AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF QUEEN CAMADEVĪ’ S MOTHERLY ROLE BASED ON THE BUDDHIST DOCTRINES

Abstract

The thesis consists of 3 objectives as: 1) to study the motherly role in
Buddhism, 2) to study the motherly role of Queen CamadevI and 3) to analyze the
motherly role of Queen CamadevI in line of the Buddhist Doctrine.
According to the motherly role in Buddhism, it is found that the mothers
are the exalted person - for the great love of mothers to children. Therefore, the
doctrine of gratitude was taught to children both in mind and in action. The grateful
children are considered as the good example of Buddhism and the Buddhist
teachings stress the importance of the mother, love of the mother and the path of
repaying the done favor. In addition, the mothers are the great benefactors, who give
birth to children with the great love and care. Regard to the character of the mother,
it consists four personalities viz., the one who give their children to be joyful, give
birth to children, give the delightful to children and bringing up children. The
Buddhist doctrines of being the motherhood are as: the Five Precepts, Katapoutà:
gratitude, Agati - wrong way of behavior, Brahmavihàra - sublime states of mind and
Disà: directions.
Regarding to the motherly role of Queen CamadevI, it was found 3 roles
viz., 1) The history of Queen's Cammadevā, she was born in 1176 B.E., she had
married to the Prince named Rammaraja at the age of 22 and had two sons -
Phramahantayos prince and Anantayos prince. She had reigned in 1202 B.E and
passed away at the age of 96 in 1237 B.E. 2) Queen's Cammadeva's role of
supporting the ecclesiastical studies on the Gantha-dhura: burden of study and
Vipassanà-dhura: burden of insight development included in building many temple
such as Wat Aranyigkrammaram, Wat Maluwaram, Wat Arpattharam, Wat
Mahawanaram and Wat Maharatdaram. She had supported the religious ceremonies
as the Buddhist ordination, Buddhamàmaka Ceremony and the Devà oblation
Ceremony, Songkran Festival, and Prolong Life Ceremony. 3) The role of conducting
the children: She developed her children with the Right Understanding and both in
mental and physical. 

egarding to Queen's Cammadeva's motherly role in line of Buddhism,
she observed the Five Precepts as: to abstain from taking life, to abstain from taking
what is not given, to abstain from sexual misconduct, to abstain from false speech
and to abstain from intoxicants causing carelessness. She had developed the
doctrine of Katapdutà: gratitude in four aspects viz., the gratitude to the individuals
the Buddha, the Buddhist monks, parents, teachers and relatives, the gratitude to
the institutions as nation, religion and monarchy, the gratitude to the animals as
elephants, horses, cows, buffalo and dogs and the gratitude to the environment. She
also avoided the prejudices and followed the doctrine of Agati: wrong course of
behavior viz., Chandàgati: prejudice caused by love or desire, Dosàgati: prejudice
caused by hatred or enmity, Mohàgati: prejudice caused by delusion or stupidity and
Bhayàgati: prejudice caused by fear. In addition, she developed the doctrine of
Brahmavihàra: holy abidings viz., Mettà: loving-kindness, Karuõà: compassion, Mudità:
sympathetic joy and Upekkhà: equanimity and Disà: directions as: Puratthima-disà:
parents as the east or the direction in front, Dakkhiõa-disà: teachers as the south or
the direction in the right, Pacchima-disà: wife and children as the west or the
direction behind, Uttara-disà: friends and companions as the north or the direction in
the left, Heññhima-disà: servants and workmen as the nadir and Uparima-disà:
monks as the zenith.