ปี-39-ฉบับที่-3

อั กษรไท : มรดกทางวั ฒนธรรมอั นล�้ ำค่าและเครื่ องมื อสื บทอดพระพุทธศาสนาของคนไท 198 The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Vol. 39 No. 3 Jul-Sep 2014 Abstract Tai Scripts: Precious Cultural Heritage and Tools for Upholding Buddhism of Tai People. Prakong Nimmanahaeminda Fellow of the Academy of Arts, The Royal Institute, Thailand Many groups of Tai speaking people who live in many countries have their own scripts to record their histories, customs, rituals and various knowledges. Tai scripts, therefore, are Tai precious cultural heritage and also their identity. In Buddhist Tai societies, Tai scripts play significant role in upholding Buddhism. Tai people believe that donating manuscripts on Buddha’s teachings to the temple, whether written by themselves or byothers on their behalf,would bring great anisamsa (benefit). Therefere manuscripts found in Tai temples are mostly stories in connection with Buddhism. Keywords : Tai, Tai scripts, Tai manuscripts, Buddhism in Tai societies