แนวคิดเรื่อง “ความหวัง” ในพุทธศาสนาเถรวาท

Abstract

This research article is of 2 objectives, namely:- 1) to study the concept of "hope" in Theravada Buddhism and 2) to systematically analyze the concept of "hope" in Theravada Buddhism by using the information based on the Buddhist scriptures, relevant documents and researches. From the study, it was found that there are clear evidences of the concept of "hope" ("Āsā") in the Buddhist scriptures. Hope is in the same group of craving (Taṇhā), which is the cause of suffering in Buddhist view. So there are 3 kinds of persons in the world, namely:- the “hopeless,” the “hopeful,” and the “hope-free” (i.e. the Arahat). Moreover, the 3 considerations were proposed for the analysis of hope, namely:- on hope and awakening, on hope and driving force of life and on hope and living in the present moment