3. Social Customs of Buddhist Monk in Thailand

A. Relation between Monks and Laypeople

Thailand population is mostly of Buddhists. More than 94 % of the population is Buddhists. Thai Buddhist follow the Theravada Buddhism. Since the time of Sukhothai period, Theravada teaching flourished throughout the country. Religious studies, Buddhist art and architecture have developed since then. Thai Buddhist Monks gain a lot of respect from laypeople.

Thai Buddhist Monks in ancient Thailand, during the time of Thai Kings, were considered not only to be religious leaders, but also for teachers of the country. Both the royal and the common were educated by monks. They were educated in Pali based education system. At present, almost all young people go to school in cities; not any more to monasteries. However, the tradition of receiving education in monasteries still exists in village. Some parents still want their children to become monks. They send them to monasteries where monks provide them shelter, food and education. This custom may also depend on the economic situation of the people.

In Buddhist Tradition, monks will be paid respect by all laypeople including Kings, ministers, and even their parents and the elders in the family. Father and mothers are happy to bow to a young novice, their son or any other novice. They bow to their son, a monk. A monk is not supposed to bow to his parents. When they sit, parents sit at the lower place while a monk, a son, takes the higher one. Parents when their son, a monks, pay a visit to them, eat after they offer the meal to the monk first. Everything they do, they favour nonks.

B. Relation between Senior Monks and Junior Monks

Seniority is important in monkhood. A monk who receives ordination earlier is senior to another monk who receives ordination latter. Age is not taken into consideration in monks’ seniority. A father may be junior to son if he joins the order later. The Vinaya rule suggests that junior monks must par respect to the senior ones.^[1]

Four requisites–robes, monasteries, food, and medicines-are allowed for monks. Except for the case of sickness, senior monks can enjoy better equities. When there are three monks at a monastery and there is a new robe. If there is a sick monk who needs the robe, he will be the one who gets the robe. Otherwise, the most senior monk can decide who should get the robe. Although, the rule favour to senior monks, in most cases, senior monks do not ake advantage for their position. They may see who really neesd the robe and he can give it to that monk. However, the decision has to be made by the most senior monk^[2].

When a group monks are requested to teach the Dhamma, the most senior monk is the one who is responsible for the work^[3]. If he is incapable or if he thinks that there is a suitable monk in the group for the task, he can ask the latter to teach the Dhamma. A junior monk, without permission from the senior one, should not teach the Dhamma when they are in group.

In the religious functions such as Uposatha (the event that occurs every fortnight either on full moon day or moonless day), Upasampada (monk ordination), or Pavarana (the even that occurs yearly at the end of the rainy retreat), ect. The most senior monk is in the lead position. The junior ones follow the lead of the senior monk. However, the most senior monks has the right to appoint a monk to take his position. Without the permission of or request from the most senior monk, the other monks just follow the lead of the senior monk.

C. Relation between Monks and Novices

Novices are called Samanera in Pali. The definition is given to the word that novices are sons of monks since without the permission of a monk, one cannot be a novice.^[4] Novices have to preserve ten precepts.^[5] They also have to abide by some rules, namely Sekkhiyasikkhapada, in Vinaya^[6]. Novices shares the first five precepts with laypeople except the third one-Brahmacariyasikkhapada. For laypeople, this precept is only to abstain from sexual misconduct, buy for novices, like monks, sex is not allowed. However, touching a woman with lustful mind does not break the precept. It only defiles the Vinaya practice. In the case of third precept, it is similar to the third precept of laypeople who observe eight precepts. Novice have to abstain from eating dinner, enjoying music and entertainments which includes listening, singing, and watching, beautifying themselves, using luxurious seats or beds, and keeping money. If a novice breaks the first five precepts, they have to admit it before a monk who initiates him as a novices again.^[7] If a novice breaks one of the last five precepts, he has to confess it to a monk and receive a punishment. Punishment is a form of the reminder for the novice. Severe punishments are not given. Novices, as punishments, have to clean the yard, water the plants, or cut the firewood. Therefore, punishments for novices are, in a way, prescribed to help the organization. Novices have to confess and receive re-initiation or punishment from monk, and for this reason, they are considered to be sons of monks. A novice can keep food while monks are not allowed to do so^[8].

At monasteries in Thailand, especially in big ones, dry food must be stored for emergency use. Since monks are not allowed to store the food, novices do the work. Monks are not allowed to cook. So novices at the monasteries serve as the cooks. They prepare breakfast or, if necessary lunch, for all the monks and for themselves. If everyone at the monastery lives on the food they receive from alms round, cooking is not accessary. However, laypeople make sure that monasteries have enough food to eat. This means that novices store the food for everyone at the monastery.

Novices do not sit at the equal level with monks. If monks and novices are all sitting on the floor, monks take sit closer to the Buddha. Novices sit facing to the monks. They are not allowed to sit with their backs to the monks. If both novices and monks are facing to lay audience, novices sit behind the monks. When novices are sitting before the monks, they sit with their legs fold. They should not sit with their legs crossed.

D. Monk’s relation to political affairs

Monks are not supposed to involve in political affairs^[9]. Since they are considered the teachers who give guidance to people, they can teach the Dhamma. However, they cannot get directly involved in politics. During the time of monarchical system in Thailand^[10], kings appointed their teachers as Sasana-Dhamma. They get advice from Sasana Dhamma when they work for promotion of Sasana. They are somehow influenced by monks. Thai Kings value the advice of monks and thus monks are also in influential status political.

Presently, religion is separated from the political practices. Monks are not allowed to vote. Although, monks may have influence in government authorities, they cannot directly involve in politics. But there are some monks who are very keen in politics considering themselves being responsible for the welfare of people. Those monks think that they have to do certain things for the people. There are also monks who take conservative position. They think monks only have two duties: Pariyattidura and Patipattidura. They have to learn or teach the Dhamma, or they practice meditation, or they do both if they are able.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vinayapitaka Cullavagga Pali, Vattakkhandhaka, Kambar Aye, Yangon, 2001, p.375.

[2]:

Ashin Janakabhivamsa, Mahavara Bhatthatika, New Burma Press, Amarapura, P. 583.

[3]:

Cullavagga Pali Myanmar Translation, Department of Religious Affairs, Yangon,1992, p.384.

[4]:

Kaccayana grammar, Koe Koe Lon Press, Yangon, 1990, p.186.

[5]:

Mahavagga Pali, Department of Religious Affairs, Yangon, 1992, p. 177.

[6]:

Mahavara Pali Nissaya, Vol. I, (Bayagyi Copyright), p.181-182.

[7]:

Nigrodhayom Shin Kyim Wut Kyan, Khit Press, Yangon,1992, p.39.

[8]:

Vinayapitaka Pacittiya Pali, Department of Religious Affairs, Yangon,2001.p.116-117.

[9]:

Kevin Hewison, Political Change in Thailand: Democracy and Participation, pp.7-8.

[10]:

Patit Paban Mishra,The history of Thailand, pp.14-16.