Maleyyadevattheravatthu (Malayyadevattheravatthu)
in Lanna Manuscripts
Introduction
Maleyyadevattheravatthu
or Maleyyatheravatthu, in Lanna called Maleyyavohara is the extra Sutta apart
fromTipitakas. It was written around 900 B.E. by a Sinhalese Elder. There is the
other opinion assumed that, this story was written in the time of Sinhalese King
Parakamabahu. Here are the names of
these Elders : Ven. Sumangala, Ven. Sangharakkhita, Ven. Buddhanaga, Ven. Medhankara
or Ven. Vacissara, amongs them, one would be the composer of Maleyyavatthu. The
time of creation was fallen around the
18-19 Buddhist Centuries.
Someone
has mentioned that Maleyyavatthu was the
Tiny Sutta having written in Burma during the ending of the 18 Buddhist Century.
It was known as “Maleyyaka”. Since that time, it was handed down to South East
Asia Countries like ; Lan Na Kingdom,
Sukhothai, Lan Xang, and Cambodia. It was believed that the Burmese Maleyyaka
has prominent influenced as the
Prototype over the latter Maleyyattheravatthu
or the Maleyyasutta writing works. [1]
The
Contents of Story
The Maleyyatheravatthu mentions about the
Maleyya Elder, the Holy One (Arahanta) in Buddhism who had the extra ordinary
power travelled to the hell and the heaven. He asked the reason why they have
to be born in the hell or in the heaven. Finally, it confirmed by the answers that;
the one who was born and suffered in the hell, because of the bad deed
having done in the past life, on the other hand, the good deed result has sent
one who performed good action to live happily in the heaven.
In
Lanna, there is the annually tradition or Ceremony of the “Listening to Vessantarajataka”, the order
of Ceremony is that, in the beginning, the
Maleyyavatthu has to prior preach, it is also regarded as
the part of the Vessantarajataka
with the strongly belief that anyone who has devoted the time to complete total a single day in listening the whole Vassantarajataka,
he, then, will surely meet the Sri Ariya Mettayya, the Next Coming Buddha.
The
Lanna Maleyyavatthu Manuscript’s Contents
The contents of
Maleyyatheravatthu in Lanna are mainly divided into 2 sections according to the
tradition of Lanna composition. They are :
1) The first
section known as “Pathamma Maleyya”, (the First Maleyya) begins with the
salutation verses to the Triple gems, then, the story of the Elder Maleyya,
then, the story of one Deity, in the past life he was born in
Anuradhapura and made the Sandy Jetiya dedicating to the Buddha. By the resultant
of the good action, he went to the heaven.
2) The Second section known as the “Dutiya
Maleyya”, (the Second Maleyya) mentions about the merit and it’s resultant of the Fairy and Angel in
heaven, Those merits had performed by them while being as human beings lived in the last lives. One day, the Elder Maleyya had paid a visit
the heaven and discussed with them. Having been back to human world, the Elder
Maleyya told the stories of those Fairies
and Angels to people. In another time, the Elder Maleyya had again paid a
visit to the hell, thereafter, he
brought the news form the hell’s creatures reported to their relations.
Finally, in the Maleyavatthu
Sermon, it mentioned about the refit of
the very single day complete listening the Vessantarajataka will certainly yield a rebirth in the time of Lord Sri
Ariyamettayya, the Next Coming Buddha, whereby in his time, it will be full of the most happiness.
The Different
Lanna Maleyyavatthu Manuscripts
The Maleyyavatthu in
Lanna has many names as the followings:
1. “Maleyyavohara” (The MahaJati Jataka Mahkesarapanyo BE. 2364 AD 1821) Wat Salaluang, Salaluang Sub-District, KorhKa District, Lampang Province. It is of 2 bindings, containing 89 Palm leafs, manuscripted with Pali Lanna Inscription, the Micro film copy number 81.062.01B.045.060. The Social Research Institute (SRI), Chiang Mai University.
2. “Maleyyaphodlok”( the Elder Maleyya Instructs the people)
3.
“ VoharaTikamalaya” or “Malayyavatthudipanee”
Conclusion
All
of these Lanna Maleyyavatthu versions have followed the core contents of the
original text, “The Maleyyadevattheravathu”. If there will be any differences, it is on the
condition that ; the Regional traditions
and the suitable examples had been added in the story to further entertain the Listeners.
Phisit Kotsuphu
Chiang Mai,Thailand
6/7/2018
[1] Suphaphan
Na Bangchang, The
Evolution of the Suttantapitaka Litteraters written in Thailand. (Bangkok:
Chulalongkorn University, 1990), pp.317-319.
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