Phra Rod Luang in Special Edition
Terracotta Buddhist Votive Tablets such as the “ Golden Chedi (Suwan Chedi) or Pathumwadi Chedi” was from the provision of a reliable and systematic research tool for uncovering the truth. The document about Terracotta Buddhist Votive Tablets was also contributed in building credibility in society as part of ongoing systematic research efforts related to “Terracotta Buddhist Votive Tablets”. Phra Khru Palad Suradaj Khunawaro (Dussadin), Assistant Professor Dr. Former Special Lecturer of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Chiangmai Province (Wat Rong Wua Daeng Classroom) Phra Kru Chedi Thong [Haripunjaya City]
Phra Kru Chedi Thong [Haripunjaya City] Bibliographic information of the National Library of Thailand The 1st Publication June 2023 Number of Publishing 1,000 Books Author and Organizer Phra Khru Palad Suradaj Khunawaro (Dussadin), Assistant Professor Dr. 1 Pratu Li Road, Nai Mueang Sub- District, Mueang District, Lamphun Province 51000 Mobile Phone: 093 736 4498 Editor Prompassorn Jornjaranthanapong Booklet and Cover Design Phuket Innovative Development Co., Ltd. https://www.pkindev.com Price 1,600 Baht Publisher Noppakrit Publishing Partnership Limited 112/2 Moo 4, Pa Daed Sub- District, Mueang District, Chiang Mai Province 50100 Mobile Phone: 089 954 7206 Phra Khru Palad Suradaj Khunawaro Phra Kru Chedi Thong Haripunjaya City. – Chiang Mai : Noppakrit Publishing, 2023 184 pages. 1. Amulets. |. Subject. 294.31218 ISBN : 978-616-603-402-8
Preface Documents researching the Terracotta Buddhist Votive Tablets works in the group of the “Golden Chedi (Suwan Chedi) or Pathumwadi Chedi”, located next to Chedi Phra That Haripunjaya in Mueang District, Lamphun Province, serve as evidence for comparison and assessment of the age of the Lord Buddha by using various methods regarding the verification process. The results have been quite satisfactory to a certain extent, indicating that the votive tablets in Lamphun Family hold an estimated age of approximately 1,300 years. Therefore, the author expects that this collection of documents will enhance knowledge for those interested in the Lamphun heritage. The ultimate goal is to uncover the truth about the 1,300-year-old Lamphun Family votive tablets and disseminate the knowledge about the votive tablets in the Golden Chedi (Suwan Chedi) or Pathumwadi Chedi, benefiting future developments in archaeology as a collective endeavor for imparting of knowledge for the general benefit. Phra Khru Palad Suradaj Khunawaro (Dussadin), Assistant Professor Dr. Former Special Lecturer of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Chiangmai Province (Wat Rong Wua Daeng Classroom) Mobile Number: 093 736 4498 24 August 2022
Phra Perm
Abstract In the past, the Haripunjaya Kingdom experienced prosperity in various aspects, particularly in the realm of Buddhism. This is evident from the presence of stone inscriptions that highlight the belief in creating small and large votive tablets, which spread throughout the Kingdom of Haripunjaya. These votive tablets, now referred to as “Terracotta Lamphun Family Votive Tablets” are renowned for their exquisite Buddhist art and feature ancient patterns. Through the application of comparative theories, the votive tablets have been compared with comparable artifacts from the Terracotta Votive Statue Museum, a globally trusted institution. The results of these comparisons have been extremely satisfactory, shedding light on the historical significance of the ancient terracotta votive tablets found in the Golden Chedi (Suwan Chedi) or Pathumwadi Chedi. These various processes serve as gateways to enhance learning and systematic research into the history of Haripujaya in the future. Votive Tablet of Disciple in Buddhism, Estimated age about 1,300 years, Standard from U-Thong Museum Phra Rod, Large Mold from Kru Chedi Thong, Estimated age about 1,300 years from the comparative theory
Phra Rod Phim Yai (Big mold) model
Content Subject Page Kingdom of Haripunjaya 1 The Names of Kings who reigned Haripunjaya Kingdom 2 City in Haripunjaya Kingdom 3 Haripunjaya City 4 Documentary Evidence related to Haripunjaya Region 5 One Stone Inscription with Four Sides at Wat Mahawan 6 - 11 One Stone Inscription with One Side at Wat Don Kaew 12 - 14 Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Don Kaew), 1 Inscription with 2 Sides 15 - 21 Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut), 1 Inscription with 2 Sides 22 - 27 Kingdom of Punjaya Stone Inscription, 1 Inscription with 1 Side 28 - 31 Wat Saen Khao Hor Stone Inscription (Ta Ju Maha Thera), 1 Inscription with 1 Side 32 - 36 Wat Baan Luay Stone Inscription, 1 Inscription with 2 Sides 37 - 41 Inscription of Dhammika Raja, 1 Inscription, 1 Side, and 2 Pieces 42 - 44 Wat Phra That Haripunjaya Vora Maha Viharn 45 - 49 Golden Chedi (Suwan Chedi) or Chedi Pathumwadi 50 - 51 History and Origin of the Buddhist Votive Tablets 52 - 59 Votive Tablets, Kru Chedi Thong or (Suwan Chedi) or Chedi Pathumwadi Haripunjaya City 60 The Principle of Comparison of Terracotta Votive Tablets in Kru Chedi Thong (Suwan Chedi) or Pathumwadi Chedi 61 Comparison with evidence-based votive tablets to prove the true nature of antiquity 62 Creation of clay votive tablets in the Haripunjaya period “Early Age” 63 - 64 Buddhist Art 65 - 66 The Buddha statues during Haripunjaya Period 67 Principles of creating the clay votive tablet in the early age of Haripunjaya City 68 Preparation of Clay 69 - 70
Content Subject Page Comparison of mass obtained from Phra Rord in Kru Chedi Thong and volcanic soil from Champadad, Lampang Province 71 Creation of model or pressing mold 71 - 72 Creation of Mold 73 - 74 Creation of Votive Tablet 75 - 78 The Model from Kru Chedi Thong (Suwan Chedi or Pathumwadi Chedi) 79 Model of Phra Kleeb Bua Votive Tablet 79 Model of Phra Nang Muang votive tablet, Dvaravati Art 80 Model of Phra Lue Khong votive tablet 81 Model of Phra Perm votive tablet 82 Model of Phra Liang votive tablet 83 Model of Phra Bang votive tablet 84 Model of Phra Rord Phim Yai votive tablet 85 Model of Phra Rord Phim Lek (small mold) votive tablet 86 Model of Phra Khong votive tablet 87 Model of Phra Lue Hna Mongkol votive tablet 88 Model of Standing Buddha in the Attitude of Giving Boons votive tablet 89 Model of Phra Yod Khun Phon Soom Ruean Kaew votive tablet 90 The Votive Tablets made from the Baked Clay in Kru Chedi Thong (Suwan Chedi) or Chedi Pathumwadi in the Parts of some Votive Tablets 91 Phra Rod Phim Yai (Big mold) 91 Phra Liang Phim Bua Med 92 Phra Rod Luang Phim Klang or in Medium Size 93 Phra Yod Khun Phon Soom Khai Pla or with Arch Frame of Dots Line 94 Phra Lue Khong 95 The Goddess Arya Tara 96 Phra Saam or Phra Trigaya (Three Bodies) 97
Content Subject Page Phra Saam Soom Prang 98 Phra Vajrayana Triad –Trinity 99 - 100 Stele with Eight Great Events from the Life of the Buddha 101 - 104 Ye Dhamma 105 - 106 Lord Shiva in devil-subduing posture 107 - 108 Buddha in the Attitude of Giving the First Sermon 109 Special Edition of Phra Lue Khong Votive Tablet 110 Special Edition of Phra Rord Luang Votive Tablet 111 Buddha in the Attitude of Dharma Description 112 Pictures of Votive Tablets 113 - 140 Appendix Sanskrit Language 141 - 142 Brahmi Script 143 - 144 Siddham Script 145 - 146 Devanagari Script 147 - 148 Numeric System and Sindhu Script 149 - 150 Yonakapur 151 - 152 Conclusion 153 - 154 Questions and Answers 155 - 164 Names of Parts of the Buddha Image 165 Bibliography 166 - 170 Organizer Team 171 - 172
Kingdom of Haripunjaya [ Haripunjaya Region ] Establishment of communities in the Upper Ping River Basin Originally, around upper Ping River Basin it was the residence of the “Lua”1 people, centered at the foot of Doi Suthep that firstly starting from a small community. Later, it was expanded to create “Wiang”2 at the foot of Doi Suthep continually to Lamphun such as Wiang Chet Rin, Wiang Suan Dok, Wiang Nop Buri, etc. Later, it was occupied by the group of “Khon Thai or Thai People”3 and became a part of the Lanna Kingdom. There was another group of people who settled in the area of Lamphun in the upper Ping River Basin since around the 14th Buddhist Century, and later became a large region receiving the cultural influences from the central of Thailand (Lop Buri) until it became Haripunjaya region. The prosperity in Haripunjaya (Lamphun) was built in the early 14th Buddhist Century as the expansion of the “Dvaravati”4 culture in the central region of Thailand by taking the culture from Lawo or Lopburi. The reason for the distribution of Dvaravati culture in the north of the country due to the motivation from the trading of goods that the coastal state of Dvaravati needed some goods that were in the peninsula, and because of the topography of the Chiang Mai-Lamphun plains, it was a fertile lowland area suitable for settlement; thus resulting in an enlarged community. Haripunjaya city became an important trading center, because the region Haripunjaya was a land of stable prosperity. Therefore, it was needed by neighboring kingdoms such as Cambodia or the ancient Khmer Empire which had invaded Haripunjaya 2 times consisted of the first time in the reign of King Suriyavarman I (1002-1050 or B.E. 1545- 1593), the second time in the late 17th Buddhist Century, but could not be occupied. Around B.E. 1835 Haripunjaya was occupied by Phaya or King Mangrai during the reign of Phaya Yiba. In the end, Haripunjaya was finally merged with the Lanna Kingdom during the King Mangrai reign. 1 Lua : a group of people known as Lawa : the legend of Suwanna Kham Daeng 2Wiang : ( n. ) A city with Defensive Wall : Dictionary of the Royal Institute, 1999 3 “Tai” : had a broader meaning than the word “Thai” Tai was referred to Dtai in the accent of the Tai people. “Khon Tai or Khon Dtai” was a person who spoke the Tai language family, whether Tai Lue, Tai Yai, Tai Noi, Tai Khern, Tai Kham Tee, Tai Assam, Tai Daeng, Tai Khao, spread widely in Asia and Southeast Asia 4Dvaravati : it was the Sanskrit word originated for the first time in 1884 by Mr. Samuel Beel who converted the word Tolopoti as the name of a kingdom located between the Srikaset Kingdom and the Isanpura Empire 1
The Names of Kings who reigned Haripunjaya Kingdom 1. Queen Chamdhevi, 663-670 (7 years) 2. King Mahantayod, 670-750 (80 years) 3. King Doo Manyarj) 750-790 (40 years) 4. King Arunothai) 790-817 (27 years) 5. King Suwan Manchana) 817-847 (30 years) 6. King Sanitsara, 847-857 (10 years) 7. King Prathum, 857-887 (30 years) 8. King Kulladheva, 887-895 (8 years) 9. King Milukkha Trairaj, 895-898 (3 years) 10. King Milukkha Maharaj, 898-899 (1 year) 11. King Nogaraj No data 12. King Phanraj, 899-900 (1 year) 13. King Kuttaraj, 900-910 (10 years) 14. King Selaraj, 910-913 (3 years) 15. King Phalaraj, 913-916 (3 years) 16. King Yowaraj, 916-917 (1 year) 17. King Phrommathadraj, 917-920 (3 years) 18 . King Mookkharaj, 920-922 (2 years) 19 . King Attharasatka, 922-924 (2 years) 20. King Vichittha Jakkrawattaraj, 924-927 (3 years) 21. King Kamonraj, 927-947 (20 years) 22. King Jurela, 947-953 (6 years) 23. King E-Kuru Jakkrawattaraj, 953-962 (9 years) 24. King Sudhevaraj, 962-963 (1 year) 25. King Chaiyalaraj, 963-967 (4 years) 26. King Malarayasupalanakhorn, 967-974 (7 years) 27. King Sela, 974-977 (3 years) 28. King Tayaraj, 977-983 (6 years) 29. King Cheelakkeeraj, 983-993 (10 years) 30. King Nanthula, 993-1013 (20 years) 31. King Inthavara, 1013-1042 (29 years) 32. King Arthikaya Dhammikaraj, 1042-1048 (6 years) 33. King Rattanaraj, 1048-1053 (5 years) 34. King Sappasitthiraj, 1053-1098 (45 years) 35. King Chettharaj, 1098-1113 (15 years) 36. King Jakkayokkaraj, 1113-1135 (22 years) 37. King Thawanyaraj, 1135-1137 (2 years) 38. King Kakayaraj, 1137-1148 (11 years) 39. King Sriyapanya, 1148-1151 (3 years) 40. King Vedhanaraj, 1151-1152 (1 year) 41. King Thatanyaraj, 1152-1182 (30 years) 42. King Thai Ammataya, 1182-1185 (3 years) 43. King Ammatapana, 1185-1195 (10 years) 44. King Dhavama, 1195-1196 (1 year) 45. King Tarakhala, 1196-1197 (1 year) 46. King Yotha, 1197-1271 (74 years) 47. King Yeeba, 1271-1293 (22 years) 2
Haripunjaya consisted of a group of cities that developed in the Ping River Basin in Chiang Mai Province, Lamphun Province, and part of the Wang River Plain in Lampang Province. The city setting in that day was usually located in the lowland area of the river. The city would be located on a high hill and usually small when compared to the cities of the Dvaravati period in the central and northeastern regions. The town plan was shaped irregularly type like a city in the Dvaravati period. There were two layers of earthen walls and ditches around. Most of people lived in the riverside surrounding the city area. The city within the moat was the administrative center of the Ping River Basin. The city in the Haripunjaya period was distributed in Mueang Lamphun District, Lamphun Province, and Chom Thong District, San Pa Tong District, Hang Dong District in Chiang Mai Province. This area was at the southern end of the Chiang Mai Plain. In the Haripunjaya period, the area was a low-lying area, mostly humid and swampy. Each city was near a river that would be used as a transportation route to connect with each other. City in Haripunjaya Kingdom 3
Haripunjaya City was the capital city of the region. The city plan was oval shape, size 1100 × 500 meters, with two rivers flanked by old Ping River on the west side and Mae Kuang River on the east side Within the city there were many important and ancient temples; namely Wat Phra That Haripunjaya which had Suwan Chedi Pagoda, Chiang Yan Pagoda, and Phra Borommathat Pagoda was an important archaeological site. Outlying District had the important temples consisted of West - Wat Mahawan and Wat Chamadevi East - Wat Don Kaew, Wat Phra Yuen, and Wat Chang Khong South - Wat Pratu Lee and Wat Thung Koo Rang North - Wat Phra Khong Rue Si Haripunjaya City 4
Haripunjaya City had a relationship with Lawo City located in the central region which had sent Queen Chamadevi who was the daughter of the king of Lawo City to govern the city. The reign of Queen Chamadevi was the period of building the city. The city had also been extended to the Wang River basin in Lampang Province. Furthermore, there was also a social and cultural relationship with the Mon city; namely the city of Sutham Nakorn and the city of Hongsawadee due to cholera outbreak in the city of Haripunjaya, large numbers of people in the city migrated and fled to the Mon city, and they also settled for many years. Therefore, the Haripunjaya people had the languages and characters that appeared in inscriptions similar to the letters and Mon language in Burma. The important King who was interested in Buddhism was called Phaya Sappasit, He built the temples, the Tripitaka, the monks’ dwellings, donated the land, and went out to be ordained with His son whose name was Phaya Yiba that was the last King of the Kingdom. He reigned for about 22 years, then there was Phaya Meng Rai who reigned Chiang Rai City in the Yonok Nakhon region to hit Haripunjaya City and was appended to the Yonok Nakhon region until became the Lanna region according to the legend of Shinnakalamali Pakorn said that Nakhon Haripunjaya had been in existence since the year of 661 or B.E.1204. There were 47 Kings who ruled Haripunjaya City for total of 632 years, then finally the city was lost to Chao Phaya Meng Rai in 1293 or B.E.1836. The story about the region of Haripunjaya appeared in many legends, such as the Legend of Phra That Haripunjaya, Legend of Chamadeviwong, Legend of Moonla Sassana and Chingala Mali Pakorn or Buddhism Legend in Lanna, etc. These ancient documents mentioned about building the city by Suthewarishi and Suktantri Hermit who had invited Queen Chamadevi from Lawo City to reign Lamphun around the year of 767 or B.E.1310. The ascension of Chamadevi at Haripunjaya showed the movement of the population and the dissemination of the culture of city that had received Indian culture into the current Lanna plains until causing many social and cultural changes in the Ping River Basin. Haripunjaya became the first city which received the Indian culture in the Northern. But the important written evidence used to study the story of city during the Haripunjaya period was the inscription type evidence. The evidence of inscriptions related to the city of Haripunjaya inscribed in ancient Mon language mixed with Pali language by using ancient Mon characters which were similar in appearance to the inscriptions of the King Kayansittha period who was Burmese king in Bagan during the period of 1085- 1087 or B.E. 1628-1630 with a total of 8 stone inscriptions consisted of Documentary Evidence related to Haripunjaya Region 5
One Stone Inscription with Four Sides at Wat Mahawan The 1st Side The 3rd Side The 2nd Side The 4th Side 6
Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun) Other names of Inscription Lor Phor.3, Vat Mahāvan, Mon Stone Inscription at Wat Mahawan, 1.4.1.1 Wat Mahawan in 1489 or B.E.2032 Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Ancient Mon Side/Line Number of sides: 4 sides: 85 lines, 1st Side: 22 lines, 2nd Side: 22 lines, 3rd Side: 21 lines, 4th Side: 20 lines Format Sandstone Object Characteristics Sema Shape Physical Dimensions Width of 78 cms. Height of 131 cms. Thickness of 24 cms. Inventory/ Registration of Antiquities 1) Office of National Library prescribed it to be “Lor Phor. 3” 2) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) prescribed it to be “Vat Mahāvan” 3) The Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 3 (January 1973) designated it as “Wat Mahawan Inscription” 4) The book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (1979) designated it as “Mon Stone Inscriptions of Wat Mahawan” 5) The Book of Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 designated it as “Wat Mahawan Inscriptions” 6) The book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2533) designated it as “Wat Mahawan Inscriptions” (Lor Phor./3, Phor Chor. 24, 356) 7) The book of Lanna Inscription Collection, Volume 1 designated it as “1.4.1.1 Wat Mahawan in 1489 or B.E. 2032” Year of Finding Inscriptions Unidentified of Finding Wat Mahawan, Mueang Lamphun District, Lamphun Province Discoverer Unidentified Currently Kept at Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province Publication 1) The Journal of Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) : 6 - 105. 2) The Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 3 (January 1973) : 314 – 322. 3) Stone Inscriptions Analysis in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department), 18 – 20. 7
4) Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department, 1986), 127 – 129. 5) Analysis of Stone Inscriptions in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department, 1990) , 18 – 19. 6) Lanna Inscription Collection, Volume 1 (Chiang Mai : Data Warehouse of Lanna Inscription, Social Research Institute, Chiang Mai University, 1997), 61-65 History of Inscription at Wat Mahawan According to the history of this stone inscription, it was found at Wat Mahawan, Mueang District, Lamphun Province. Lord Prakhun Phra Yan Mongkol who was the Deputy Primate of Lamphun Province, the abbot of Wat Mahawan said that originally, this stone inscription used to be located in front of the temple’s chapel. Later, the former abbot; Lord Prakhun Phra Yan Mongkol allowed to move it to Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province. This stone inscription was first published in the Journal named Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), 30th Year, 1930 (B.E. 2473) by Professor Robert Halliday and Professor Charles Otto Blagden, and they together read, translated, and wrote the article entitled “Les Inscription MÔn Du Siam”, which Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul had translated and compiled into Thai, then published in the Journal of Archaeology, Volume 4, No. 3, B.E. 2516. Later in 1979, the National Library of Thailand, the Fine Arts Department published a book analyzing the stone inscriptions at the Haripunjaya National Museum on the occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn opened Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province, and Book of Stone Inscription in Thailand, Volume 2 (B.E.2529) by Mr. Term Meetem as a person to read and summarized. After that, an analysis of stone inscriptions at the Haripunjaya National Museum was published again in 1990. Incidentally, the article of Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul, which was translated from the article by Prof. Robert Halliday and Prof. Charles Otto Blockden stated that this stone inscription had 3 sides which in fact there were all 4 sides; front-back and side (ridges) on both sides. The reason for this discrepancy might be due to the fact that the duplicator had made and sent a copy of stone inscription only 3 sides, thus causing the said misunderstanding. A Brief Content (1) Initial text mentioned the real truth was Char Ra Matta in the works of King who practiced royal merit in Buddhism. (2) Building a pagoda, 3 Buddha images, cubicle, arched space, many-tiered umbrella, and offerings Kha Phra5 or the servant to the monks (3) To mention the royal family and those involved in this business (mostly specific nouns) (4) Offering things to temples and monks 5 Kha Phra (Monk’s Servant) : The servant who served the monks in the temple 8
Builder Unidentified Determination of Age To determine the age from the ancient Mon characters which was similar to the letters that appeared on the stone inscription “Mayazedi” of King Kyanzittha (Roman alphabet Ky in Burmese language would be transcribed in /c/ represented Ch in Thai language); King Bagan (Burma) that was inscribed in B.E. 1628 and 1630, so this stone inscription was probably in the 17th Buddhist Century as well. When the Bagan Kingdom was influenced in the letters from Mon, and when King Anirut (Anortha Mang Cho); King of Bagan (Burma) led his army to succesfully attack the city of Saterm. (Thathon or Suthamwadi) which was the capital city of the southern Mon provinces. Therefore, people, craftsmen, monks as well as Buddhism scriptures that existed in the aforementioned land were forcibly drawn to Bagan until causing the Mon culture to spread in Bagan; including the use of characters. Professor Reginald Le May said that Burma inherited the writing culture from the Mon around B.E. 1606 that King Kyanzittha was the successor to the throne from King Anirut (Anortha Mangcho). Reference Compiled by: Pantip Teeranet, Stone Inscription Database Project in Thailand, Office of Nation Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Public Organisation), 2004, from 1) Robert Halliday, “Les Inscriptions Môn Du Siam,” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) : 6 - 105. 2) Okell John, A reference grammar of colloquial Burmese (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1969), 16. 3) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem, and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Wat Mahawan Inscription” in Analysis of Stone Inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum, 2nd Edition (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1990), 18 – 19. 4) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Mon inscriptions of Wat Mahawan” in an analysis of the inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1979), 18 – 20. 5) Term Meetem, “Wat Mahawan Inscription” in Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2: Pallava script Mon characters, 12th – 21st Buddhism Century (Bangkok: National Library of Thailand, Department of Fine Arts, 1986), 127 - 129. 6) Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul, “the 5th and 6th Stone Inscriptions in Mon language at Lamphun City”, Archaeology 4th year, Volume 3 (January, 1973) : 314 – 322 7) Hans Penth, “1.4.1.1 Wat Mahawan B.E. 2032” Lanna Inscription Collection, Volume 1 : Inscription in Chiang Saen Museum 9
(Chiang Mai : Data Warehouse of Lanna Inscription, Social Research Institute, Chiang Mai University, 1997), 61-75 Illustration: Photocopies of stone inscription photos from Department of Eastern Languages, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, 2002 (Registration No. CD; INS-TH-27, and Files; LPh_0301_c, LPh_0302_c, LPh_0303_c, and LPh_0304_c) Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun), the 1st Side Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun) Other names of Inscription Lor Phor.3, Vat Mahāvan, Mon Stone Inscription at Wat Mahawan, 1.4.1.1 Wat Mahawan in 1489 or B.E.2032 Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Ancient Mon Side/Line Number of sides: 4 sides: 85 lines, 1st Side: 22 lines, 2nd Side: 22 lines, 3rd Side: 21 lines, 4th Side: 20 lines Reader Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) Translator 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Champa Yuengcharoen (1990), (1990) Footnote for Explaining 1. Pantip Theeranet: Principles of Transcribing Mon Characters into Thai Characters of the National Library of Thailand and the Transcribing from Roman Characters to Thai Characters of Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul was slightly different; that was, a character marked with a symbol of Virama which represented the final consonant that the National Library of Thailand used the mark placed over the final consonant of the a word in Thai language to indicate that it was mute in transcribing, whereas Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul used dots under the consonants, but if it was the independent vowel (a) that was directed by Virama, the comma would be used as the same to be used in the Roman alphabets; for example, the Roman alphabet read ‘duk, vo’, the National Library of Thailand read as Tu, Vo, but Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul read as Tuk, Vo’. Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun), the 2nd Side Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun) Other names of Inscription Lor Phor.3, Vat Mahāvan, Mon Stone Inscription at Wat Mahawan, 1.4.1.1 Wat Mahawan in 1489 or B.E.2032 Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Ancient Mon 10
Side/Line Number of sides: 4 sides: 85 lines, 1st Side: 22 lines, 2nd Side: 22 lines, 3rd Side: 21 lines, 4th Side: 20 lines Reader/Translator There was not any reading - translation Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun), the 3rd Side Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun) Other names of Inscription Lor Phor.3, Vat Mahāvan, Mon Stone Inscription at Wat Mahawan, 1.4.1.1 Wat Mahawan in 1489 or B.E.2032 Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Ancient Mon Side/Line Number of sides: 4 sides: 85 lines, 1st Side: 22 lines, 2nd Side: 22 lines, 3rd Side: 21 lines, 4th Side: 20 lines Reader Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) Translator 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Champa Yuengcharoen (1990), (1990) Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun), the 4th Side Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of Wat Mahawan (Lamphun) Other names of Inscription Lor Phor.3, Vat Mahāvan, Mon Stone Inscription at Wat Mahawan, 1.4.1.1 Wat Mahawan in 1489 or B.E.2032 Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Ancient Mon Side/Line Number of sides: 4 sides: 85 lines, 1st Side: 22 lines, 2nd Side: 22 lines, 3rd Side: 21 lines, 4th Side: 20 lines Reader Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) Translator 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Champa Yuengcharoen (1990), (1990) 11
One Stone Inscription with One Side at Wat Don Kaew The 1st Inscription Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of Wat Don Kaew Other names of Inscription Stone Inscription of Wat Don or Wat Don Kaew Lor Phor./4, Stone Inscription at Wat Don Kaew (Lor Phor./4, Phor Chor.25, 358), Lor Phor.4 Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Ancient Mon Side/Line 7 lines in one side Format Sandstone Object Characteristics Sema Shape Physical Dimensions Width 66 cms. Height 147 cms. Thickness 19 cms. Inventory/ Registration of Antiquities 1) Office of National Library prescribed it to be “Lor Phor./ 4” 2) The book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum designated as “Wat Don or Wat Don Kaew Inscriptions Lor Phor./4” 3) The book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2533) designated as “Wat Don Kaew Inscriptions” (Lor Phor./4, Phor Chor. 25, 358) 4) The Book of Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 designated as “Wat Don Kaew Inscriptions” 12
Year of Stone Inscription Discovery No evidence Place of Discovery Wat Don Kaew in Sri Bua Baan Sub- District, Mueang District, Lamphun Province Founder No evidence Currently kept at Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province Publication: 1) Analysis of Stone Inscription in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1979), 27-29 2) Stone Inscription in Thailand (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1986), 130 3) Analysis of Stone Inscription in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1990), 20-21 History of Don Kaew Stone Inscription This inscription was found in the area of Wat Don Kaew, Mueang District, Lamphun Province. The Fine Arts Department published information about the inscription in a book analyzing the inscription at Haripunchai National Museum. On the occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to open the Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province in 1979, and the book of inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2, in 1886. Later, the analysis of stone inscriptions at the Haripunjaya National Museum was reprinted in 1990, all without publishing the reading and translation, because the said inscription was very damaged, the letters were so obscured that they could not be read all for summarizing; it just only can summarize some contents. A Brief Content: Mentioned about building a pagoda and setting Phatthasima or monastic boundary which contained 13 gold beads Builder Unidentified Determination of Age To determine the age from the ancient Mon characters which was similar to the letters that appeared on the stone inscription “Mayazedi” of King Kyanzittha (Roman alphabet Ky in Burmese language would be transcribed in /c/ represented Ch in Thai language); King Bagan (Burma) that was inscribed in B.E. 1628 and 1630, so this stone inscription was probably in the 17th Buddhist Century as well. The letters appeared on this stone inscription were given the opinion from Champa Yueangcharoen that their characteristic looked similarly to the letters appeared on the stone inscription of Punjaya Kingdom (Lor Phor./5) until it could be said that it was the handwriting of the same persons. When the Bagan Kingdom was influenced in the letters from Mon, and when King Anirut (Anortha Mang Cho); King of Bagan (Burma) led his army to succesfully attack the city of Saterm (Thathon or Suthamwadi) which was the capital city of the southern Mon provinces. Therefore, people, craftsmen, monks as well as Buddhism scriptures that existed in the aforementioned land were forcibly drawn to Bagan until causing the Mon culture to spread in Bagan; including the use 13
of characters. Professor Reginald Le May said that Burma inherited the writing culture from the Mon around B.E. 1606 that King Kyanzittha was the successor to the throne from King Anirut (Anortha Mangcho). Reference Compiled by : Pantip Theeranet, Inscription Database Project in Thailand, Office of Nation Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Public Organisation), 2004, from 1) Okell John, A reference grammar of colloquial Burmese (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1969), 16 2) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Wat Don Kaew Stone Inscription” in an analysis of the inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum, the 2nd publishing (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1990), 20-21 3) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem and Kongdej Prapatthong, “The Inscription of Wat Don or Wat Don Kaew Lor Phor./4” in an analysis of the inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1979), 27-29 4) Term Meetem, “Wat Don Kaew Inscription” in Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2: Pallava script Mon characters, 12th – 21st Buddhism Century (Bangkok: National Library of Thailand, Department of Fine Arts, 1986), 130 Illustration : Photocopies of stone inscription photos from Department of Eastern Languages, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, 2002 (Registration No. CD; INS-TH-27, and File; LPh_0400_c) Reader : Champa Yuengcharoen (1979), (1990) Translator : Champa Yuengcharoen (1979), (1990) Examiner : National Library Division, Fine Arts Department (1986), (1990) 14
King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 1 (Wat Don Kaew) 1 Stone Inscription with 2 Sides The 1st Side of Stone Inscription The 2nd Side of Stone Inscription Name of Inscription King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 1 (Wat Don Kaew) Other names of Inscription Inscription de Văt Don, Vat Don, Stone Inscription from Wat Don, Stone Inscription with Registration No. Lor Phor./1, King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription (Wat Don Kaew) (Lor Phor./1, Phor Chor.19, 252), Wat Don Stone Inscription Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Pali, Ancient Mon Side/Line 35 lines in 2 sides: the 1st side had 18 lines, and the 2nd side had 17 lines Format Sandstone Object Characteristics Sema Shape Physical Dimensions Width 88 cms. Height 156 cms. Thickness 47.7 cms. 15
Inventory/ Registration of Antiquities 1) Office of National Library prescribed it to be “Lor Phor.1” 2) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXV (1925) prescribed it to be “Inscription de Văt Don” 3) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) prescribed it to be “Inscription de Văt Don” 4) The Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 1 (July 1972) designated as “Inscriptions from Wat Don” 5) The book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2522) designated as “Inscriptions with Registration No. Lor.Phor./1” 6) The book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2533) designated as “King Sawawathisithi Inscriptions (Wat Don Kaew)” (Lor Phor./1, Phor Chor. 19, 353) 7) A book named Yam Banyai designated as “Wat Don Inscriptions” 8) The Book of Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 designated as “King Sawawathisithi Inscriptions 1 (Wat Don Kaew)” Year of Stone Inscription Discovery B.E.2460 Place of Discovery Wat Don (Wat Don Kaew) located around 250 meter from the East of Mueang District, Lamphun Province Founder No evidence Currently kept at Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province Publication: 1) Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXV (1925): 172-200 2) Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930): 6-105 3) In the Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 1 (July 1972): 57-62 4) Analysis of Stone Inscription in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1979), 8-13 5) A book named Yam Banyai (Bangkok : Rungruengtham Pressing, 1980), 87-126 6) Stone Inscription in Thailand, Volume 2 (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1986), 119-122 7) Analysis of Stone Inscription in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1990), 1-14 16
The History of King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 1 (Wat Don Kaew) This main inscription was found in 1917 by the National Museum Register in Haripunjaya, Lamphun Province, it was stated that the said inscription was found at Wat Ton Kaew. But in the article titled “Liste des Chroniques et autres Documents Relatifs a l ‘Histoire du Laos Yuen Conservés à la Bibliothéque Nationale de Bangkok” by Professor George Coedès who stated that this inscription was found at Wat Don that was about 250 meters in the east of Lamphun city around the eastern area of Wat Ton Kaew. This article was published in the Journal of Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), volume 25, 1925 (B.E. 2468) as considered the first work which this main inscription was published about transcription and translation. Later, he gave a copy of the said inscription to Professor Robert Halliday when he came to the Bangkok Metropolitan Library (the National Library in this present). After that, Professor Charles Otto Blagden had read this inscription and made various comments; including edited some translations of Professor Robert Halliday, and then started to write the article named “Les Inscription Môn du Siam” and published in the Journal of Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), the 30th Year in 1925 (B.E. 2473). Later, in 1972, Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul translated the article into the Journal of Archaeology, the 4th Year, Volume 1-3. And this inscription was shown in Book 1, the title of the article was “Mon Stone Inscription in Lamphun Province, the 1st Inscription”. After that, in 1979 the Fine Arts Department published information about such inscription in a book titled “Analysis of the Stone Inscriptions in Haripunjaya National Museum” called “Stone Inscriptions with Registration Number Lor Phor./1”. Subsequently, a translation in Pali was published along with the analysis of the book named “Yam Banyai” written by Professor Yam Prapatthong that was published in honor of the Honorary Doctoral Degree Ceremony of Chulalongkorn University under the patronage of the Sangha Supreme Council. After that it was published in a book named “The Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2” in 1986 with the name of “Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 1 (Wat Don Kaeo)”. Later, the book was published to analyze the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum repeatedly again in 1990 under the name “The Inscription of King Sawawathisithi (Wat Don Kaew)”. 17
A Brief Content : (1) King Sawawathisithi built Wat Chetawan when he was 26 years old. Later, when he was 31 years old, he built the mortuary and monk’s residence; including engraved a large number of scriptures. (2) The construction of 3 pagodas in front of Wat Chetawan by King Sawawathisithi, his 2 wives, his members of the royal family, and his son, with reference to the location of the pagoda arranged from the east to the west. (3) The ordination of King Sawawathisithi and his two sons named Mahanam and Kaccaya, respectively, by a senior monk named Rajguru presided over the ordination. At that time, King Sawawathisithi was 32 years old. Builder : King Sawawathisithi Determination of Age To determine the age from the ancient Mon characters which was similar to the letters that appeared on the stone inscription “Mayazedi” of King Kyanzittha (Roman alphabet Ky in Burmese language would be transcribed in /c/ represented Ch in Thai language); King Bagan (Burma) that was inscribed in B.E. 1628 and 1630, so this stone inscription was probably in the 17th Buddhist Century as well. The letters appeared on this stone inscription were given the opinion from Champa Yueangcharoen that their characteristic looked similarly to the letters appeared on the stone inscription of Punjaya Kingdom (Lor Phor./5) until it could be said that it was the handwriting of the same persons. When the Bagan Kingdom was influenced in the letters from Mon, and when King Anirut (Anortha Mang Cho); King of Bagan (Burma) led his army to succesfully attack the city of Saterm (Thathon or Suthamwadi) which was the capital city of the southern Mon provinces. Therefore, people, craftsmen, monks as well as Buddhism scriptures that existed in the aforementioned land were forcibly drawn to Bagan until causing the Mon culture to spread in Bagan; including the use of characters. Professor Reginald Le May said that Burma inherited the writing culture from the Mon around B.E. 1606 that King Kyanzittha was the successor to the throne from King Anirut (Anortha Mangcho). 18
Reference Compiled by : Pantip Theeranet, Inscription Database Project in Thailand, Office of Nation Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Public Organisation), 2004, from (1) George Coedès, “Liste des Chroniques et autres Documents Relatifs à l’Histoire du Laos Yuen Conservés à la Bibliothéque Nationale de Bangkok,” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême- Orient XXV (1925) : 189-200. (2) Okell John, A reference grammar of colloquial Burmese (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1969), 16 (3) Robert Halliday, “Les Inscriptions Môn du Siam,” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême-Orient XXX (1930) : 6-105. (4) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Wat Don Kaew Stone Inscription” in an analysis of the inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum, the 2nd publishing (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1990), 11-14 (5) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem and Kongdej Prapatthong, “The Inscription of Wat Don or Wat Don Kaew Lor Phor./1” in an analysis of the inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1979), 8-13 (6) Term Meetem, “Wat Don Kaew Inscription” in Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2: Pallava script Mon characters, 12th – 21st Buddhism Century (Bangkok: National Library of Thailand, Department of Fine Arts, 1986), 119-122 (7) Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul “Mon Stone Inscription in Lamphun Province, the 1st Inscription” Journal of Archaeology, the 4th Year, Volume 1 (July 1972) : 57-62 . (8) Yam Prapatthong, “Description of the Analysis of Pali Literature from the Stone Inscriptions of Wat Don in Lamphun Province” in Yam Banyai : A Tribute to Muthitachit in honorary doctorate degree celebration Chulalongkorn University under the patronage of the Sangha Sangha and Somdet Phra Phutthakhosachan (Chutinthorn Mahathera), Wat Sam Phraya, 16 August 1980 (Bangkok: Rungruengtham Printing House, 1980), 87-126. 19
Illustration: Photocopies of stone inscription photos from Department of Eastern Languages, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, 2002 (Registration No. CD; INS-TH-27, and File; LPh_0101_c and LPh_0102_c) King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 1 (Wat Don Kaew), the 1st Side Name of Inscription King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 1 (Wat Don Kaew) Other names of Inscription Inscription de Văt Don, Vat Don, Stone Inscription from Wat Don, Stone Inscription with Registration No. Lor Phor./1, King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription (Wat Don Kaew) (Lor Phor./1, Phor Chor.19, 252), Wat Don Stone Inscription Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Pali, Ancient Mon Side/Line 35 lines in 2 sides: the 1st side had 18 lines, and the 2nd side had 17 lines Readers 1) George Cœdès (to read Pali language) (1925) 2) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (to read Mon language) (1930) 3) Tern Meetem (1979), (1990) Translators 1) George Coedes (to translate Pali language) (1925) 2) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (to translate Mon language) (1930) 3) Boonlert Se-Nanon (to translate Pali language) (1979), (1990) 4) Champa Yuengcharoen (to translate Mon language), (1979), (1990) Examiner National Library Division, Fine Arts Department (1986), (1990) King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 1 (Wat Don Kaew), the 2nd Side Name of Inscription King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 1 (Wat Don Kaew) Other names of Inscription Inscription de Văt Don, Vat Don, Stone Inscription from Wat Don, Stone Inscription with Registration No. Lor Phor./1, King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription (Wat Don Kaew) (Lor Phor./1, Phor Chor.19, 252), Wat Don Stone Inscription Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon 20
Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Pali, Ancient Mon Side/Line 35 lines in 2 sides: the 1st side had 18 lines, and the 2nd side had 17 lines Readers 1) George Cœdès (to read Pali language) (1925) 2) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (to read Mon language) (1930) 3) Tern Meetem (1979), (1990) Translators 1) George Coedes (to translate Pali language) (1925) 2) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (to translate Mon language) (1930) 3) Boonlert Se-Nanon (to translate Pali language) (1979), (1990) 4) Champa Yuengcharoen (to translate Mon language), (1979), (1990) Examiner National Library Division, Fine Arts Department (1986), (1990) 21
Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut) 1 Inscription with 2 Sides The 1st Side of Stone Inscription The 2nd Side of Stone Inscription Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut) Other names of Inscription Inscription de Văt Kŭkŭt, Vat Ku Kut (I), Mon Stone Inscription from Wat Kukut or Wat Chamdhevi, Stone Inscription with Registration No. Lor Phor./1, King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription (Wat Ku Kut) (Lor Phor./2, Phor Chor.21, 354), the 1st Wat Kukut or Wat Chamdhevi Stone Inscription Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Pali, Ancient Mon Side/Line Total 38 lines in 2 sides; 19 lines per side Format Sandstone Object Characteristics Sema Shape Physical Dimensions Width 98 cms. Height 124 cms. Thickness 29 cms. 22
Inventory/ Registration of Antiquities 1) Office of National Library prescribed it to be “Lor Phor.2” 2) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXV (1925) prescribed it to be “Inscription de Văt Kukut” 3) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) prescribed it to be “Vat Kukut (I)” 4) In the book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2522), designated as “Mon Inscriptions at Wat Ku Kut or Wat Chamdhevi” 5) In the book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2533), designated as “King Sawawathisithi Inscriptions (Wat Ku Kut)” (Lor Phor./2, Phor Chor. 21, 354) 6) In the Book of Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 designated as “King Sawawathisithi Inscriptions 2 (Wat Ku Kut)” 7) In the Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 2 (October 1972), designated as “Inscriptions from Wat Ku Kut or the 1st inscription of Chamadevi” Year of Stone Inscription Discovery 1922 Place of Discovery The base of pagoda on the east side of Wat Chamdevi or Ku Kut, Mueang District, Lamphun Province Founder His Royal Highness Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and Professor George Cœdès Currently kept at Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province Publication: 1) Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXV (1925): 189-200 2) Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930): 6-105 3) In the Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 2 (October 1972): 163-166 4) Analysis of Stone Inscription in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1979), 14-17 5) Stone Inscription in Thailand, Volume 2 (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1986), 123-126 6) Analysis of Stone Inscription in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1990), 15-17 23
The history of King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 2 (Wat Don Kaew) This main inscription was found with the inscription of the Kingdom of Punchai in February 1922, according to the registration system of the Haripunjaya National Museum, identified that it was found at Wat Don Kaew (The original registration system said that Wat Ton Kaew), Wiang Yong Sub- District, Mueang District, Lamphun Province which is the same place that the King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription (Wat Don Kaew) was found, but in the article called “Liste des Chroniques et autres Documents Relatifs à l’Histoire du Laos Yuen Conservés à la Bibliothéque Nationale de Bangkok” written by George Coedès in the the Journal of Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), the 25th year (BEFEO: 1925) (B.E. 2468) which was the first work that had been published into reading script and translation version. The said inscription stated that he and Somdej Krom Phraya Damrong Rajanupab were the persons who discovered the inscription under the ground in the area of Phra That Ku Kut that was the Pagoda in the Eastern side which conflicted with the founding places specified in the museum’s registration system. However, more reliable information should be from Professor George Coedès, because he found the said inscription by himself. In addition, the content in the inscription was consistent with the archaeological site, which was Phra That Chedi at Wat Cham Devi. Later, Professor George Coedès sent a photo of this major inscription to Professor Robert Halliday to read and translate it. Ten, Professor Robert Halliday also worked with Charles Otto Blagden to read and translate this inscription again, and published in the Journal of Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO) (BEFEO: 1930) (1930). Later, Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul translated and compiled into Thai in the article named “Mon Language Inscription in Lamphun City, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Inscription” in the 4th year Archaeological Journal, Volume 2 in 1972. This main inscription was called that “The inscription of Ku Kut or Cham Devi, 1st Inscription”. Later, the Fine Arts Department published information about the said inscription in the book named the Analysis of Stone Inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum in 1979, which was called “Mon Inscription, Wat Ku Kut or Wat Cham Devi” and the Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 in 1986, with the name “ King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 2, Wat Ku Kut”, then there was a repeated publication of the book named the Analysis of Stone Inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum in 1990, and this book called “The King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription (Wat Ku Kut)”. A Brief Content: King Sawawathisithi ordered the restoration of the Rattana Chedi which had collapsed due to an earthquake. There was the storytelling about the well that had been built in the monastery by the King’s Mother, offering the servant for monks, devoting the land and things. Incidentally, the said pagoda was in the area of Wat Chamdhevi in 24
Lamphun Province at the present. In the area of this temple, there were 2 architectures of the Haripunjaya period: (1) Rattana Chedi which was an octagonal castle-shaped chedi made of bricks enshrining a standing Buddha image in the arch, (2) Kukut or Kukuti was a 4-sided overlapping 5-tiered castle-shaped pagoda. Every level had 3 standing Buddha images in the posture of giving forgiveness in the arch on each side, a total of 60 Buddha images. The corners were decorated with model chedi (Stupika) that the name of this stupa was spelled differently. “Kukut” was referred to the stupa without a top like the shape of the aforementioned pagodas with the broken highest point, “Kukuti” was referred to a pagoda with an arch enshrining a Buddha image. Both pagodas had thr styles that showed Dvaravati and Bagan art influences. Builder : King Sawawathisithi Determination of Age To determine the age from the ancient Mon characters which was similar to the letters that appeared on the stone inscription “Mayazedi” of King Kyanzittha (Roman alphabet Ky in Burmese language would be transcribed in /c/ represented Ch in Thai language); King Bagan (Burma) that was inscribed in B.E. 1628 and 1630, so this stone inscription was probably in the 17th Buddhist Century as well. The letters appeared on this stone inscription were given the opinion from Champa Yueangcharoen that their characteristic looked similarly to the letters appeared on the stone inscription of Punjaya Kingdom (Lor Phor./5) until it could be said that it was the handwriting of the same persons. When the Bagan Kingdom was influenced in the letters from Mon, and when King Anirut (Anortha Mang Cho); King of Bagan (Burma) led his army to succesfully attack the city of Saterm (Thathon or Suthamwadi) which was the capital city of the southern Mon provinces. Therefore, people, craftsmen, monks as well as Buddhism scriptures that existed in the aforementioned land were forcibly drawn to Bagan until causing the Mon culture to spread in Bagan; including the use of characters. Professor Reginald Le May said that Burma inherited the writing culture from the Mon around B.E. 1606 that King Kyanzittha was the successor to the throne from King Anirut (Anortha Mangcho). Reference Compiled by: Pantip Teeranet, Stone Inscription Database Project in Thailand, Office of Nation Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Public Organisation), 2004, from 1) George Cœdès, “Liste des Chroniques et autres Documents Relatifs à l’Histoire du Laos Yuen Conservés à la Bibliothéque Nationale de Bangkok,” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXV (1925) : 189 - 200. 25
2) Okell John, A reference grammar of colloquial Burmese (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1969), 16. 3) Robert Halliday, “Les Inscriptions Môn du Siam,” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) : 6 - 105. 4) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem, and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Mon inscriptions of Wat Ku Kut or Wat Chamadevi” in an analysis of the inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1979), 14-17. 5) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem, and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Stone Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut)” in Analysis of Stone Inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum, 2nd Edition (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1990), 11-14 6) Term Meetem, “Stone Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut)” in Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2: Pallava script Mon characters, 12th – 21st Buddhism Century (Bangkok: National Library of Thailand, Department of Fine Arts, 1986), 123-126. 7) Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul, “the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Stone Inscriptions in Mon language at Lamphun City”, Archaeology 4th year, Volume 2 (October, 1973) : 163-168 8) Santi Leksukhum, Northern Arts: Haripunjaya-Lanna (Bangkok: Daan Suttha Printing, 1995), 27 – 35 Illustration: Photocopies of stone inscription photos from Department of Eastern Languages, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, 2002 (Registration No. CD; INS-TH-27, and File; LPh_0201_c1 and LPh_0202_c) King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription 2 (Wat Ku Kut), the 1st Side Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut) Other names of Inscription Inscription de Văt Kŭkŭt, Vat Ku Kut (I), Mon Stone Inscription from Wat Kukut or Wat Chamdhevi, King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription (Wat Ku Kut) (Lor Phor./2, Phor Chor.21, 354), the 1st Wat Ku Kut or Wat Chamdhevi Stone Inscription Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century 26
Language Pali, Ancient Mon Side/Line Total 38 lines in 2 sides; 19 lines per side Reader 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Term Meetem (1979), (1990) Translator 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Champa Yuengcharoen (1979), (1990) Examiner National Library of the Fine Arts Department (1986), (1990) Stone Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut), the 2nd side Name of Inscription Stone Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut) Other names of Inscription Inscription de Văt Kŭkŭt, Vat Ku Kut (I), Mon Stone Inscription from Wat Kukut or Wat Chamdhevi, King Sawawathisithi Stone Inscription (Wat Ku Kut) (Lor Phor./2, Phor Chor.21, 354), the 1st Wat Ku Kut or Wat Chamdhevi Stone Inscription Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Pali, Ancient Mon Side/Line Total 38 lines in 2 sides; 19 lines per side Reader 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Term Meetem (1979), (1990) Translator 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Champa Yuengcharoen (1979), (1990) Examiner National Library of the Fine Arts Department (1986), (1990) 27
Kingdom of Punjaya Stone Inscription One Inscription and One Side The 1st Side of Inscription Name of Inscription Kingdom of Punjaya Inscription Other names of Inscription Vat Kukut II, Inscription from Wat Kukut or Wat Chamdhevi, the 2nd Inscription, Stone Inscription Inscription from Wat Kukut or Wat Chamdhevi Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Pali, Ancient Mon Side/Line Total 8 lines in 1 side Format Sandstone Object Characteristics Sema Shape Physical Dimensions Width 68 cms. Height 100 cms. Thickness 23 cms. Inventory/ Registration of Antiquities 1) Office of National Library prescribed it to be “Lor Phor.5” 2) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXV (1930) prescribed it to be “Vat Kukut II” 3) In the Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 2 (October 1972), designated as “Inscriptions from Wat Ku Kut or the 2nd inscription of Chamadevi” 28
4) In the book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2522), designated as “Stone Inscription at Wat Ku Kut or Wat Chamdhevi” 5) In the Book of Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 designated as “Kingdom of Punjaya Inscription (Wat Ku Kut)” 6) In the book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2533), designated as “Kingdom of Punjaya Inscription” (Lor Phor./5, Phor Chor. 31, 359) Year of Stone Inscription Discovery No Evidence Place of Discovery Wat Chamdhevi or Ku Kut in Mueang District, Lamphun Province Founder His Royal Highness Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and Professor George Cœdès Currently kept at Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province Publication: 1) Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930): 6-105 2) In the Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 2 (October 1972): 163-168 3) Analysis of Stone Inscription in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1979), 24-26 4) Stone Inscription in Thailand, Volume 2 (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1986), 131-132 5) Analysis of Stone Inscription in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : Fine Arts Department, 1990), 22-23 The History of Kingdom of Punjaya Inscription His Royal Highness Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and Professor George Cœdès found this said inscription in February 1922 along with Stone Inscription of King Sawawathisithi 2 (Wat Ku Kut) at the eastern base of Wat Chammadhevi or Ku Kut (Wat San Maha Phon) which was far from Wat Phra That Haripunjaya to the west about 1 kilometer. Later, Prof. Robert Halliday and Prof. Charles Otto Blagden had jointly read and translated and published in t the Journal named Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), 30th Year, 1930 (B.E. 2473) which Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul translated into the Archaeological Journal, the 4th Year, Volume 2 in 1972. The Fine Arts Department then published information about the said inscription in the book named the Analysis of Stone Inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum on the occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn opened Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province, and Book of Stone Inscription in Thailand, Volume 2 (B.E.2529) by Mr. Term Meetem as a person to read and summarized. After that, an analysis of stone inscriptions at the Haripunjaya National Museum was published again in 1990. All were without publication of reading scripts, but there was a comment about the letters in the inscription, and Mr. Champa Yuengcharoen said that the letters in the inscription were rather 29
round than ones appeared in the Stone Inscription of King Sawawathisithi which had a square shape. While Mr. Term Meetem commented that a person who inscribed might be a monk; therefore, the letters were not as beautiful as the inscriptions of King Sawawathisithi which should have been written by the writer in the Royal Court that would be much more beautiful. This opinion was similar to what Prof. Robert Halliday and Prof. Charles Otto Blagden stated in their paper that the pacing of lines in the inscriptions were not equal that might be carved by someone who did not have this profession directly. A Brief Content : The content translated by Prof. Robert Halliday and Prof. Charles Otto Blagden. (B.E. 2473) and Champa Yuengcharoen and Term Meetem (B.E. 2533) had the details that were quite different, but the same thing was to mention about King Haripunjaya and activities related to Buddhism. Builder : Ta Chu who was one king of Kingdom of Haripunjaya Determination of Age To determine the age from the ancient Mon characters which was similar to the letters that appeared on the stone inscription “Mayazedi” of King Kyanzittha (Roman alphabet Ky in Burmese language would be transcribed in /c/ represented Ch in Thai language); King Bagan (Burma) that was inscribed in B.E. 1628 and 1630, so this stone inscription was probably in the 17th Buddhist Century as well. The letters appeared on this stone inscription were given the opinion from Champa Yueangcharoen that their characteristic looked similarly to the letters appeared on the stone inscription of Punjaya Kingdom (Lor Phor./5) until it could be said that it was the handwriting of the same persons. When the Bagan Kingdom was influenced in the letters from Mon, and when King Anirut (Anortha Mang Cho); King of Bagan (Burma) led his army to succesfully attack the city of Saterm (Thathon or Suthamwadi) which was the capital city of the southern Mon provinces. Therefore, people, craftsmen, monks as well as Buddhism scriptures that existed in the aforementioned land were forcibly drawn to Bagan until causing the Mon culture to spread in Bagan; including the use of characters. Professor Reginald Le May said that Burma inherited the writing culture from the Mon around B.E. 1606 that King Kyanzittha was the successor to the throne from King Anirut (Anortha Mangcho). Reference Compiled by: Pantip Teeranet, Stone Inscription Database Project in Thailand, Office of Nation Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Public Organisation), 2004, from 1) Okell John, A reference grammar of colloquial Burmese (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1969), 16. 2) Robert Halliday, “Les Inscriptions Môn du Siam,” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) : 6 - 105. 30
3) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem, and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Kingdom of Punjaya Inscriptions” in Analysis of Stone Inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum, 2nd Edition (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1990), 22-23 4) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem, and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Stone Inscription of Wat Ku Kut or Wat Chammadhevi” in an analysis of the inscriptions at Haripunjaya 24-26-17. 5) Term Meetem, “Kingdom of Punjaya Inscription (Wat Ku Kut)” in Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2: Pallava script Mon characters, 12th – 21st Buddhism Century (Bangkok: National Library of Thailand, Department of Fine Arts, 1986), 131-132. 6) Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul, “the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Stone Inscriptions in Mon language at Lamphun City”, Archaeology 4th year, Volume 2 (October, 1973) : 163-168 Illustration: Photocopies of stone inscription photos from Department of Eastern Languages, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, 2002 (Registration No. CD; INS-TH-27, and File; LPh_0500_ c) Reader 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) Translator 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Champa Yuengcharoen (1979), (1990) Examiner National Library of the Fine Arts Department (1979), (1990) 31
Wat Saen Khao Hor Stone Inscription (Ta Ju Maha Thera) The 1st Side of Inscription Name of Inscription Wat Saen Khao Hor Stone Inscription (Ta Ju Maha Thera) Other names of Inscription Lor Phor. 7, Inscription de Vǎt Sễn Khẵo Hõ, Vat Sen Khao Ho, Wat Saen Khao Hor Stone Inscription, Wat Saen Khao Hor Inscription Year The 17th Buddhist Century Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Language Ancient Mon Side/Line Total 14 lines in 1 side Format Sandstone Object Characteristics Sema Shape Physical Dimensions Width 60 cms. Height 121 cms. Thickness 15 cms. Inventory/ Registration of Antiquities 1) Office of National Library prescribed it to be “Lor Phor.7” 2) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXV (1825) prescribed it to be “Inscription de Vǎt Sễn Khẵo Hõ” 3) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) prescribed it to be “Vat Sen Khao Ho” 32
4) In the book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2522), designated as “Inscriptions at Wat Saen Khao Hor” 5) In the book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2533), designated as “Wat Saen Khao Hor Stone Inscription (Ta Ju Maha Thera)” (Lor Phor./7, Phor Chor. 28, 355) 6) In the Book of Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 designated as “Ta Ju Maha Thera Stone Inscription (Wat Saen Khao Hor)” 7) In the Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 2 (October 1972), designated as “Inscriptions from Wat Saen Khao Hor” Year of Stone Inscription Discovery No evidence Place of Discovery Wat Saen Khao Hor (Current location is Haripunjaya National Museum, Mueang District, Lamphun Province Founder No evidence Currently kept at Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province Publication 1) Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême-Orient XXV (1925) : 72-200 2) Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême-Orient XXX (1930) : 6-150. 3) Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 2 (October 1972) : 314 – 322. 4) Stone Inscriptions Analysis in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department), 30-34 5) Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department, 1986), 137 – 139 6) Analysis of Stone Inscriptions in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department, 1990) , 27-29 33
History This inscription was found in the area of Wat Saen Khao Hor, Lamphun Province (Current location is Haripunjaya National Museum), then was firstly read and translated by Professor George Cœdès that was published in the article named “Liste des Chroniques Et autres Documents Relatifs à l’Histoire du Laos Yuen Conservés à la Bibliothéque Nationale de Bangkok” in the Journal of Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), Vol. 25, 1925 (1925). Later, Professor Robert Halliday and Professor Charles Otto Blagden (1930) wrote the article named “Les Inscriptions Môn Du Siam” in the Journal of Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), the 30th year in 1930 (B.E. 2473) with reading and translation of the aforementioned inscription which Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul translated into the Journal of Archaeology, Volume 4, No. 1-3 in the years of 1972-1973 (this inscription was in Volume 2). Then, the Fine Arts Department published information about such inscriptions in the book analyzing stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (1979, 1990), and inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2, 1986 without the publication of the transcription. Champa, Yuengcharoen and Term Meetem analyzed the letters and contents of the inscriptions that were related to the other inscriptions; that was, the letters of this inscription was greatly close and relevant to the inscriptions of Wat Don Kaew (Lor Phor. 4) and inscriptions of the Punjaya Kingdom. It could be said that the person who made the inscription was the same person. As for the content, both of them analyzed that “King Tachu of Haripunjaya” who was mentioned in the inscription of Wat Don Kaew (Lor Phor. 4) and “Tachu Maha Thera” in the inscription of Wat Saen Khao Hor might be the same person. When considering the fonts that were expected to be inscribed by the same person, it was therefore possible that before he was ordained he might have been the king who ruled Haripunjaya before. And it was also probably related to Phra Chao Sawawathisitthi as it was often found with his inscriptions, even Wat Mahawan Inscriptions (Lor Phor. 3) might have been closely to this inscription before, because “Mahawan” was also mentioned (Professor Robert Halliday and Professor Charles Otto Blagden (1930) read it as “Mahakhan”. Brief Content: Tuchu Maha Thera of Haripunjaya City built a place to enshrine 10 Buddha images, planted Maha Bodhi and coconut trees, created the top tier of the Tripitaka, Pra Parit Scriptures with scripture storage; including built a wall and offering a pair of cows, and the unidentified builder. 34
Determination of age: To determine the age from the ancient Mon characters which was similar to the letters that appeared on the stone inscription “Mayazedi” of King Khanchit that was inscribed in 1085 and 1087, so this inscription was likely to be around the 17th Buddhist Century as well. Moreover, the characters in this inscription were similar to other inscriptions in the 17th Buddhist Century; especially the inscriptions of Wat Don Kaew and the inscription of the Punjaya Empire as mentioned above. Regarding determining the age of the ancient Mon inscription, Professor George Cœdès gave the opinion on the article “Liste des Chroniques et autres Documents Relatifs à l’Histoire du Laos Yuen Conservés à la Bibliothéque National de Bangkok” in the the journal named Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO) in the 25th year, 1925 (EFEO: 1925) (1925), that it should be around the 18th Buddhist Century (but from various evidence at present, both fonts and art history suggested that it might have been around the 17th Buddhist Century). However, King Anirut (Anoratha Mang Chor) who was the King of Bagan (Burma) led his army to successfully hit the city of Saterm (Thathon or Suthamwadi) which was the capital city of the southern Mon provinces. Therefore, people, artisans as well as monks and Buddhist scriptures that existed in the said land were brought to Bagan until causing the Mon culture to spread in Bagan; including the use of letters. Professor Reginald Le May said that Burma received the writing culture from Mon around 1063 which King Chansittha was then the king who reigned after King Anirut (Anoratha Mang Chor). Reference: Compiled by: Pantip Teeranet, Stone Inscription Database Project in Thailand, Office of Nation Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Public Organisation), 2004, from 1) George Cœdès, “Liste des Chroniques et autres Documents Relatifs à l’Histoire du Laos Yuen Conservés à la Bibliothéque National de Bangkok,” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême- Orient XXV (1925) : 172-200. 2) Robert Halliday, “Les Inscriptions Môn du Siam,” Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême-Orient XXX (1930) : 6-105. 3) Okell John, A reference grammar of colloquial Burmese (Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1969), 16. 4) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem, and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Stone Wat Saen Khao Hor Stone Inscription (Ta Ju Maha Thera)” in Analysis of Stone Inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum, 2nd Edition (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1990), 27-29. 35
5) Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem, and Kongdej Prapatthong, “Stone Inscriptions of Wat Saen Khao Hor” in an analysis of the inscriptions at Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok: National Library of the Fine Arts Department, 1979), 30-34. 6) Term Meetem, “Wat Saen Khao Hor Stone Inscription (Ta Ju Maha Thera)” in Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2: Pallava and Mon characters, 12th – 21st Buddhism Century (Bangkok: National Library of Thailand, Department of Fine Arts, 1986), 137-139 7) Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul, “the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Stone Inscriptions in Mon language at Lamphun City”, Archaeology 4th year, Volume 2 (October, 1973) : 163-168 Illustration: Photocopies of stone inscription photos from Department of Eastern Languages, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, 2002 (Registration No. CD; INS-TH-27, and File; LPh_0700_ c) Reader 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) Translator 1) Robert Halliday and Charles Otto Blagden (1930) 2) Champa Yuengcharoen (1979), (1990) Examiner National Library of the Fine Arts Department (1986) 36
Wat Baan Luay Stone Inscription One Inscription and One Side The 1st Side of Inscription The 2nd Side of Inscription Name of Inscription Wat Baan Luay Stone Inscription Other names of Inscription Lor Phor. 6, Vat Ban Hlui, Wat Ban Hlui Inscription, Wat Ban Hlui Stone Inscription Letters in the inscription Ancient Mon Year The 17th Buddhist Century Language Ancient Mon Side/Line Total 32 lines in 2 sides; 16 lines per side Format Sandstone Object Characteristics Sema Shape Physical Dimensions Width 45.5 cms. Height 95 cms. Thickness 15cms. Inventory/ Registration of Antiquities 1) Office of National Library prescribed it to be “Lor Phor.6” 2) The journal named Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) prescribed it to be “Vat Ban Hlui” 3) In the Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 3 (January 1973), designated as “Wat Baan Lui Inscription” 37
4) In the book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2522), designated as “Wat Baan Lui Stone Inscription” 5) In the Book of Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 designated as “Wat Baan Luay Inscription” 6) In the book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum (B.E. 2533), designated as “Wat Baan Luay Inscription” (Lor Phor./6, Phor Chor. 29, 357) Year of Finding Inscriptions Unidentified Place of Finding Wat Baan Luay, Nai Muaeng Sub- District, Mueang District, Lamphun Province Discoverer Unidentified Currently Kept at Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province Publication 1) Bulletin de l’École Française d’Éxtrême - Orient XXX (1930) : 6 - 105. 2) Journal of Archaeology, 4th Year, Volume 3 (January 1973) : 314 – 322. 3) Stone Inscriptions Analysis in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department, 1979), 21-23. 4) Stone Inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2 (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department, 1986), 133-136. 5) Analysis of Stone Inscriptions in Haripunjaya National Museum (Bangkok : The Fine Arts Department, 1990) , 24-26. History This inscription was found at Wat Ban Luay, Nai Mueang Sub- District, Mueang District, Lamphun Province which was located along Kuang River in the south of Wat Phra That Haripunjaya. Prof. Robert Halliday and Prof. Charles Otto Blagden had read, translated, and published in the Journal named Bulletin de l’École française d’Extrême-Orient (BEFEO), the 30th year in 1930, the article titled “Les Inscription Môn Du Siam”. Professor Mom Chao Suphatradit Diskul had translated and published in the Journal of Archaeology, Volume 4, No. 3, B.E. 2516. Later in 1979, the Fine Arts Department published about the information of this inscription on a book analyzing the stone inscriptions at the Haripunjaya National Museum in 1979 on the occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn opened Haripunjaya National Museum, Lamphun Province, and in 1986 published in the book of inscriptions in Thailand, Volume 2. After that, a book analyzing the stone inscriptions at the Haripunjaya National Museum was also printed repeatedly in 1990, but all three Volumes had not published about the transcription of the words on the stone inscriptions. 38
Brief Content It was mentioned about making merit in Buddhism such as offering the servant to the monks for the maintenance of temples and ponds, offering items such as cauldrons, many- tiered umbrella, and other utensils; including mentioned the builders of pagodas and arched space. Builder No evidence Determination of Age Professor Robert Halliday and Professor Charles Otto Blagden determined the age of this inscription from the alphabets which was in the same group as the two inscriptions of King Sawawathisithi as well as Wat Mahawan inscriptions. All of them were at the age of the 17th Buddhist Century by defining the age from the ancient Mon characters that were similar to the letters appearing on the inscription “Mayazedi” of King Kyanzittha (Ky in Roman Alphabet was the sound /c/ in Burmese which was equal to /ch/ in Thai), King Bagan (Burma) inscribed it in 1085 and 1087. Moreover, the text in this inscription of Wat Baan Luay were also mentioned “Wat Chetawan” which corresponded to the inscription in the reign of King Sawawathisitthi around the 17th Buddhist Century as well. Furthermore, Champa Yuengcharoen, Term Meetem, and Prasert Na Nakhon made interesting comments about the age determination of this inscription in a book analyzing the stone inscriptions in the Haripunjaya National Museum which was firstly published in 1979. The said inscription had the texts to specify the year as appeared in the first line of the 1st side as follows (Professor Robert Halliday and Professor Charles Otto Blagden classified it as the 2nd side with the transcription consisted of l(u) kow (su-) (or soong m) ..(w) lwim lugow…) ) lugow sup 826 La Ngi Lukau, and the word “La Ngi” (read “Lia Ngim”) was referred to “One Thousand” which was after three numbers. Therefore, when reading from the back to the front, the year would be 1628 which was consistent with other evidence; namely archaeological evidence which was not older than the 17th Buddhist Century, and the letters that looked like other inscriptions that was also around the 17th Buddhist Century. In addition, the Kingdom of Bagan had been influenced by the Mon’s characters. When King Anirut (Anoratha Mangchor); King of Bagan (Burma) led his army to successfully hit the city of Saterm or another name called Tha Thon or Suthammavati which was the capital city of southern Mon provinces. Therefore, people, craftsmen, monks, and Buddhism scriptures that existed in the aforementioned land were forcibly moved to Bagan until causing the Mon culture to spread in Bagan; including the use of alphabets. Professor Reginald Le May said that Burma received the writing culture from Mon around 1063 when King Chansittha was the king who reigned after King Anirut (Anoratha Mangchor). 39