From Text to Image: The Iconographic Transformation of the Pathomasambodhigāthā in Thai Art and Sculpture

Pathomasambodhigāthā is recognized as a cornerstone of Theravada Buddhist literature in Southeast Asia, its profound influence on visual culture offers a compelling field for scholarly inquiry. A defining milestone in this literary tradition is the Thai recension by Krom Phra Paramanuchit Jinoroth, whose poetic mastery provided a canonical framework that extended far beyond the written word. This study examines the transformation of Buddhist narrative text into visual representation in Thai art and sculpture, using the Pathomasambodhigāthā as a case study. It aims to analyze the relationship between the textual narrative and its artistic representation, focusing on how key episodes, symbols, and meanings in the text were selected, interpreted, and adapted within the context of Thai visual culture.  The research employs documentary analysis together with an iconographic approach, comparing the content of the Pathomasambodhigāthā with artistic evidence such as mural paintings and sculptures in Thai religious sites. 

​​​​The study finds that the transformation from text to image was not a direct reproduction of the narrative, but a process of interpretation shaped by religious, cultural, and artistic contexts in different periods. This research demonstrates that the Pathomasambodhigāthā played an important role in shaping visual imagery of the Buddha's life in Thai art and reflects the close relationship between Buddhist literature and visual expression. By analyzing the transition from sacred manuscript to artistic expression, we explore how specific episodes from the Buddha's life were codified into distinct Buddha postures and vivid temple murals, particularly during the Rattanakosin period. 

Dr. U-tain Wongsathit is a lecturer at the Department of Oriental Languages, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University. An expert in Sanskrit Philology and Epigraphy, his research focuses on ancient scripts, manuscripts and Southeast Asian cultural history. He is the author of "Rayong: Samut Thai and Bai Lan", a significant work documenting the manuscript heritage of Rayong province. His expertise lies in bridging classical palaeography with the systematic study and preservation of traditional Thai manuscripts. 

Dr. Tiwa Sukhum is a Special lecturer at the Department of Oriental Languages, Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University. An expert in Sanskrit and Pali, his research focuses on Buddhist scripts, manuscripts, and Indain philosophy. During his master’s and doctoral studies, he conducted research on An Analytical Study of Ratnāvalī by Nāgārjuna and An Analytical Study of Parīkṣā 1, 2 of Prasannapadā, both of which concern Buddhist scriptures and Indian philosophy.​

 

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