หลักฐานการโปรยดอกไม้ต้อนรับศิษย์พระตถาคตในคัมภีร์พุทธโบราณ

หลักฐานการโปรยดอกไม้ต้อนรับศิษย์พระตถาคตในคัมภีร์พุทธโบราณ


คัมภัมภีร์พุทธโปราณ เกี่ยวกับการโปรยดอกไม้ต้อนรับพระสัมมาสัมพุทธเจ้า และเหล่าภิกษุสาวกศิษย์ของพระตถาคต ปรากฏในหลายๆคัมภีร์โบราณซึ่งสถาบันวิจัยนานาชาติธรรมชัย (DIRI) รวมถึงทีมนักวิจัย ได้เสนอหลักฐานพุทธโบราณใน 2 คัมภีร์ คือ มัญชุศรีวิกรีทิตะสูตร และมหาวัสตุอวทานสูตร เพื่อแสดงว่า การโปรยดอกไท้ต้อนรับพระภิกษุสงฆ์ หรือศิษย์ของพระตถาคตนั้น มีมาแต่ปางก่อน ดังที่ปรากฏชัดเจนในคัมภีร์ดังกล่าว

[Spoil] คลิกเพื่อดูข้อความที่ซ่อนไว้As a matter of fact the mentioned circumstances have also occurred in the past and were recorded in various texts as well as surviving manuscripts. The Dhammachai International Research Institute or DIRI which is directly working on recent discovered manuscripts, in this regard, shall shed light on this matter that greeting monks with flowers is evidently mentioned in Buddhist texts.

According to the sūtra named Mañjuśrīvikrīḍita, it is partly stated: Then that boy went with The Powerful One, the King of the Gods, to the Lord, and then The Powerful One, the King of the Gods, gave that boy some māndārava flowers saying: “Boy, you should sprinkle these on the Tathāgata,” and then that boy sprinkled those flowers on the Lord. This Mañjuśrīvikrīḍitasūtra first appears in Chinese text, translated by Dharmarakṣa in 314 CE (857 BE), and is also corresponding to Tibetan texts that have been translated approximately 8th century CE (13th century BE). It is clear in this text that greeting Buddha by sprinkling flowers on him for the sake of showing respect is allowable.

Even more evident than that, there is the ancient text “Mahāvastu-avadāna”, composed approximately the beginning of 2nd century BC (3rd century BE), and is agreed with Ratanasūtra found in Pāli Khuddakanikāya Khuddakapāṭha. The following scene is described in the Mahāvastu: The Exalted One set forth with his company of monks, King Śreṇiya Bimbisāra, with his chariots and troops, his queen, his son, his ministers and his court, carrying five hundred royal sunshades girt with festoons of fine cloth, with flags and banners flying, in great royal pomp, magnificence and splendour escorted the Exalted One on his way to Vaiśālī, The Licchavis of Vaiśālī heard in what manner King Śreniya Bimbisāra was escorting the Exalted One on his way from Rājagṛha to Vaiśālī and when they had heard they in turn carefully prepared the road in their own domain from Vaiśālī to the banks of the Ganges, and had it made even and level like the palm of the hand, sprinkled and swept, strewn with garlands of flowers, with an awning stretched over it, carpeted with bright cloth, draped with festoons of fine cloth, and well-scented, and there they placed mimes, dancers, athletes, wrestlers and musicians. At intervals of half a yojana they made provision of tents, with a supply of couches, drink and food for the Exalted One and his company of disciples. Within Vaiśālī they yoked eighty-four thousand chariots, which were beflagged and merrily rattling, garlanded with pretty flowers, and carrying sunshades, banners and pennants. Having each seized his own fine chariot with a fragrant garland in his hand, in great regal pomp and magnificence, and to the accompaniment of the great multitude’s concerted roar of cries and bravos, the sound of drums, tabours, cymbals, and trumpets, they went forth from the city of Vaiśālī as far as the river Ganges to meet the Exalted One and to do him honour.

It is to be seen that the Dhudongdhammachai of Wat Phra Dhammakāya has made this activity coincidentally similar to the scene shown in the above-mentioned texts, which were recorded since the beginning of the 2nd century BC (3rd century BE). In addition to this evidence, such activities are not for the purpose of being profitable as misleading criticism but with the purpose of maintaining Buddhists’ faith in order to prosper Buddhism as a whole to nurture ones who have little faith to be more faithful, to cultivate ones who already have firm faith to be indestructible but disciples of the tathāgata travelling to the city should indeed cause benefit to both themselves and others, that is to say, faith (śraddhā) will arise, and the mind will be bright and clear for those Buddhists who extend their mind to greeting bhikṣusaṃgha, this will be beneficial to Buddhism in general and will ultimately lead to its prosperity

แหล่งข้อมูล : https://www.diri.ac.nz/research/manuscription-flower/