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วารสารราชบััณฑิิตยสภา
ปีีที่่� ๔๗ ฉบัับัที่่� ๑ มกราคม-เมษายน ๒๕๖๕
2 มหาวััสตุุอวัทาน : พุุทธประวััตุิตุอนสำาคััญกัับเหตุุอัศจรรย์์เหนือโลกัของพุระพุุทธเจ้า

Abstract: Mah vastu–Avad na: A significant episode in Buddha’s life history
and incredible miracles
Associate Professor Dr. Samniang Leurmsai
Associate Fellow of the Academy of Arts,
The Royal Society of Thailand
Mah vastu–Avad na is a Buddhist scripture written in Sanskrit and Prakrit.
It is regarded as a Pitaka discipline, the discipline of Lokottaravãda Sangha which
is a branch of the Mah Sa ghika sect. Scholars believe that the scriptures of

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Mah vastu–Avad na were composed and amended from the 3 to the 9
Buddhist century. A recent version of the manuscripts was discovered in Nepal.
It was written in Newari script and was about 300 years old. The manuscript
found in Nepal was firstly transcribed and published in three volumes in France
by Emil Senart during 1882–1897. Then, J.J. Jones translated the three volumes
into English in 1949 to 1956. Currently, all of them have been translated into
Thai. Although the scriptures are the Vinayapitaka, the core content focuses

merely on Buddha’s biography. It begins with a story of the Bodhisattva having
made merits for a long time and later born as Prince Sarv rthasiddha. Next, the
Prince grew up and was ordained as a monk. Finally, he attained enlightenment
and preached Buddhism. To conform to the ideals of Lokottarav da sect, which
usually emphasizes Buddha’s miraculous acts, the authors present stories of
meticulous miracles performed by Buddha identified as a Lord Buddha having
supranatural power in almost every chapter of the scriptures. This is an outstanding
characteristic of Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures in early periods.

Keywords: Mah vastu, Avad na, Mah sa ghika, Buddha’s biography, miracles
of the Lord Buddha