1. Buddhist Monastery in Thailand

Since the advent of Buddhism in Thailand^[1], Buddhism had crucial roles in Thai society especially in moral education of the public. Through the influence of Buddha’s teaching^[2]. Thai people, in general are compassionated, friendly and generous. According to the Thai tradition, primary education was established in temples. Buddhist monks played a major role as teachers, only young men served as temple boys and they were given instruction in reading, writing, and simple arithmetic as well as in religion and morals. Many of them chose to be ordained as novices or monks to study Buddhist teachings and other subjects in the monasteries. Education, therefore, was limited only to young men, monks and novices. Female rarely had the chance for further education except those from well to do families. Only a few people could have higher education while the majority of Thai people lacked educational opportunity, as they were poor and lived far away from cities.

The original purpose of establishing Buddhist monasteries was to promote Buddha-Sasana^[3]. However, the idea of monastic establishment also aimed at educating children. The monasteries taught writing, reading, mathematics and other mundane lessons that would be useful for the students in their future.

Monastic education was based on encouraging youngers to observe five precepts. The education for young people in Thailand was given by monks.

A monastery served as a school as well. Monks knew that giving education was the nobles kind of donation as taught by the Buddha. There was no other way, but teaching, by which monks could show their education skills. Beside, monks and all village people considered that they must do something for the sake of the development of sasana (The teaching of the Buddha), economy, education, culture and of social behaviour in their religion.

Education^[4], in Pali tradition, may be derived from the term 'sikkha,' generally implying the educational process of learning, training instruction, acquisition, development and enlightenment.^[5] The term naturally includes the training of advanced morality, spiritual concentration, and knowledge or wisdom,^[6] and is always combined with the word '-pada,' i.e. educational code,^[7] which is normally known as 'sikkhapatipada,' i.e. a learner's course.^[8] Such a continual process of educational concern has for its functional character gradual training or instruction, gradual practice or performance and gradual progress (anupubbasikkha anupubbakiriya anupubbapatipada).^[9] It gives a learner a correct, noble lead in the various spheres of life and an insight into affairs, teaches him how to act rightly and how to live successfully and happily, and leads him to all—round progress, prosperity and welfare,^[10] to development of a good personality with perfect knowledge and behaviour,^[11] and finally to the end of suffering, salvation.^[12] Thus, education is neccessary for development of human life.

At present almost all countries of the modern world are competing in almost every sector: political, economic, military, cultural and more. All countries well realize that one of the most important aids in this competition is education, so the state has become more actively involved in organizing, supervising, encouraging and controlling education. Education aimed at improving wisdom and development of the individual as human beings has decreased^[13], while education to develop assets of the nation has increased.

Turning to Thai society^[14], it has from ancient times almost never provided education for enriching wisdom, be it in the home, the palace, the Wat, or the state school or university. In this respect, Thai society is similar to Western society in that in the past the state was not involved in organizing education. This only happened later. In ancient times vocational knowledge was learned in the family, or if not then via apprenticeship. Literacy was not something everyone had to have, only government offi ials, who began their educatoins in the palace or in the home. Social procedures and customs were learned in the home. There was no necessity for the state to become involved in education to train the people to be good citizens.

Wats (Temple) were the places of education outside of the home for the ordinary person. People who went to learn in the wat did so voluntarily. They gained no higher vocational knowledge there or learned any of the more complex social procedures and customs. They were taught instead how to be good Buddhists, and for those who were interested this may have led to selfdevelopment on progressively higher levels culminating in attainment of the ultimate truth (paramattha). While the sphere of state was more powerful than the religious sphere (sasanacakka),it did not interfere with or control education in the wat.

The state began to organize education during the reign of King Rama V^[15] because the country’s leaders felt that the knowledge given in the palace, the home and the wat was not enough to help preserve the country’s independence and to lead the country into the modern world. Entering the modern world entailed developing the country in every sector, in politics, administration, defense, the economy, and culture, and these kinds of development required modern knowledge from the West. Opening up the country to the international community also meant opening it up to competition in all areas^[16].

Lacking people with modern knowledge, Thailand would become outdated and disadvantaged. The state required engineers, doctors, lawyers, military leaders, and administrators more than it needed first class Dhamma scholars (nak tham ek) or ninth grade Pali scholars. As time went on, and political, economic and cultural systems became more complex, the school system played an increasingly important role in providing a suitable education for the changing society, and the state became more involved in organizing education^[17]. This phenomenon has occurred all over the world, at different speeds. Relations and communications between countries have become much closer, the world has become smaller, and competition between countries has become more intense. Countries wishing to open up have no choice but to compete with other countries, and one of the most important factors for helping them in this competition is knowledge.

As aforementioned in Chapter III that The rulers of Thailand have encouraged and supported Buddhism by building and maintaining monasteries, by providing the monks with material necessities and facilities for performing religious duties, by patronizing their educational activities such as the Buddhist Councils for revising the Tripitaka and having the scriptures translated into Thai, and by reforming the Sangha and appointing able Supreme Patriarchs to govern the Order. Since 1903 (B.E. 2446) the state has even enacted the laws forming the constitution under which the Sangha govern itself

Four Buddhist holy days are recognized by the Government as national holidays, namely the Maha Puja Day, the Visakha Puja Day, The Asalha Puja Day, and Khao Pansa Day (Rainy Retreat Day).

Nearly all state and public ceremonies are blessed by the participation and chanting of senior members of the Order. The people also invite monks to chant the Sutras and protective formulas for their blessing and protection in all household rites such as housewarmings, birthday celebrations and weddings, and especially to conduct funeral rites and memorial services for the benefit of the deceased. Even consecrated water is used at most of the auspicious ceremonies. Other forms of animistic and Brahmanic beliefs can also be seen mingled with these popular Buddhist practices.

In Bangkok, the styling is pierced by the spread of pagodas and stupas, especially those of Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) and the Golden Mount “In the rice lands a traveller is seldom out of the sight of a Phra Chedi (Cetiya) or stupa towering above the village trees. In the less populous sections of the countries are sacred caves, 'footprints' of Buddha, and on many steep and isolated hill a graying Cetiya are visible for miles around.” Bronze and stone images of the Buddha are constantly found in unexpected places while digging the land for irrigation, road construction and other purposes. Buddhism has thus become rooted in the soil of Thailand both literally and metaphorically.

The influences of Buddhism can be seen in all aspects of Thai life and culture^[18]. In the home, people keep for worship the Buddha images of various sized on small altar-tables. While travelling, they wear small Buddha images around their necks as objects of veneration and recollection or as amulets for adornment and protection. When passing sacred places like the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha, The Buddhists never fail to pay respect to them. Many times during the year they hold and attend festivals at a monastery.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Harold E. Smith, Gayla S. Nieminen, May Kyi Win. Historical Dictionary of Thailand, Chronology xxiii-xxiv.

[2]:

Ander Poulsen, Childbirth and Tradition in Northeast in Thailand: Forty years of Development and Cultural Change, pp. 25-26.

[3]:

Frank E. Reynolds and Jason A., The life of Buddha, pp.15-16.

[4]:

The concept of education is like a diamond which appears to be of a different colour (nature) when seen from different angles (Point of view or philosophy of life). There are four important reasons for different interpretations and definitions of education.

1. Complex nature of human personality.
2. Complex nature of environment.
3. Different philosophies of life.
4. Different educational theories and practices.

For details: J C Aggarwal, Teacher and Education in a Developing Society, pp.3-4.

[5]:

Vinaya Pitaka, III, p. 23.

[6]:

Anguttaranikaya, p. 231.

[7]:

sikkhapada.

[8]:

Majjhimanikaya, p.354.

[9]:

Ibid, p. 354.

[10]:

Dighanikaya, I, p.63.

[11]:

Khuddakapatha (Khuddakanikaya), p.134.

[12]:

Itivuttaka (Khuddakanikaya), p. 40.

[13]:

Bela Bhattacharya, Facests of Early Buddhism: A Study of Fundamental Principles, pp.98-99.

[14]:

Pierce Salguero, The Spiritual Healing of Traditional Thailand, pp.15-16.

[15]:

Wit Visadavet, The Chulalongkorn Journal of Buddhist Study, Vol.2, No.2,. 2003,pp.3-4.

[16]:

Daniel M. Veidlinger, Spreading the Dhamma: writing, orality, and textual transmission in Buddhist Northern Thailand, pp.24-25.

[17]:

Ashley, B.J., and others, An Introduction to the Sociology of Education, Macmillan, London, pp. 86–92.

[18]:

Thepvedi Phra (P.A. Payutto), Thai Buddhis in the Buddhist World, pp. 6-7.