Abstract:
This Thesis aims at studying the role found in the Buddhism. The study will cover the Buddhist Chapel at Phra Chetuphon Vimonmangkhalaram Chapel, which is well-known for the beauty of the art that is able to express the Thai art and culture completely. The study will focus on how the painting can propagate the Buddhas Dharma, and also on the impact of wall painting as one of the propagating channels. It is to find out about the mural painting as a role of story telling, and the impact of encouraging Buddhists to practice Buddhism.
This study will be based on the documents and the spectators opinion on the wall painting. From the findings, it is concluded that the wall painting can express the Dharma both dramatically and emotionally, but the impact on encouraging the practice of Buddhism is not strong. It can only be one of the ways to support the interest in Buddhism. The wall paintings are drawn to express the chronicle of the 41 leading disciples and the Mahosod Jataka. The painting is telling about the time when The Buddha was praising each of His disciples for their superb talents. For example in room No.20, the painting is about the Uruvelakassapa Arahant praised as the best disciple in governing his followers by using the 4 Brahmaviharadammas, which are being Metta, Karuna, Mudhita, and Upekkha As for the painting above the doors and windows tells about the Mahosod Jataka. Propagating about the using of Panya in solving problems by understanding the cause and effect in both short terms and long terms.
For the result of the opinion from visitors it is found that school children and students who have visited the mural painting in the Buddhist Chapel at Phra Chetuphon Vimonmangkhalaram Chapel, are mostly women, most of whom aged lower than 20 years with the degree of education of high school and bachelor degree. In the degree of Buddhist knowledge an attention to the mural painting is at the medium, but they have also given much vitality to Buddhamma dissemination in mural painting. They have visited Thai ancient mural painting for 3 times. Mostly, they have visited the mural painting at Phra Chetuphon Vimonmangkhalaram Chapel for the first time.
In addition, the opinion about the role in mural painting media in Buddhamma dissemination from the research it is found that the sample group have the opinion in the Buddhamma dissemination in mural painting at the high level, but general samples are men and women, aged lower than 20 and 21-25 years with the degree of education of high school and bachelor degree. The degrees of their Buddhist knowledge and attention to the mural painting are at high level too.