Abstract

                 The research study, “An Analytical Study of the Value of Buddhist Arts of Mural Painting inside Wat Phochai’s Sim, Naphueng Sub-district, Nahaew District, Loei Province.” had three main purposes: (1) to study the history and development of Buddhist Hubtaem according to the I-san context, (2) to study the Buddhist ethics in Buddhist Hubtaem in Sim-I-san of the Pochai Temple, and (3) to analyze the value of Buddhist Hubtaem in Sim-I-san of the Pochai Temple. This was a qualitative research to make the data analysis by means of collecting all data from Tipitaka, Buddhist paper, related researches, and the structural interview. A result of this study was made in a report with the descriptive analysis.

                 A result of this study was found that the most Buddhist Hubtaem in I-san was established from inspiration relating to the Buddhism and local literary works, represented through Buddhist Hubtaem that was mixed between the Buddhist art in the central Thailand and the Lanchang art. This Buddhist Hubtaem had the real picture of a way of life, traditions, ceremonies, and Thai-Laos culture in all areas in the middle of the Khong River. It covered a form, a method, and principles of art with regulation and without complexity. Here, carpenters could add freely the personal artist thoughts in this Buddhist art in order to show their faith as great respect to the Buddha and decorate the Buddhist building to make people faithful in Buddhism. Some people who were actually faithful in Buddhism got more faith in it. 

                 The Buddhist ethics in Buddhist Hubtaem at the Pochai temple was possibly divided into four groups: (1) the Buddhist ethics for the societies including the principles of peace, Pubbesannivāsa and gratitude, (2) the Buddhist ethics for the administration including sovereignty, Brahmavihāradhamma, Sanghahavatthu for the king, the power of the king, ten principles for the king, negotiation for reducing the intensity of conflict, and loving kindness, (3) the Buddhist ethics for education including the sermon-delivering principle, learned manhood, principles for enlightenment, principles for a way of life—action, fulfillment of merit, giving, vow, forgiveness, verbal action, and carefulness, and (4) the Buddhist ethics in the was of life and traditions as the I-san identity.      

                 The value of Buddhist Hubtaem at the Pochai temple aimed at making the people faithful in Buddhism, encouraging them to study the Buddha’s teachings including the carpenter’s artist capacity taken from the ancient time. It also became a main resource of the Buddhist study, history, sociology, ecology, archaeology, traditions and culture that would bring income to the community. It became the tour of local, cultural knowledge that represents the growth of science, the urban society, foreign culture, transportation, and received information in distance. All of these factors had great effect on the carpenters’ thoughts and representation that were developed from things aground them, a way of life, the changed thoughts and fashion, and great faith in Buddhism. This was a place of studying the history form the past, the ancient culture and local-knowledge heritage that all people had to learn, take, and keep it for the next generation. 

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