THE BEDRIDDEN CARING ACCORDING TO THE BUDDHIST ETHICS IN BAN FANG SUBDISTRICT KASET WISAI DISTRICT, ROI-ET PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this research paper were: 1) to study the current problematic conditions of the bedridden patient care; 2) to study Buddhist ethics used in the
bedridden patient care; 3) to analyze the bedridden patient care according to Buddhist ethics. This research was carried out by means of the documentary research through studying information from Tipiaka, documents and related research. The obtained data were interpreted by using descriptive analysis based on the inductive reasoning principles.
The research results were as follows:
1) The current problematic conditions found in the bedridden patients were that the bedridden patients mostly are the elderly with 1-3 underlying diseases causing
complicated treatment and their illnesses were different from those in other ages because they had chronic illness at bed without physical movement affecting the working system of the muscles and complications such as infections in the respiratory system, urinary system, frozen joints, depression and pressure ulcers etc. This made it impossible for them to help themselves and required care from other people. Also, the problems found in the bedridden patients were lack of caregivers, which affected their quality of life in all dimensions.
2) The Buddhist ethics used in the bedridden patient care included Brahmavihra Dhamma (Sublime States of Mind): Mett (loving kindness), Karu (compassion),
Mudit (sympathetic joy) and Upekkh (equanimity) that the caregivers had to have in mind and expressed with their pure heart.
3) The bedridden patient care according to Buddhist ethics can be made by applying Brahmavihra Dhamma principles in the bedridden patient care to improve their quality of life in every dimension in a way to take care of patients with pure love, intention of caring for their recovery from existing diseases, pleasure when the patient recovered from the illness and neutrality in keeping an eye on patients to not return to illness again and help develop patients to have a better quality of life in every dimension.