Abstract:
The research on Illness Curing and the Continuation of the According to the Ways of Phra Buddha Bhaishajyaguru Vaidurya Phabhasa, God of Mon-Khmer Language Ethnic Groups in Thailand and Cambodia was to study the context of the Mon - Khmer Language ethnic groups in Thailand and Cambodia Bhaishajyaguru vaidurya Phabhasa. Data were collected by ethnography qualitative research method through in-depth interview. The key informants included monks, teachers, and local wisdom doctors of Mon-Khmer descent, in Nakhon Pathom, Ratchburi, Surin Provinces, and Seam Reap Province in Cambodia. The study was conducted by means of triangulation technique with interview, documentary analysis and field observation. The technique of Appreciation Influence Control (A-I-C) was also applied to and its instruments consisted of interview issues, meeting issues, participatory meeting and observation field report form.
The field study phase I covered Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi Provinces, and Phase II in Surin Province, and Seam Reap Province in Cambodia. The data were collected during December 200/8 July 2010 and were analyzed with content for each issue, then were presented in essay accompanied with illustrations.
The results were found that 1) Context of the Mon-Khmer language ethnic groups. They mostly live in the northeastern areas, especially in Surin Province, and in Cambodian. Earning their living by doing farming and raising elephants, majority of the groups still live in the rural areas. Most of all address Buddhism adherents and their main languages are Khmer, Guy and Lao. The specific characteristics representing unique of Mon-Khmer ethnic groups were the sustaining belief, tradition, rites and ancient recreation. The major beliefs included Mai phayung (Siamese Rosewood), which was the taboo tree for building houses : the belief in cooking food for ritual ceremonies, etc. many ceremonies were remained for their unique on birth, marriage, illness, exorcising, and offerings for paying respect to their ancestors. They also had some beliefs about elephants ; mahouts positions had been set since the ancient time ; close relationship between human and elephants was evident in art works as well as silver and gold ornaments including sacred elements for lifes propitiousness. The way of life reflected their ethnic uniqueness, and related to the principles of Nature and Buddhism. 2) Healing and maintaining healing. The findings found that ethnic groups of Mon-Khmer language living in Thailand and Cambodia still believed that causes of illness were from mysterious power.
Illness healing of this group had to depend on indigenous doctors- monks, teachers- to cure the symptom. The medicines for curing were mainly used from herbs available in the local. Some illness of these ethnic people had to be cured by magic and prayers. Nevertheless, the other ethnic groups believed in virtually scientific causes. They cured such illness by praying to pay tribute to Lord Buddha or Phra Buddha Bhaishajyaguru Vaidurya Phabhasa- God of illness curing. Their praying was meant to use dhamma to calm down their minds and relieve suffering from illness. Symptoms of the illness could by categorized into 3 groups : herbal medicine healing group ; incantation- magically blowing, or holy water pouring group ; the last, praying healing to pay tribute to Lord Buddha, Phra Buddha Bhaishajyaguru Vaidurya Phabhasa- God of illness curing.
For maintaining healing, the findings revealed that has been inherited from generations to generations. While the process for ancient doctors among the Mon-Khmer language ethnic groups came from the old ways of curing, which were continued by memorization, telling it to the descendents, observing curing methods from other doctors, and studying from old records or prayers. In conclusion, the curers received knowledge of illness curing by learning and direct experience ; then, they transferred that knowledge by telling it to their descendants.