Monks and Laypeople’s Buddhist Vocabulary Knowledge as an Indicator of the Rise and Fall of Buddhist Culture

Abstract

Buddhist terminologies are vocabularies with specifi cally Buddhist content. They mostly derive from Pali and Sanskrit, some are mixed with words in the Thai language and adjusted for purposes of conversing and writing books on Buddhism in Thai by both monks and laypeople. Buddhist terminologies are originally found in Pali Buddhist scriptures such as the Tripitaka, the Commentaries, the Sub-commentaries, and Grammar books thatentered and were distributed in Siam alongside Lankan Buddhism. Siamese monks then put their efforts into studying and mastering the Pali language, translated those scriptures into Thai, and even composed their own works in Pali. Buddhist terminologies are thus Thai translations of Pali terminologies in the scriptures. They are used by monks in disseminating Buddhist teachings to the Thai people, both in sermons and in daily conversations. Some scholarly terminologies are used mainly in textbooks. Generally, Buddhist monks and laypeople may use Buddhist terminologies in daily life without understanding their true meanings, thus necessitating more in-depth studies through existing documents. This knowledge will aid them in the practice of Dhamma and in an eventual attainment of enlightenment.