Chapter 5 - Conclusion

Thailand is a land of Buddhism since a long period of time and even today about 95 percent of the Thai people are Buddhism. Hence the Buddhist educational approach in Thailand has been operating since a long time. The rulers of Thailand have encouraged and supported Buddhism not only by way of providing financial assistance on regular basis, but also by building and maintaining monasteries, and by providing monks with the material necessities and facilities for performing religious duties by patronizing their educational activities, such as the Buddhist councils for revising Tripitaka and having scriptures translated into Thai language and by reforming the Sangha and appointing able supreme patriarchs to govern the order. As a result, the influence of Buddhism can be seen in all aspects of the Thai life and culture.

The teachings of Buddha and Buddhist literature such as Jataka tales^[1] have inspired Thai literature and arts and Pali and Sanskrit are recognized as classical languages. Many people are interested in meditation and there are several meditation centers at several places in Thailand namely, the two Buddhist Universities, Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University and Mahamakut Buddhist

University. Both the Universities provide their students training and education in Buddhism along with modern educational programmes. These universities conduct courses upto Ph.D level in subjects of Buddhism, Education, Humanities, Social sciences, Philosophy, Pali etc.

It can be said that in the early days of Thai history education was primarily provided by the religious and royal institutions Buddhist monks afforded basic education to boys in classes set up within the compound of the monasteries. At the present time, there are two methods of acquiring knowledge from the Buddhist monastery. The first method is enrollment to stay in the temple as ‘Temple boy, known in Thai as Sit Wat or Dek Wat.’ The temple boy is neither a monk nor a novice. He is a lay person who out of poverty, depends on the monasteries, or individual monks to support his education during the compulsory schooling age. After completing his secular studies, he may leave the monastery and engage in an occupation suitable to his knowledge and capacity. This condition is prevalent in religious all over the country. The second method is ordination, through which the individual gains access to the study of secular subjects along with religious principles.

It can be said that the “Sangha” has made a great contribution to the cause of national education and Buddhist education still plays an important role for Thais, especially in the countryside where Buddhism, enormously influences the people. The Buddhist education remains an open option for Thais who cannot get access to the mainstream education provided by the government. The monastery can be said to be stepping-stone for a poor village boy to step up into a higher position in society. It also has helped to bridge the vast gap between the rich and poor and it has helps the poor village boy get a better chance for his life though education. The Buddhist Sangha helps in alleviating the problem of inequality in education opportunity faced by Thai society as a whole.

It has been observed that there has been very intimate relationship between Buddhism, the state and the kings, and spread of Buddhism in Thai society viz. customs and traditions since a long period of time from the Sukkhothai period upto the present day. It has also been noticed the Buddhist monks have played a vital role not only in propagation of Buddhism, but also for bringing about all round development of the disciple and preparing them not only as an ideal citizens but also fit to travel the faith of Nibbana or Salvation.

It has been observed that the Buddha adopted various approaches in his mission, depending on circumstances. He gradually teaches from the lowest step up to the more advance step. He keeps changing the strategy in order to make things suitable to individual character, or a particular situation.

It is worth noticing that the techniques and method used by the Buddha remain practical in Thailand and even in the contemporary world. As far as Buddhist education is concerned, individual are encouraged to look into themselves first before studying others and external surrounding. That is a unique approach proposed by the Buddha in several methods cleverly applied by him.

It is clear the education is a way of the individual’s life, a society and the world as Sekkha (Education) has a wider connotation. It does not refer to only study, but spiritual development and moral training as well. The approach has a large prospect. It includes the relations between a teacher and students, their duties and obligations to one another. Education in Buddhism requires three mode, namely 1) Pariyatti-competence and accomplishment 2) Patipatti-practice, performance 3) Pativedha-Penetration, realization.

The Buddha advocated and recommended ‘being educated’, especially in morals, intellect and education. According to him, those without education and without being trained in good way would be like blind buffaloes wandering in the forest. The well-educated people are in a better chance to be prosperous and if properly trained, can attain the path of virtues. On the contrary, the illiterate may grow bodily while his knowledge does not increase.

The teachings of Buddha or Buddhist accepts like rebirth, Karma, Noble Truths and Nibbana^[2] (though these were used before the Buddha’s time, he used them in a new and different context) play a very important part in Buddhism, especially to the Buddhist or those interested in metaphysical problem.

Buddhism focused more attention on the present life, first and foremost. It does not inspire or encourage individuals to speculate or think about the future. It teaches that, when the present is good or complete, so will the future be.

It is worth noticing that thought the Buddha in teaching the Four Holy Truths, being with Dukkha Buddhism in not pessimistic. In fact, Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. It is realistic and sees things as they really are.

In the field of education, the role of Thai Buddhist monks, is clear. Thus the three eminent Buddhist reformers and thinkers who are all monks play an important role in education.

The study begins with Wachirayanavarorasa (1860-1921) who lived during the reign of Rama V, and Rama VI of the current Chakri dynasty. He in late life became a supreme patriarch, and played on important role in bringing about the change in Sangha education, especially the examination system which was changed from the oral tradition to the written system. He had written some Buddhist texts which are still in use today.

In Thailand some forty years later a similar argument was made by one of the leading scholar-monks in the twentieth century, Prayud Payutto. In his lecture at the Mahachulalongkorn Sangha University in 1984, he said that “the Sangha had a responsibility towards individual students and the state. Individual students wished to be educated and had turned to the Order for help. The quest for good education through the Order by certain sections of society was a good opportunity for the Order to instil Buddhist values in those students and to propagate the Dhamma. The Sangha also had a responsibility to assist the state in producing good citizens, because the Sangha as an institution could not exist by itself without the support of the state.” Eminent education is such as Vajirayan, Payutto and Janakabhivansa all believed that the Sangha’s education should be for the sasana, society and state.

In Thailand, the Thai Sangha’s universities, Mahachulalongkorn and Mahamakut, also initially focused only on producing missionary monks rather than enhancing academic disciplines for their own sake. This was essential to win over the hearts and minds of the prospective benefactors and ultimately the powerful conservative members of the Council of Elders. We explained in Chapter IV that these two universities were founded under King Chulalongkorn. But they continued for half a century as no more than big teaching monasteries with the traditional curriculum of the Parian. In 1947, however, they decided to modernize their curriculum in line with those of western universities. This meant that not only the format but also the subjects were to be adapted to the practice in the state universities.

According to this 1984 Education Act, the government recognized only the First Degrees and not the two universities as institutions. Here we can see that the government itself sent out contradictory messages. Although it wanted the Sangha to help shoulder the responsibility of educating the underprivileged, it failed to give adequate support to the members of the Sangha willing to do so.

In Thailand, Payutto^[3] has summarised this problem facing the education of the Sangha. He said that if the government and the leaders of the Sangha failed to give appropriate support, the Sangha would not be able to lead the people in instilling Buddhist values into the nation. He cited examples of how the Sangha could not teach Buddhism and Pali at state universities because their qualifications were not recognized and argued that the higher institutions of the Sangha themselves faced many obstacles in producing qualified teachers. He pointed out how universities in non-Buddhist countries have produced competent Buddhist scholars and how Buddhist countries themselves could not do the same. This comparison came after Payutto visited in the late 1970s some top American universities, such as Harvard and Princeton University, where there has been a long tradition of Buddhist studies.

Although human civilization has made great progress over the last several millennia up to the so-called globalization age of the present, the human race is by no means free or removed from the problems of suffering, infliction of harm, distress, and war. People look to ethical systems of various cults and religions to help resolve these problems. But these cults and religions in general only come up with rules or dictates for them to follow with their faith, thereby releasing them from their personal and interpersonal problems only to subject them to punishment and reward by forces believed to be supernatural.

Briefly, Buddhist Education is a practical, clear-cut, tried and tested holistic training programme to be followed in one’s daily life. It encompasses a method and technique of living to help one to meet the problems and challenge in life as well as to make the best of the limitless opportunities that life has to offer. In this sense, Buddhist Education is a holistic education programme, based on the practice and practical application of the Dhamma. It is far from being an academic study to satisfy one’s intellectual gratification. On the contrary, Buddhist Education calls for resulate self-effort and a firm self-commitment to not only learn but to also skilfully train oneself in the Teachings of the Buddha. As such, Buddhist Education engages all of one’s faculties-the emotions as much as one’s intellect and will.

To development of the mind is central in Buddhist Education. In the context of daily living, this helps one to discriminate, for example, between wholesome and unwholesome thoughts and actions. In terms of practicing and internalizing the Dhamma, the affective domain of learning and training is without question an essential ingredient and is linked to harnessing the pool of information and facts in the Dhamma that is to be relied upon for one to arrive at sound conclusion, decisions and actions in our daily life.

Buddhism prospered in Thailand at the time of King Ramkhamhaeng and attained its zenith at the time of his grandson, King Lithai, who occupied the throne of Sukhothai. He invited Mahathera Sumana from the Mon country for the propagation of Buddhism and requested the monks to ordain him. Thus, King Lithai was the first King to be ordained and since them there has been a tradition in Thailand that all the monarchs were ordained as monks for at least a short period of time.

The general introduction of Buddhism in Thailand is given along with the ways of protection, promotion and development of the faith, so that by casting a glance one may understand Buddhism in Thailand in general.

Monks and monasteries have played an important role in personal development of people, especially in the field of education was organized in monasteries throughout the country. Buddhist monks were the teachers at all levels. Recently, this traditional educational system was encountered by the Western culture. Therefore, the structure of it has been changed by the secular government, to adopt a new pattern. A modern Western system of public education was introduced. Thus, the monks were given relief in their duties concerning public education.

The influence of Buddhism on the Thai people can be noticed in all aspects on Thai art and culture. The Thai people, rich and poor, monk and laymen, keep Buddha’s images of various size in their houses for worship. The Jataka tales have aspired the development of Thai literature. Most of forms of Thai art, especially mural paintings, covering the interior walls of temples, derive their themes from Jatakas and Buddha’s life. In the Sukhothai period is said to be the golden age of architecture in Thailand. The cultural and artistic activities with regard to Buddhism reached their peak during this period. It presents the golden age in the history of Thailand as was the Gupta period in the history of India.

In promotion Buddhism and the Sangha, the Thai king has always been the patrons of Buddhism ethics practice enthusiastically it and build Wats, but also encouraged people to follow the Buddha’s teaching. To understand how the Thai king has been instrumental in protecting and promoting Buddhism, we can look into the historical records right from the Sukhothai, Ayuttaya, Thonburi, Rattanakosin^{[5] or Bangkok period till the date, and come to the conclusion that the Thai king still has a prominent role as a protector and promoter of Buddhism.}

Thus, we find that society, morality, ethics, and economics as well as politics of Thailand are fully influenced by Buddhism, as a National Religion, it is the mold of Thai’s life in all respects. The Thai people feel themselves belonging to the monasteries. The monasteries belong to there community. The rural monastery serves as the center villages social life, social welfare and activities of villages.

The present study is divided into five chapter, each of which discusses separate related points on Buddhism in Thai Sangha education system. The following are details of what we discuss and find in the study:

Chapter I: focuses on characteristics of Buddhist philosophy in terms of its applications to education of the Thai Sangha. This chapter will provide briefly the basic principles of Buddhist and general background of Thai Sangha's education system. Let us now review how the Buddhism came into existence and the Buddha's teachings were spread worldwide, worthy to take into practice in daily life to improve physical and mental quality.

Chapter II: discusses on education system of Thai Sangha and its background. As education is the most important factor for the restructuring of the economy and society for sustainable development, it is widely accepted that education reform is now National agenda. All groups of Thai people share the same objective that education should provide necessary skills and knowledge that prepare all individuals to become productive members of a knowledge-based society. The Office of the National Education Commission (ONEC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of University Affairs (MUA), will therefore continue to encourage public participation from all sectors in moving towards the success of educational reform in line with the 1999 National Educational Act. Thai’s Sangha is a part of Thai society, helping in developing Thai people mentally and/or spiritually. Thus, its education system plays an important role and worthy to be studied.

Chapter III: focuses on the influences of Buddhism and roles of Thai Sangha in Thai society. It also presents the impact of Thai Buddhism, mainly Thai Sangha in terms of Sangha education in the real world. We discuss the general picture of Thai Buddhism, which is considered as "Traditional Buddhism," its problems, conflicts, administration, development and education. The impact of traditional system of education that has been influenced by Buddhism is taken into account with the Thai Sangha body.

Chapter IV: deals with the role of Buddhist education towards the Thai society, its performance and roles. The ideal of perfect man is also discussed including and of how to live successfully and happily, and the leading man to all—round progress, prosperity and welfare, to development of a good personality with perfect knowledge and behaviour, and finally to the end of suffering, salvation. Education is necessary for development of human life.

Chapter V: the study recapitulates the central Buddhist education and give final remarks. It is concluded that the essence of the entire Buddhist Education lies in the Four Noble Truths.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Caroline A.F. Rhys Davids, Stories of the Buddha: Being Selections from the Jataka, pp.xiii-xv.

[2]:

Nina van Gorkom, Buddhism in Daily Life, pp.91-92.

[3]:

Prayudh Payutto (also P.A. Payutto), (b. 1938), also known by his current monastic title, Somdet Phra Buddhakosajarn, is a well-known Thai Buddhist monk, an intellectual, and a prolific writer. He is among the most brilliant Buddhist scholars in the Thai Buddhist history. He authored Buddha Dhamma, which is acclaimed as one of the masterpieces in Buddhism that puts together Dhamma and natural laws by extensively drawing upon Pali Canon, Atthakatha, Tika, etc., to clarify Buddha's verbatim speech.

Prayudh has lectured and written extensively about a variety of topics related to Buddhism, including the position of women in Buddhism[1] and the relationship between Buddhism and the environment.[ He was awarded the 1994 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education. For details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayudh_Payutto

[4]:

Venerable Phra Rajadhammanidhesa, Great Reply to Global Questions, p.276.

[5]:

Phudthipatra Tangkuptanon, The Influence of Buddhism on Thai Culture, pp.81-82.