Cultural Preservation of Mahayana Buddhism Identity in the Dimension of Chinese Shrines : Case Studies of Muang Phuket District, Phuket Province

Abstract

There were two objectives of the study. Firstly, the study aimed to comprehend the historical background of Mahayana Buddhism. Secondly, the study purposed to analyze the Mahayana Buddhism maintaining in the Chinese shrine in Muang Phuket District, Phuket Province. Qualitative research methodology was used with non-participant and participant observation as well as formal and informal interview for data collection. The studied people were ritual conductors, shrine committees, shrine caretakers and Overseas Chinese descents who went to the shrines for praying to the gods and participating in the tradition of the shrine. The result of the study found that Mahayana Buddhism was established in the second council of Buddhist history, and there are two groups of Buddhism established which are Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism nowadays. Although, Mahayana Buddhism was established in India, the prosperous Mahayana Buddhism was in China. There were the invitation to Indian Buddhist monks, Buddha's images and Sutras from India by Chinese imperial courts in Wei-Jin-Southern-Northern Dynasties. The most significant development of Buddhism in Chinese history was in Tang Dynasties, because various Buddhist doctrines were studied by numerous Chinese imperial bureaucrats and people, many temples were established and numerous Sutras were translated in this period of time. In addition, Overseas Chinese migrated to Thailand because of various geographical and political reasons, they were categorized as people who could perfectly maintain their cultural identity. Thailand was a freedom of religious belief country, so various Overseas Chinese religious institutions still had in Thailand nowadays. Various Overseas Chinese social activities in Thailand were purposed to create social solidarity of Thailand such as establishing Chinese shrines as a place to share ideas and meet together, Chinese language school for inheritance Overseas Chinese culture and tradition, Chinese Association as well as Surname groups for assisting each other in Thailand. The above social activities supported the establishment of Chinese shrines, because the shrine was the center of Chinese people in Thailand, especially in Phuket. Chinese shrines originally contained 3 religions and faiths which are Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. Morality and social regulation were educated by the teaching of Confucianism, the most significant teaching of Confucianism was "Gratefulness" which was still the main teaching in the Overseas Chinese family institution in Thailand at the moment. The Taoism emphasized the rituals and ceremonies such as necromancy and using Chinese medicine to cure people. The identity of Mahayana Buddhism in the Chinese shrine represented the Chinese ethnicity such as Chinese style deities, Chinese poem decoration, Chinese auspicious words, Chinese Buddhism doctrines, Chinese arts, and teaching of Chinese deities such as Kuan Im Bodhisattvas and Jigong Arahants. There were also various social activities aiming the maintaining of Mahayana Buddhism as well as inheriting Chinese ethnicity such as praying Mahayana Buddhism Mantras (Songkeng), classes for teaching praying Mahayana Buddhism Mantras, rituals containing Mahayana Buddhism identities as well as annual traditions. Every social activity of the Chinese shrines was supported by bilateral governmental organization and private sectors representing the social solidarity to Phuket Hokkien Culture inheritance.