Abstract:
In this research, an attempt was purposely made: (1) to develop the
prototype of database and e-book for learning world cultural heritage in the context
of Buddhism, (2) to develop the database for learning world cultural heritage in the
context of Buddhism, and (3) to develop the e-book for learning world cultural
heritage in the context of Buddhism. The research employed mixed-methods
research combining of documentary research, qualitative research and participatory
action research including in-depth interview.
The results of the study were clearly that the historical park's
remarkableness of Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai, Kamphaeng Phet, and Phra Nakhon Si
Ayutthaya basically encompass five kinds of Buddhist sites, the religious places,
religious objects, religious persons, rituals and Buddha's teachings which somehow
stem from strong faith in Buddhism and thereby being constantly passed down from
Sukhothai to Ayutthaya till Rattanakosin period. In these respects, the creation of
artistic objects or Buddhist arts was considerably regarded as the representation of
the Buddhist prosperity and the reflection of the traditional culture, the ideal
principle of creation and national characteristics whereby they provide the abstract
and concrete value for such Historical Parks of World Cultural Heritage accorded with
the 1*t criterion that it represents the formation of human beings' creativity through
the artworks and the 3" criterion that it genuinely reflects upon the evidences on
the existence of regional cultures or traditions which still remain or completely lost.
The concrete values manifesting in the religious places which are the main
pagoda hold the funnel being like float filled with rice used as offerings or shape of
younger lotus, of bell or what is called 'Song Lanka', of pagoda, and religious objects
manifesting in the Buddha image called 'Pang Mara Vijaya', 'Pang Leela', 'Phra
Attharasa', 'Pang Nak Prok', and 'Pang Sai Yasa', for instance, where the chief
pagoda for were deliberately established to keep the relic of Buddha by which they
were symbolized as stability of Buddhism in the kingdoms resulting in the realization
of the Buddhist philosophical values: the three meritorious acts and three
admonitions or exhortations of the Buddha. As regards the Buddha images, they were
symbolically represented as the Buddha leading to the realization of Buddhist
philosophical values: the principle of Four Noble Truths and Thirty-seven Requisites
of Enlightenment or Bodhipakkhiya-dhamma. In Sukhothai period, the four postures
of Buddha images were highly created in order to provide the awareness of the
Buddhist philosophical values: Mahasatipatthana. Therefore, the most important
principles of Dhamma gained from the research can be concluded as the three
meritorious routes so as to provide the body of knowledge concerning the digital
innovation in the e-book platform in order to develop the learning processes of the
cultural heritage in the context of Buddhism as follows: (1) the cosmology of
Buddha's relic route means " the paying respect to the relic of Buddha for Dana
(generosity), Sila (morality) and Bhavana (meditation)", (2) Mahasatipatthana route
means "the development of wisdom to reduce the anger", and (3) the Four Nobel
Truths route means "the life is led by the ultimate truths by which knowing,
awakening and exhilarating could be made" respectively. The databases collected
from these 27 religious places are published on the E-book platform.