Himavanta


Himavanta is a legendary forest, also called Himmanpan Mountain, which is said to be located in the Himalayas. Himavanta appears in a piece of Thai literature called Traibhumikatha which explains that Himavanta is a forest where many diverse mythical creatures such as Phaya Naga, Phaya Krut, and Kinnaree, spirits or even gods and goddesses reside.
The mythical Nariphon tree that is often mentioned in Thai folklore is also said to grow here. The story of Himavanta and the explanation of the three existing planes were written by the philosopher-king of Si Satchanalai, Phaya Lithai. Since the Himavanta forest relates to Buddhist cosmology, it profoundly influences beliefs, cultures and artworks in the Buddhist and Hindu religions, among others.

Synopsis - Legend of Himavanta

In the past, when the Earth was still flat, it was supported by a pillar that pointed towards the Sun. The Earth was full of various creatures, which slaughtered each other without mercy. The weak were the victims of the strong. Most of this world was covered by forest. The world was called Loka-Himmapan.
The pillar that supports the world was located in the heart of the Himavanta Forest. Wrapped under the pillar was the huge carcass of the fish Anon. In the past, it was this fish which had supported the world, and not the pillar.
Not so far away, there was a rhino called Ra-maad, the strongest creature on earth. No one could beat him, not even the mighty serpent or the powerful Phaya Krut. Ra-maad wanted to see Kinnaree, a beautiful half-bird, half-human. He tried to approach her but she hurriedly flew away, and Ra-maad grew infuriated. Ra-maad picked up stones and threw them wrathfully all around, and from the sheer force, the whole world began to shake.
After the god Phaya Krut heard about this, he tried to stop Ra-maad. Their battle shook the ground even more. All the fish were in danger, so the serpent Phaya Naga also went to stop Ra-maad. But when Phaya Krut saw his old enemy, Phaya Naga, he was shocked and thought that Phaya Naga meant to fight him, and prepared to defend himself. Phaya Naga fought back, and in the end, Phaya Krut died. The power of their battle made the pillars supporting the earth tilt and hit the sun, causing the sun to split into two. The world heated up and there was no night, only an orange sky, as all of the water in the forest evaporated.
All the Himavanta creatures tried to escape this disaster. There was also a pitiable creature who only observed the conference of all the creatures in Himavanta, named Gabillapaksa. Since he secretly fell in love with Kinnaree, he sat at a stone, carving Kinnaree on every rock. He wailed about her to Wanekamphu, a longtime friend of his, and a creature that Gabillapaksa raised as a pet, named Manusa Singh.
The conference went badly, because all types of creatures only wanted to show off their talents while also flustered and panicked. Phaya Naga thought to attack the pillar, so that it would strike half of the sun and fling it aside. He gathered all of his power and struck the pillar, but his plan failed. Kinnaree performed music and danced to try to put everyone at ease. The king of lions, Kochasri, and other lions also tried to destroy the pillar, and similarly failed. All living creatures soon drew to the brink of death from the heat. Even Manusa Singha, Gabillapaksa's pet, was about to die. Phaya Naga then recalled a saying, "All things can be changed if change arises from the heart," but no one dared to test this.
Kinnaree suggested that anyone who could solve this crisis would win her love as a prize. The situation escalated as the beasts began to fight each other once again, each seeking to claim her incomparable beauty.
Gabillapaksa, who fell in love with Kinnaree, bowed his head and held his hands to his heart. Looking at his hands, he said, “I only have empty hands but I am willing to face greatness for her. I will not allow anyone to get her just as a prize. Even though the sun burns, even if I have to fight with the noble kings." Gabillapaksa flew up to the sky, wrenched his heart from his chest with his bare hand and shouted, “Although I am empty-handed, my weapon is my heart. I am willing to do this for every being in this world and it is called sacrifice.”
As he said these words, the heart in his hand transformed into a sword and flew towards the pillar. At the same time, Gabillapaksa's body fell to the ground. The sword of sacrifice smashed into the pillar, which fell and hit the sun, ejecting it away.
The remaining half of the sun drew the sky back towards the world, changing the world from a flat shape into an oval. Everything went back to normal. Gabillapaksa's body, from which his heart and his mind were gone, was recovered by Kinnaree. After that time, he taught everyone what sacrifice was, that it could change the world and bring back peace. Ashamed of himself, Ra-maad changed his name to Rad and always did good things after that time.

Thai literature

Traibhumikatha

Triphumikatha was written in prose as descriptive rhetoric. It comes from the word "Tri" meaning "Three" and "Phumi" meaning "land" or "world." The word Phra Ruang is a term assigned to monarchs of the Sukhothai dynasty, specifically Phra Maha Thammaracha I. "Traiphum Phra Ruang" can also be called "Triphumkatha" or "Tephumkatha" with the latter two being the original names.
Triphumikatha opens with a worship spell in Bali. There is a panel including the author's name, date of composition, the names of the scriptures and their purposes. Phaya Lithai wrote this prose as a Dharma for his mother and to teach his people about Buddhism in order to cultivate virtue and maintain Buddhism. Triphumikatha aimed to teach readers that the three planes are perishable, impermanent and unstable. No certainty can last long, there will always be change. The book is meant to demonstrate an escape from the world to nirvana, or liberation from repeated rebirth.
The three landscapes are divided into eight khans that describe the constant state of flux for all humans, animals, and even non-living things such as mountains, rivers, the earth, the sun, and the moon. This uncertainty is called "Anitja Laksana".
The three planes are named "Kamaphumi", "Rūphaphūmi", and "A-Rūphap̣hūmi". Kamaphumi is the world of those who are still trapped in sensual desires, and it has into two divisions, Sukhiphumi and Abaiphumi.
Sukhiphumi contains these divisions: "Manudsaphum", "Sawankhaphum". Abaiphumi contains these divisions: "Narokphum", "Diradcharnphum", "Phredphum", and "Asuraguyphum".
Rūphaphūmi is the land where Rūpha-Bhrama live, which consists of 16 levels. Similarly, A-Rūpha-Bhrama live in A-Rūphap̣hūmi, which has a total of four levels.
Triphumikatha describes the universe as a circle with Mount Meru as the center of the universe. On the top of the mountain is Daowadung Heaven in which Indra is the ruler, and above that are other levels of creation. The Daowadung Heaven is the second heaven of the Six Heavens, known as "Chakamaphatchara". Below the heavens are the seven Sattribhang Mountains which are each separated by "Tale See Tandorn" where the fish Anon and his attendants live, and they are the cause of the universe's movements. Next to Mount Meru lies a vast ocean that reaches to the edge of the universe.
In the midst of this ocean are four continents inhabited by humans: "Uttarakuru" to the north, "Bhurhawithi" to the east, "Jambudvipa" to the south and "Amorn Koyan" to the west. Furthermore, humans in each continent have different identities. For instance, humans in Uttarkuru have square faces and beautiful figures. Humans in Burawithha have faces that are rounded as full moons, whereas humans in Amornkoyan have faces like waning moons. Humans born in those three continents all have the same lifespan, and live happily because they always behave according to the 5 precepts. Humans living in Jambudvipa have oval faces and have a life expectancy that is uncertain depending on merit or karma. Nevertheless, this continent is special as it was the birthplace of the Buddha, royal emperor and Arahant. These conditions offer an opportunity for humans in this continent to listen to the Dharma so that when they die, they have a chance to be born in a better realm. Down beneath the continents, there are eight great hells as the next realm.

Author

Phra Maha Thammaracha I or Phaya Lithai was the sixth monarch of Sukhothai, the grandson of the Great King Ramkhamhaeng. Phaya Lithai ascended the throne after Phaya Ngua Nam Thom. From the evidence from the stone inscription of Wat Mahathat in 1935 BE/1392 CE, it can be learned that when Phaya Lithai's predecessor Loe Thai died in 1884 BE/1341 CE, Phaya Ngua Nam Thom reigned until Phaya Lithai's army came to usurp the throne in 1890 BE/1347 CE. He was named as Phra Chao Sri Suriyaphongsaram Maha Thammarachathirat. According to the stone inscriptions, he was originally called Phaya Lithai, abbreviated as Phra Maha Thammaracha I. He died in 1911 BE/1368 CE.
After he reigned for six years, he dedicated himself to Buddhism and invited the Elder of Lanka to be patriarch in Sukhothai. Then he abdicated the throne to be ordained at Pa Mamuang Temple, outside Sukhothai to the west. Phaya Lithai studied the Tripitaka and was very interested in preserving Buddhism and developing the country to prosperity, pursuing projects like the Phra Ruang Road from Si Satchanalai through Sukhothai to Nakhon Chum, restoring the Song Khwae City as the city of Luk Luang and constructing Phra Buddha Chinnarat, and Buddha Chinnasi.
Other writings by Phaya Lithai include Trai Phum Phra Ruang, the stone inscription of Wat Pa Mamuang, and the stone from Wat Si Chum, which discusses events and traditions in the construction of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat at Wat Pa Mamuang Temple.

Religious beliefs

In Buddhism, Himavanta features heavily in Triphumikatha. The existence of Himavanta and its mythical creatures are no threat to humans, since only virtuous and spiritual people can enter, not just ordinary humans. The story of the legendary forest incorporates themes of the cycle of death and birth of all beings in order for people to improve themselves, and the consequences of karma that causes birth into different worlds. The legend of the Himavanta forest has continued to influence Buddhist society in Thailand for a long time. It is often seen in artworks in religious places, in the form of paintings, sculptures, decorations, writings, poems, and even films.
In the past, the kings applied the principle of Dharma to rule their people. By espousing the concepts of Heaven and Hell, they could lead their subjects to fear the enduring spiritual consequences of committing an offense, and this cultural trend lead to the creation of the phrase, “Laws may be unfair, but not the law of karma.”
Hinduism has its own mythology about Himavanta which is similar but not identical. According to Hindu mythology, this land is known as Thepyapoom. Kaohsiunggar Mountain is the residence of Lord Shiva, the great god, and the Great Consort who is the daughter of Himawat Mountain.
Lord Shiva is one of the three great gods who is responsible for agriculture. The three rivers which provide water to much of Asia, Sinthu, Brahmaputra, and Kongkha all originate in the snowfields of the Himalayas, which became known as Shiva's dwelling place.
Both Hindu and Buddhist myths say Mount Meru is the center of the earth, surrounded by the Cosmos. Hindus consider Mount Krailas in the Himalayas in Tibet to be Mount Meru, and also believe that peak to be the residence of Thao Kuwen, king of giants, god of wealth and god of treasure. Indra, the elder deity in Hindu religion, also was affiliated with Mount Meru during the time that he was known as the god of lightning, rain and fertility.