The Concept of Rain-Praying Rituals in Buddhism

Abstract

This research aims to 1. study the concept of rain-asking rituals and 2. analyze rain-asking rituals in Buddhism. This is a documentary research. The research results found that the rain-asking ritual has been a long-standing tradition in Thailand, found in all regions of Thailand. Originally, it was a ritual based on the beliefs of each locality. When Thailand was influenced by Buddhism, the rain-asking rituals were also Buddhist rituals. Rain-asking rituals that appear in Thai society include the performance of the Dhammamachcha, the parade of the sandalwood Buddha, the lighting of rockets, and the parade of white elephants. The rain-asking ritual does not appear in Buddhism, but the Tripitaka mentions the causes of rain and its non-rain: 1. The causes of rain include the righteous king, the power of Indra, the power of gods, and the power of sacred animals. 2. The causes of rain include the unrighteous king, the king telling lies, and humans not following the Dhamma