Page 19 - รวมเล่มศาสนาในประเทศไทย ภาคภาษาอังกฤษ

According to Buddhist scripture, in the 3 century
rd
B.C., after the Third Buddhist Council, King Ashoka the Great sent
Phra Sona and Phra Utara, as Buddhism emissaries to propagate
Buddhism in Suvarnabhumi, believed to be in present-day Thailand
and Myanmar.

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th
Since 4 -5 Century AD, inhabitants along Chao Phraya
River became accustomed to Indian culture, namely, social class
criterion, ruling systems, monetary coinage, the use of seals, the use
of bricks and stones in the architectural construction of religious
monuments, alphabets and the introduction of religion, namely,
Brahmin-Hindusim and Buddhism. Later on, the active community
developed into a city-state called “Dvaravati” which flourished during
th
th
the 6 -11 centuries.
There, the Theravada sect of Buddhism became
the main religion. A great number of sculptures, images and
inscriptions of Ye Dharma mantra in Pali language were discovered.
The Pali language was used in Theravada Buddhism scripture, even
though the scripture was written in India and Sri Lanka. By the way,
the scripture of Mahayana Buddhism and Brahmin-Hinduism was
written in Sanskit.

Buddhism in the Dvaravati period was derived from
many sources in India: Krishna-Godavari Rivers (South India), 2
West India, North India, North Eastern India, and Lanka.

1 Wheel of Doctrine (Dharmacakra) Stone,
Dvaravati Period
2 Bodhisattva, Dvaravati Period
Found in Ancient City of Khu Bua, Ratchaburi 3
3 Baked Clay Votive Tablet, Dvaravati Period

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