THAI MONKS’ ROLES IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The research is a case study of monks’ ways for solving community problems. It seeks to examine monks’ applications of Buddhist Doctrinal Principles in the development of Thai rural communities. The 6 monks interviewed in these case studies include: Phrakrū Bibidhprajānāth, Phrakrū Shīlavarābhorn, Phrakrū Subhācārawat, Phraācan Subin Panīto, Phrakrū Ubhaikoson and Phrakrū Dhammagut. The study found that the models used by the monks succeeded in solving all 6 problems, i.e. economic problems, public health problems, educational problems, spiritual and moral development problems, environmental problems, and social problems. In these models, monks applied Buddhist Doctrinal Principles in the following ways: 1) Actively and directly disseminating the Dharma to the villagers; 2) encouraging people in the communities to teach virtues to each other; 3) leading the villagers in studying and observing real cases of development; 4) visiting the people; 5) trying to solve new community problems; 6) using group processes for behavior control; 7) switching from giving sermons to leading the villagers in practice; 8) teaching children in order to develop adults; 9) urging the people’s interest in the Dharma; and 10) campaigning for the villagers to reduce and quit all vices.