Infernal Scenes in Southern Thailand Game Board

Abstract

This study looks at the Inferno Scenes depicted in a Southern Thailand’s folk board game called “Tuad” and explains their distinctiveness; the paintings used in the game were based on Trai–Bhumi script’s cosmology. The study also analyzes the social context that influenced the paintings, whose subject matter was limited only to the Kāmabhumi (sensual realm) part of the Inferno Scene while neglecting the Rūpa-bhumi (form realm) and Arūpa-bhumi (formless realm). The results of this study show that these paintings were created by local artists and that the unique characteristics of these paintings are their illustrations of the Auxiliary Hells and the Major Hell scene as part of the Tuad game. In addition, the 25^th Buddhist Century’s society maintained a belief in Metteyya Buddha as well as in heaven and hell. Thus, the game encouranged players to do good deeds following Buddha’s example, while the depiction of the Inferno Scene provided an important local story to warn people against undertaking sinister or malicious acts.