Page 74 - รวมเล่มศาสนาในประเทศไทย ภาคภาษาอังกฤษ
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The Vanishyas are ones who balance the natural resources.
Their duties are being merchants who reasonably allocate resources to
communities thoroughly.
The Shudras are service providers. Their responsibilities are to
facilitate infrastructure, healthcare, sanitation, and others to the communities.
They duties are being engineers, craftsman, doctors, and others providing
services for happiness of the communities.
Purpose of the "Varna" is to identify "duties" of each particular
group, and people in each group are supposed to have respect for those in
any different group, "Varna" is not aimed to classify social class level as
understood nowadays. Therefore, only Brahmins have duties in performing
religious rituals to please God with an aim to receiving God's blessing for all
people in every Varna. As they say "Deities do not accept oblation from King
who has no Brahmin adviser" Consequently, several positions of Brahmin
performing their duties in the Thai royal court were created. Later, being
familiar with Bhrahmin, Thai people called "Brahmin" as name of a religion.
From the ancient directory of Thai officials, there were several
positions of Brahmin in different duties, for examples;
In the Sukhothai period, the position of "Phra Si Mahosot," was
given to Brahmin advisor who have duties to decorate the city and perform
the Royal Ceremonies of the Twelve Month. This position was even more
honorable than royal philosopher.
In the Ayutthaya period, Brahmins were responsible for 1
performing rituals, and being teacher. Phra Maha Ratchakhru Purohit and
Phra Maha Ratchakhru Mahithorn have duties to give advices on royal
affairs, perform rituals, being teacher and astrologer, finding auspicious days
for royal ceremonies, and being specialist in The Dharma Shastras (law codes
of Hinduism). As appeared in the royal historical annals, there are a number
of Brahmins serving under the crown in positions, such as Phra Maha
Ratchakhru, Phra Hora Thibodi and Phra Si Mahosot.
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