Dhamma with Phra Sri-arn to what merit a man should accumulate more and more, he would be born in the time of Phra Sri-arn. At the end of teaching to people with the point on belief of making merit, that one would go to the heaven after death. On belief of making sin, that one would go to the hell after death, and on belief of the world of Phra Sri-arn.

                   The value on belief of virtue and sin in Phra Malai Sutra as being influential to E-sarn people’s ways of life, there were the sermon of Malai Meun Malai Sean at first to present the benefit of giving alms on the tradition of making merit in Maha Chart Sermon (The great stories of Buddha). On the gratefulness to parents, it reflected to making merit. On the belief of good and bad action, it reflected to the good result and bad effect happened to peoples directly. On the maintaining tradition of Malai Meun Malai Sean Sermon, it was brought to join with the tradition of Mahachat Sermon. On belief of the next world, it would happen because of belief in the story of virtue and sin under the teachings in Buddhism.