THE POWER RELATIONSHIP OF THE KINGDOM AND CHURCH : THE CASE OF THE EMERGENCE OF THE DHAMMAYUTTINIKAYA SECT

Abstract

This article aims to demonstrate the power relationship between the state and religion during the reign of King Mongkut. During that period, Buddhism has been reformed by external factors of religious institutions. As a result, the Thai Buddhist Order was split into two sects: Mahanikaya and Dhammayuttika-nikaya. The ecclesiastical reform was regarded to stabilize the country’s Buddhism in order to support the national ideology and advantage. It was definitely aimed at a consequence to strengthen relationship between the state and Buddhism. The combination of Buddhism and the state’s ideology was led to centralization of the administrative power, followed by legislation of laws and regulations to control the order of the Buddhist monks. This was seen as an increase or a decrease of power for some groups of the ruling class. It was, however, linked to the success of the country reform and brought about to the change of Buddhist aspects among the Buddhist monks.