The Mahachati Preaching is the ancient Thai tradition since the Sukhothai period until the Ratanakosin period ; it is annually held viz., in the eleventh, twelfth or the first month of lunar calendar conciding with November, December and January of sonar system. The Mahachati consists of thousand verses in Pali, it is normally called The Gatha-Ban Desana or the Mahachati Preaching which is composed of thirteen chapters. The Mahachati contents of which are composed in long verse with beautifully impressive style ; each chapter of the Mahachati has different manner when each of it is being picked up in salutation with joined palms, the performance of orchestra must be performed for a special style of each. The Mahachati Preaching is the method of instructing men to get knowledge of evil, righteousness, what is usefulness, disadvantage and ones should give moral gifts, take precept, make meditation, All above mentioned are the purpose of praising, honoring the Lord Buddha who was the Bodhisatva in the last of his life while being a Holyman named Vessantara; he had made donation, had the precept-practicing, made meditation-practising ; namely, he made the generosity of gifts to the citizen, the Paccayanagendara elephant to the Brahmins who Belonged to Kalinga state, he gave his children to a Brahmin called Jujaka and his wife, Maddri to Sakka. As for himself, he cultivated and developed the precepts viz., he did carry out his promise of what he had said that he did as the promise. He set himself as an ascetic in the forest of the mountain of Vankata. The audience of several listeners who listen to the Mahachati Preaching absorb character and tend to follow the Vessantara ascetic’s way of the moral conduct and performance of duties. Such practice would lesson One’s selfish desire. The Mahachati Preaching has a great influence in Thai society on belief ; it is believed that ones who listen to the thirteen parts of the Mahachati within a day will have five merits, namely 1. Being born in the period of the Great Master named Sri Ariyamettriya. 2. Being good born in the blissful states of existence after death. 3. Not being born in the hell after death 4. Being the happiest in the happy states and acquisition 5. Being enlightened to the path leading to the cessation to suffering, consequence, the supreme goal of Buddhism and will be a Noble individual one in Buddhism. Beside the above mentioned, the Mahachati Preaching still has influence in Thai society on morality, duties concerned with conduct, literature, instructions arts, wall-painting, education, politics, and political policy.
