Abstract

             This research has 3 objectives, as follows: (1) to study the history and the identity of Phra That based on Urangadhatu Legend: Phra That Pranom, Phra That Choeng Chum, Phra That Ing Hang, (2) to find out the Buddhist – Based tourism process, the  Buddha’s  Relics in Urangadhatu Legend, and (3) to offer the Models of  Buddhist – Based Tourism, following, the  Buddha’s  Relics in Urangadhatu Legend. The process of the document research was conducted by collecting the view prints from the Tipitaka in Thai version, Urangadhatu Legend, books related to the history of Phra That Pranom, Phra That Choeng Chum, Phra That Ing Hang as well as the other related research works and documentaries, the field research also carried out by interviews with people concerned.

             The results of the study indicated that Urangadhatu Legend referred to the history and the relation of ancient states along Mekong river. Phra That Pranom is the center of Buddhist doctrine and faith, since Buddhist in local communities mentioned that the Buddha visited Srikotaboon empire, traces of religious places and Phra That pagoda building  along Mekong river including Phra That Pranom, Phra That Choeng Chum, Phra That Ing Hang, which linked in term of history and development. The outstanding identity of these three pagodas were that Phra That Pranom contains the Buddha's breast bone. Phra That Choeng chum was built to cover footprints of four Buddhas, namely Phra Kakusantha, Phra Konakom, Phra Kassapa, and the present Buddha, and the future Buddha will come to this place and put his footprint also.  Phra That Ing Hang was the place where Buddha used to lean under Burmese sal tree.

             The Buddhist – Based tourism process, the Buddha’s Relics in Urangadhatu Legend showed that the temples, Buddhist arts, Buddhist places, culture and customs are the factors contributing to Buddhist – Based Tourism, the  Buddha’s  Relics in Urangadhatu Legend. The network of tourism route, should start from Sakon Nakorn province, Nakorn Phranom, Mukdahan province, and Savannakhét Province districts in Lao people's Democratic Republic respectively. The results of Buddhist arts, Society and custom supports, soul development, local economy, opinions of tourists, the  tourism combined among literature, folklore, geography, history, social science, Buddhism, culture, tradition, folkways on both sides of the Mekong river that have highly trust in Phra That.

             According to the Buddhist Scriptures, tourism can be categorized into two types i.e., tourism for unenlightened that leads to the everlasting vagabondage in transmigration and tourism for seeking knowledge and practicing for trust, religious percepts, meditation and wisdom. The tourism in this research could be divided into 5 models : tourism for preserving Buddhist arts, tourism for wisdom bases on 10 meritorious action, tourism for academic research  in order to study the Buddhist history  and legend, tourism for cultural worship, and tourism for family relationship.

    The Buddha’s Relics in Urangadhatu Legend tourism is a way of learning Buddhist’s Dhamma and aims to promote travelers and interested people to comprehend, Intellectual Development in Buddhism, inherit and promote precise Buddhist Dhamma through surroundings, natural ways and cultural ways. Phra That Pranom, Phra That Choeng Chum, Phra That Ing Hang act as the symbols, including Buddhism artistic works, Buddhist places, ancient remains cultures, and the ways of life of the population in the greater Mekong region.

Download