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197 ศาสตราจารย์กิ ตติ คุณ สุกั ญญา สุดบรรทั ด วารสารราชบัณฑิตยสภา ปีที่ ๔๐ ฉบับที่ ๓ ก.ค.-ก.ย. ๒๕๕๘ Abstract The Narratives: Buddhist Communication Engine Sukanya Sudbanthad Associate Fellow of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, The Royal Society of Thailand. The narratives were defined as the message intermingling with Buddha Dharma but not the Dharma itself. They played role of communication engine driving Buddhism through time and space. The questions are what roles and how the narratives played in the communication process comprising of Source Message Channel Receivers The findings are that in the communication process: the first communicator is the Buddha himself. He flamed the torch of enlightenment which since then had been passed along the current of time by the monks, kings, nobles, and laypersons. The narrative message resided in Tri-Pitaka, the text of sermon, ancient manuscripts, literature, songs, mantra, ballads, paintings, engravings, sculptures, etc. The narratives, true or not true, enshrined in the hearts and memories of the Buddhists. The narratives have their own appeals of human interest characteristics such as their paranormal phenomena, mystery, combats between good and evil, growth and destruction, defeat and victory. The coexistent media carried the message floating through the tide of time crossing geographical boundary. Wheresoever there were receivers the faith was transcribed on materials or cherished in their heart. The narratives conveyed Buddhism by fulfilling and spreading the holy message to the heard and the unheard. The stories echoed Buddhism along the endless paths until the engine stopped which eventually occurred by the threats from other faiths. Buddhism expanded and strengthened as long as there were followers who belonged to several castes among which the kings and the nobles had the message flow in control. But when they lost their reign they also lost their tutelary power over the faith leaving the torch of light to the lower classes to maintain and pass the religious spirit to the next generations. The flame of Buddhism would be extinguished if the whole communication process broke down. The life and death of the narratives interweave with other factors in the process. The present always learns lessons from the past. It is viable for all Buddhists to protect and maintain the Buddhist communication process so that it can perform its mechanical work in full functions and that the floating Buddhist narratives will be cherished and sanctified at all time. Keywords:  The Narratives, Buddhist Communication Engine, Communication Process