Abstract:
This thesis is an attempt to study the narrative and literary techniques presented in the Bodhisattva in MAHA CHAT KHAM LUANG chapter 1-7, which mainly studied the relation between the image of Vessantara as the Bodhisattva and the image of King Borommatrailokkanath as Dharmikaraja who accumulating merit to attain enlightenment. The study found that the poet skillfully presented the distinctively various images of Vessantara based on the beliefs of Bodhisattva in Theravada Buddhism which can be divided into 2 aspect. First, the Bodhisattva image of Vessantara in MAHA CHAT KHAM LUANG which correspond with the Bodhisattva image of Vessantara in Vessantara Jataka story who persistently aspired Bodhi or enlightenment, who continually kept practicing the Dasaparami or ten Perfections, who had got supernatural powers of his merit, who had been dependable of sentient beings, who possessed characteristics of the Buddha and the Bodhisattva who possessed the terms to show the meaning of Bodhisattva. Second, the Bodhisattva images of Vessantara who appeared only in MAHA CHAT KHAM LUANG, which is the Bodhisattva who possessed the appearance of the Brahma, who possessed characteristics of Maitreya and the Bodhisattva who possessed the terms to show the meaning of Buddha which the poet specially emphasized the characteristics of this Bodhisattva who possessed the terms to show the meaning of Buddha in MAHA CHAT KHAM LUANG. In addition, all of the images have been meticulously created from the sophisticated techniques of the narrative and literary. The narrator presented the story through the narration point of view and narrated by applying the terms of Vessantara to show the meaning of Bodhisattva and the Buddha. Word Selection to describe the great image of Bodhisattva in Vessantara himself. Metaphor, to show the Vessantaras intensive merit and Symbology, to show the entering stage before attain enlightenment of Vessantara. Even if MAHA CHAT KHAM LUANG aimed to present the Bodhisattva of Vessantara, this study found that there were some images of King Borommatrailokkanath overlapped with image of Bodhisattva and the Buddha through the term of dependable of sentient beings and the greatest in three worlds (Trailokanatha) which used to describe the Buddha too in order to glorify the king. This thing led MAHA CHAT KHAM LUANG precious and distinctive comparing with other literatures in that era.