A Studyof the Development of the Quality of Life for the Elderin Accordance With the Bhavana 4 Case Study : Elderin BanHuai Hoi, That Thong Sub-District, PhuKhiao District, Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

             The purposes ofthis dissertation were (1) to study the Bhavana 4 of Buddhism (2) to study the context of the way of life of the elder in Ban Huai Hoi,That Thong Sub-district, PhuKhiao District, Chaiyaphum Province (3) to study the development way of the elder life in Ban Huai Hoi, That Thong Sub-district, PhuKhiao District, Chaiyaphum Province,in accordance with the Bhavana 4. This research was a qualitative research. The researcher used interview and participant observation. The target group for this research was 30 elders in Ban Huai Hoi, divided into 3 groups: 1) elder group with religious leader role for 10 people 2) elder group with layman and laywoman for 10 people 3) elder group with community management committee for 10 people. The data obtained from the fieldwork shall be written in a descriptive analysis.

             The research was found that the Bhavana 4 of Buddhism are the principles of person development with 4 development frameworkswhich are the self-improvement notbeing in carelessness,behaving yourself in the framework of the good behavior of society, practicing your own mind to be cheerful, and development of intellect to be the rationalist. The Bhavana 4 are the principle of self-development in daily life and happy co-existence.

             The context of the way of life of the elder in Ban Huai Hoi was found that most of Huai Hoi elder were Buddhists. They make merit, observe the 5 precepts, 8 precepts during the Buddhist Lent, and they like to practice the dharma, self-practicing in a way that is good not to be damaging. They think that it could grow a merit, create a good social relationship, know themselves standing, live happily, and have good health. The elder behave morally in Buddhism and live together with others in society happily. The problems andobstacles to develop the quality of life for the elder are 1) the growth of the modern economy2) the coming of modern culture which the elder have to adjust their way of life in daily life so that they are balanced and consistent with daily life 3) diseases caused by the old age, which are the problems and obstacles to the way of life of the elder and affect the daily activities.

            The development way of the quality of life for the elder was found as the following. In the physical development, the elder practice their consciousness in their own ways of life, easy living and eating, practicing consciousness in daily life. In the moral development, the elder has developed themselves by not exploiting others, not pilfering,focusing mind and soul,speaking politely,being honest, not being greedy to others,not being vengeful to others,having a good thought, and not bearing ill will to others. The elder live happily together in society. In the emotional development, the elder practice developing their own mind by paying respect to Buddha, praying and meditation, developing their mind and making their mind happy in daily life. In the intellectual development, the elder use their intellect to think reasonably, be conscious of while thinking, while speaking, while doing, and will use their intellect to solve problems. Finally, the elder adopted the principles of self-development in accordance with the Bhavana 4 in their daily life happily.