The Development of Environmentally Friendly Green Spaces in Temple through Buddhist Peaceful Means by Wat Sarod, Bangkok

Abstract

The research article was based on Ariyasacca (the Four Noble Truths) model in accordance with action research method under the 9-step research framework. The study consisted of three objectives: 1) to analyze context, problems, needs, as well as concepts and theories on the development of environmentally friendly green spaces in temple according to modern science; 2) to examine the Buddhadhamma conducive to the development of environmentally friendly green spaces in temple; and 3) to develop and present the development of environmentally friendly green spaces in temple through Buddhist peaceful means by Wat Sarod, Bangkok. The tools used were questionnaires, in-depth interviews, academic seminars, focus group discussions, non-participant and participant observation. The key informants included 28 persons. The qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis.

From the study, the following results were found: 1) Wat Sarod is a temple in a community that has very little green space. Most of the areas are concreted and built up with numerous buildings and constructions, resulting in a lack of shade of the trees. Planting trees around them requires excavating a hole with a backhoe since the cement ground is made up of many layers that must be drilled. There are problems in caring for the trees so that they do not die. The soil around the temple is poor due to a lack of organic matter; 2) The Buddhadhamma conducive to the development of environmentally friendly green spaces in temple is Kasibhāradvājasutta (The farmer Bhāradvāja); and 3) The development of green spaces in Sarod temple has resulted in a model called “Bua” with the following three components (1) “B” stands for beauty of gardening, (2) “U” stands for the usefulness of using the garden, and (3) “A” stands for appropriate maintenance and care of the garden, whereby the original environment should not be destroyed but improved so that the original green areas can remain clean and in order. A new body of knowledge from the study comprises five components: (1) Shading, where the temple courtyard is shaded by green trees and a pleasant garden, (2) Comfortable living where the green spaces in the temple are home to animals, as the temple is an animal sanctuary, (3) Happy living where monks and novices are happy from utilizing green spaces to train their minds through meditation, which leads to their happiness, and (5) Cultivation of wisdom, whereby the green spaces inside the temple are conducive to the cultivation of wisdom among the people in the community.