Tamnān Mulasasanā Wat Pa Daeng - The Chronicle of the Founding of Buddhism of the Wat Pa Daeng Tradition

Oct 17, 2026

Uploaded by Levi

A translation of Tamnān Mulasasanā Wat Pa Daeng detailing the religious history of Lan Nā (northern Thailand) in the fifteenth century A.D. It surveys the development of Theravada Buddhism, with emphasis on the Sinhalese tradition brought to Chiang Mai by Nanagambhira and carried to Chiang Tung by Somacitta. The work also highlights key sectarian controversies, including rivalry between older Suan Dok and a newer sect, while offering contextual notes on translation choices and textual sources.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages38

Reading Time1 h 36 min

AccessFree to download

Translation scope and approach

Reasons for omitting commentary

Translation basis and non-literal rendering

Homage and purpose of the teaching

Buddhas, bodhisattva, and the spread of doctrine

Survival of the teaching over 5,000 years

Early Buddhist narrative

Life, preaching, meditation, and attainment of Nibbana

Posthumous events and relic distribution

Monastic rules and episodes

Sectarian and historical background

Sinhalese tradition in northern Thailand

Suan Dok versus the newer sect

A TRANSLATION OF # TAMNAN MULASASANA WAT PA DAENG:The chronicle of the founding of Buddhismof the Wat Pa Daeng tradition bySommai Premchit and Donald K.Swearer* The Mulasasanā of Wat Pa Daeng makes a significant contributionto our understanding of the religious history of Lan Nā or northern Thailandin the fifteenth century A.D.Like many northern tamnan,it also providesan overview of the development of Theravada Buddhism;however,it concen-trates on the school of Sinhalese Buddhism brought to Chiang Mai byNanagambhira,and taken to Chiang Tung by his disciple,Somacitta.Ofparticular interest for our understanding of sectarian history is the contro-versy between the older Suan Dok tradition,founded by Sumana Theraduring the reign of Kuenā,and the new sect established during the reigns ofSam Fang Kaen and his son,Tikokaraja. What follows is a translation of the Tamnān Mulasasanā Wat PaDaengl.We have chosen not to include a commentary with the text forseveral reasons.To do so adequately would demand extensive comparisonswith other northern Thai chronicles(e.g.Jinakalamalipakarana),a taskwhich would have doubled an already lengthy article.Furthermore,in anearlier article(cf.Bardwell Smith,ed.,Religion and Legitimation ofPower in Thailand,Burma and Laos;Anima Books,1978)we attemptedan analysis of at least one aspect of the ground covered in the chronicle, namely the relatlonship between Buddhism and the political order.Finally,perhaps the overriding reason is that Sai Saomong Mengrai,currently atthe University of Michigan,is completing a translation ofa Chiang Tungmanuscript of the same text with extensive notes and commentary,which isto be published by the University of Michigan Press. I pay homage to the Buddhas Kakusandha,Konagamana,Kassapaand Gotama,the Fully Enlightened One,and to the Bodhisattva,Ariyamettraiya,who will be fully enlightened in the next age.May thisbeneficient teaching be spread far and wide by means of this 41-characteralphabet [i.e.the Pali language Nanagambbira brought from SriLanka].I will speak about the origin and spread of this most excellent religionwhich the Maha Thera Nanagambbira brought from the Red ForestArama(Pa Daeng Arama)in the neighborhood of Rohana,in thesplendid kingdom of Anuradhapura on the island of Tambapani [SriLankā].May all of you listen wholeheartedly and keep this teachingin your mind². Gotama Buddha who was born [in this world]released all livingbeings from the fetter of rebirth,numbering 24 asangkhiya,160 koti,100,000 living beings.The Buddha also established his religion for 5,000vassa(years)for those unable to reach Nibbana in his lifetime.Duringthe 5,000 vassā the Buddha's teaching will persist.When the Buddha'steaching has disappeared there will be no wisdom.This teaching consistsof the Four Noble Truths and the Four Fruits.The first 1,000 yearswill be the era of the arahants;in the second period the power of thearahants will wane;in the third 1,000-year period there will be theanagami;in the fourth the sakidagami;and in the ffth the sotāpattipanna. 2.Our translation follows the text of volume IX of the Transliteration Series,Department of Sociology and Anthropology,Chiang Mai University.However,the translation is not a literal one.On occasion we have tried to resolve someof the confusions in the text by consulting two other manuscripts.This doesnot mean,however,that our work is a critical translation in the proper sense ofthat word.We have tried to render the meaning of the text in clear andconcise English.For example,page 1 of the text,which is nearly equallydivided between Pali and Northern Thai and is very repetitious,has beenreduced to a single paragraph. In this way the Buddha's teaching(pativedhasaddhamma)will remainfor 5,000 years. Before entering Nibbana the Lord Buddha resided between two saltres,to the northeast of the city of the Malla kings.He was accom-panied by 500 arahants,such as Maha Upali Thera,Mahā AnuruddhaThera,Maha Ananda Thera.Ananda,who

FAQs

What is the main focus of Tamnān Mulasasanā Wat Pa Daeng?

It presents a chronicle of the Wat Pa Daeng tradition, contributing to understanding Lan Nā’s religious history and the evolution of Theravada Buddhism in northern Thailand.

Why does the translation omit a commentary?

A full commentary would require extensive comparisons with other northern Thai chronicles and would greatly expand the work. The translators also note prior analysis attempts and ongoing related publication plans for a parallel translation with extensive notes.

How does the text describe the continuity of the Buddha’s teaching?

It states that the teaching persists for 5,000 years, and then describes successive eras characterized by the diminishing power of arahants and the emergence of different stages.

Oct 17, 2026

Uploaded by Levi