ABSTRACT

                        The main objectives of this thesis are: ­(1) to study the concept hell and heaven as depicted in Theravada Buddhism; (2) to study lifestyle of the people in Seekeao Sub-district as well as the ways they engage with Buddhist practices; and (3) to study the influence of belief on hell and heaven of the people in Seekeao Sub-district, Muang district, Roi-et Province.

                        The result of the study found that hell was the undesirable place and empty of prosperity; it was stood as the place of punishment for those who committed evil-unwholesome deeds. It was said that there are 457 holes of hell and the causes that led one to be born in hell were unwholesome deeds- killing for instance. On the contrary, heaven was considered as the desirable place and full of joy; the name of heaven was named according to its ruler and environment. It was the good and wholesome deeds that led one to be born in the heaven.

                        Although the Tipitaka (Pali Canon) didn’t report the exact location of hell and heaven, the later Buddhist literature, which got influence from Brahmanism, mentioned that heaven located at the Sumeru Mountain; while, below the mountain was the domain of hell. The date and time in heaven and hell were somewhat different from each other; it was depend on the deeds of those who had been born in those places.

                        The beings in the hell realm would be punished with heavy punishment or light penalty depending on the Kamma that they committed. While, in the heaven there were full of joyful atmosphere. In Tipitaka, there was a report about the belief on hell and heaven thus the King Payasi do not believe on hell and heaven. Nevertheless, he was later convinced by Venerable Kumarakassapa. Actually, hell and heaven were referred to the unsatifactoriness occurring in the mind of a person, while light feeling and happiness were confined to heaven in which we can experience in this very life. Positively, the belief on hell could make a person fear of doing bad actions because such actions would lead him or her to be born in hell; on the other hand, cultivating good was a promise for being born in the heaven.

                        In the past, Thai Buddhists were likely to make merit by various means especially through their traditional practices name Kong 14. But with the influence of western and eastern culture, they were gradually ignored about the concept of hell and heaven.

                        In the case of this study, the Buddhists living in Seekeao Sub-district were still likely to observe morality and offering support to the Sangha Order. Their daily practices were to offer food to the monks in the morning.

                        Moreover, this study found that the belief on hell and heaven had play very important role on lifestyle of the people in Seekeao Sub-district. They were educated generation to generation, the causes and effects of actions that led a person to be born in the hell and that of heaven. The monks and an old-educated man were placed as the spiritual leaders who guided the social member to walk in the right way of living. Mentally, the people who believe on hell and heaven were afraid of doing unwholesome deeds and did believe that there was really a punishment after death as recorded in the Buddhist literature. Psychically, some people were faithfully practice the Buddha-dhamma without any expectation, and some were still hesitated. However, in the social level, if the members of the society believe on hell and heaven, the social crisis would not arise. There was no need of law and social regulation in the society, where the people respect to the right of each and other. The people would not engage in bad deeds because such action led them to be born in the hell; on the contrary, they would cultivate good in order to be born in the heaven, the desirable place. Thus, human civilization would be empty of negative social problem and easy to manage in the right way of livings.