Abstract
The research “An Analytical Study of the Belief on the Buddhists’ Spiritual Mediums in Lampang Municipality” consists of three objectives: 1) to study the general conception of spiritual mediums or séances, 2) to investigate the concept of spiritual mediums in the Buddhist scriptures, and 3) to analyze the belief on the Buddhists’ spiritual mediums the in Lampang Municipality. From the study, it can be found that:
The general conception of spiritual mediums can be seen that human beliefs were caused of fear. When the fear occurred, one finds something around that is miracle-working for oneself. The spiritual medium is the way out for that thing. There are three types of spiritual mediums: the séances, the oracles and the possessed ghosts, which are possessed by the angels or ghosts in each world. The aim of spiritual mediums was different. Besides, the ritual of spiritual mediums also expresses the symbol of values or beliefs.
The concept of spiritual mediums in line with the Buddhist scriptures can be mentioned that in the Buddha’s lifetime, He taught to refrain to be as a spiritual medium because of wrong livelihood. This is not the way to attain Nibbāna (the summum bonum). The Buddha-dhammas related to the spiritual mediums of Buddhists are : 1) Saddhā (belief); belief in Kamma, belief in the consequences of actions, belief in the individual ownership of action and confidence in the Enlightenment of the Buddha, and 2) Yoni (ways of birth) linking with Bhūmi (degrees of spiritual development); Kāmāvacara-bhūmi (sensuous plane), Rūpāvacara-bhūmi (form-plane), Arūpāvacara-bhūmi (formless-plane) and Lokuttara-bhūmi (supramandane-plane). All living creatures are living in these planes by its actions.
Last, the belief on the spiritual mediums of Buddhists in Lampang Municipality is that the spiritual mediums are representing gods who have so much power and can inspire a fortune as well as remedy illness. Therefore, the so-called benefits of séances can be divided into 4 aspects: the tradition and culture, the social, the economic and the political one.
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