Thai Prophecy Verse
Encyclopedia
Thai Prophecy Verse is a poetry forecasting the future of Thailand
. It was composed on a par with Maha Supina Jataka
in Tripitaka
, the Jataka features the reply of Buddha
to King Pasenadi
of Kosala
about the King's sixteen-fold dream.
The Verse was official published in the Book "Athibai phaen thi phra nakhon si autthaya" (th:
อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยา, Explanations for the maps of Ayutthaya Kingdom) for the first time, the Book was edited by Phraya Boranratchathanin (Phon Dechakhup) (th:
พระยาโบราณราชธานินทร์ (ผล เดชคุปต์)), Governor General of Ayutthaya
Monthon
and Vice President of the Royal Institute of Thailand
at that time. The book was presented to Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramen Maha Vajiravudh
in the Royal Ceremony on Merit Marking in Dedication to the Late Kings in 1926.
There are various suspicions concerning the Verse, one of these is that the verse was composed in Ayutthaya Period
. However, many academicians could not decide whom was the author of which, even at the foot of the Verse stated that "The prediction about the Kingdom by Somdet Phra Narai
, King of Nopburi, ends here."
Prince Damrong Rachanuphap
, father of the Thai histories, explained in "Athibai phaen thi phra nakhon si autthaya" that:
It is manifested in "Kham hai kan chao krung kao" (th:
คำให้การชาวกรุงเก่า, Testimony by the People from the Old Kingdom) that the Verse was composed by Somdet Phra Sanphet Thi Paet (th:
สมเด็จพระสรรเพชญที่ ๘, King Sanphet the Eighth; reigned 1703—1708). The academicians greatly supported this, and suspected that the Verse was composed with the royal purpose to use as political psychology. King Sanphet the Eighth might use the Verse to erode public faith and trust that the government could not maintain the national security. In present periods, Thai rulers also use this poetic work on political intentions.
Furthermore, it could be summarised that the composer of the Verse should be a person holding high wisdom on astrology
, poetry
and psychology
, as well as the high rank up to a kingship. As producing the unfavourable work like this could be dangerous for the producer except he was not a commoner.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. It was composed on a par with Maha Supina Jataka
Jataka
The Jātakas refer to a voluminous body of literature native to India concerning the previous births of the Buddha....
in Tripitaka
Tripiṭaka
' is a traditional term used by various Buddhist sects to describe their various canons of scriptures. As the name suggests, a traditionally contains three "baskets" of teachings: a , a and an .-The three categories:Tripitaka is the three main categories of texts that make up the...
, the Jataka features the reply of Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
to King Pasenadi
Pasenadi
Pasenadi was a dynasty ruler of Kosala. He succeeded his father . He was a prominent of Gautama Buddha, who built many Buddhist monasteries.-Life:...
of Kosala
Kosala
Kosala was an ancient Indian region, corresponding roughly in area with the region of Awadh in present day Uttar Pradesh. According to the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya and the Jaina text, the Bhagavati Sutra, Kosala was one of the Solasa Mahajanapadas in 6th century BCE and its cultural and...
about the King's sixteen-fold dream.
The Verse was official published in the Book "Athibai phaen thi phra nakhon si autthaya" (th:
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยา, Explanations for the maps of Ayutthaya Kingdom) for the first time, the Book was edited by Phraya Boranratchathanin (Phon Dechakhup) (th:
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
พระยาโบราณราชธานินทร์ (ผล เดชคุปต์)), Governor General of Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya (city)
Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya...
Monthon
Monthon
A monthon |]], literally "circle") was a country subdivision of Thailand in the beginning of the 20th century. The Thai word 'monthon' is a translation of the word Mandala. These were created as a part of the thesaphiban bureaucratic administrative system, introduced by Prince Damrong Rajanubhab...
and Vice President of the Royal Institute of Thailand
The Royal Institute of Thailand
The Royal Institute of Thailand , or RIT in brief, is a Thai public agency called otherwise but having the status equivalent to an independent Department which is not subsidiary to any other agency but comes under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister of Thailand.The...
at that time. The book was presented to Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramen Maha Vajiravudh
Vajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
in the Royal Ceremony on Merit Marking in Dedication to the Late Kings in 1926.
There are various suspicions concerning the Verse, one of these is that the verse was composed in Ayutthaya Period
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
. However, many academicians could not decide whom was the author of which, even at the foot of the Verse stated that "The prediction about the Kingdom by Somdet Phra Narai
Narai
Somdet Phra Narai or Somdet Phra Ramathibodi III was the king of Ayutthaya from 1656 to 1688 and arguably the most famous Ayutthayan king. His reign was the most prosperous during the Ayutthaya period and saw the great commercial and diplomatic activities with foreign nations including the...
, King of Nopburi, ends here."
Prince Damrong Rachanuphap
Damrong Rajanubhab
Ditsawarakuman Damrong Rajanubhab was the founder of the modern Thai education system as well as the modern provincial administration...
, father of the Thai histories, explained in "Athibai phaen thi phra nakhon si autthaya" that:
It is manifested in "Kham hai kan chao krung kao" (th:
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
คำให้การชาวกรุงเก่า, Testimony by the People from the Old Kingdom) that the Verse was composed by Somdet Phra Sanphet Thi Paet (th:
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
สมเด็จพระสรรเพชญที่ ๘, King Sanphet the Eighth; reigned 1703—1708). The academicians greatly supported this, and suspected that the Verse was composed with the royal purpose to use as political psychology. King Sanphet the Eighth might use the Verse to erode public faith and trust that the government could not maintain the national security. In present periods, Thai rulers also use this poetic work on political intentions.
Furthermore, it could be summarised that the composer of the Verse should be a person holding high wisdom on astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
, poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, as well as the high rank up to a kingship. As producing the unfavourable work like this could be dangerous for the producer except he was not a commoner.