THE STUDY OF U-THONG CITY: HISTORY OF BUDDHIST PROPAGATION

Abstract

The history of the Buddhist missions in the U-thong city, its influence and the Buddhist footprints during the Dvaravati era (U-thong) from the testimonial works of art. Due data were collected from the Tipiṭaka, the Aṭṭhakathā, the archeological evidences, literatures and related researches. The researcher found that Buddhism was expanded to the U-thong land and through archives, the archeological scholars believed that the U-thong history has ever welcomed the Indian traders (Iron Age) since the 3rd Buddhist Century. However, with evidences, the archeological, sculptural, architectural and inscriptional scholars found that the Buddhist missions arrived around the 8-10th Buddhist Centuries for they found clay sculptures of three monks with monkhood frock and holding bowls for alms gathering. They were the oldest testimonies ever found compared to other sites. Later Buddhism took firmly deep rooted in the mind of its followers. This led to the creation of arts, cultures, customs, and refined religious rites in the site of the ancient U-thong city which were very during the 11-16th Buddhist Centuries, witnessed in “Dvaravati Arts”. It was seen that the U-thong city was older than any other cities in the ancient Dvaravati Age since this was the major trade center and the center of Buddhism in the first Dvaravati State era showing the footprints of the influences of the Brahman and Buddhism such as the stupas, the Dhammacakra stones, the pagodas, the printed Buddha images, the Buddha images and other inscriptions related to the Buddhist principles. It well heralded the Buddhist prosperity.