1. Background and Significant Statement of the Study

Thailand is a Buddhist country. With the influences of Buddhism, Thai people live together in peace^[1]. Even if there is sometimes political conflict, but it ends up with the help of Buddhism. The beginning of life, happiness, joy, smiles, laughter and the end of one's life all have involved Buddhism as an important part. Thus, it is generally known that religion has come into existence as a result of human struggle to solve the basic problem of life, that is suffering. The Buddha proclaims that 'if there were no birth, decay, and death, the enlightened one would not have arisen in the world and his teachings would not have spread abroad'^[2]. He also proclaims again and again that 'the Buddha arises in the world for the good and happiness for many, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, for the advantage and for the happiness of the gods and men'^[3].

[Aims of Education]—The aims of education are determined by human life. Putting it differently, the aims of education are formulated after deciding the kind of life we want human beings to lead. In addition to this, the aims of education are also determined by the kind of like human beings live. It can thus be said that the aims of education are based upon human nature. Since the basic form of human nature has remained unchanged over many centuries, the aims of education have also remained the same while humanity has passed through many centuries^[4]. For example, the human being is constituted not only of the reason and intellect, but also of emotions and the body.

Any system of education, which seeks to fulfill its aims, must provide for the development of all these aspects. In view of the complex social and economic structure of human society, every adult human being is faced with necessity of earring his bread and of fulfilling his various needs. In view of this permanent necessity of human life, one of the aim of education has always been to equip the individual to earn his livelihood. Man has to fight with nature to ensure his own existence, and in this process he needs his physical abilities and powers^[5]. For this reason, children are taught to maintain their health, not only in civilized societies but even in the most primitive ones. Education is also made to conform to the changing environment of a particular social group so that its later generations may be able to adjust better. For this reason one finds distinct differences in the pattern of education in societies living near the coast and societies living inland.

Human beings always live in groups because they cannot fulfill many of their needs alone. Without a family group a human child cannot be born, and neither can it survive. Social life of some kind is essential for everyone. Social life is essential for everyone. Social life is based upon the fulfillment of certain duties and obligations and upon facing certain responsibilities. Hence, one of the most common objectives of education is to train the individual to lead a fruitful social life.

One finds some form of political organization in civilized as well as in primitive societies. These serve to control and to systematize the life of individuals. Most political systems aim at the greatest good of the greatest number and it is considered essential that individuals should obey the rules of the state and be aware of their responsibilities towards it. Most of the modern political states have taken the responsibility of education upon themselves. For this reason, the state plays a prominent part in the individual's life, and training an individual to become a responsible citizen is one of the aims of education.

However, education has two kinds of aims-the universal aims, and the specific aims. Universal aims tend to remain the same, irrespective of the time and space. One of the universally accepted objectives of education is the comprehensive development of the human personality. From the earliest times to the present day and in every country of the world education has aimed at developing the abilities and tendencies of human beings in such a way that they may be able to achieve maximum adjustment, both personal and social. Human nature does not change with time and latitude, and for that reason education has some universal aims. To take one example, the principle that a health mind needs a healthy body is a universal maxim, and a universal aim of education. For this reason, education everywhere includes mental and physical training. Similarly, everywhere individuals make families after entering adult life, and in order to ensure their survival, they have to adopt some means of earning their livelihood.

Consequently, another commonly accepted aim of education is to train the individual so that he can occupy himself usefully and profitably. And, since man lives in society, it is essential that there should be adjustment between one man and another because without its society cannot survive. Education, therefore, must ensure that men and society develop in such a manner that occasions of clash and conflict are reduced to a minimum. Clearly, then, there are certain objectives of education, which remain the same in all places, and at all times.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Venerable Phra Rajadhammanidhesa, Great Reply to Global Questions, p.276.

[2]:

Dighanikaya Vol. II p.62.

[3]:

Mahavagga, Vol. xvi. pp. 140-141.

[4]:

Alfred North Whitehead, The Aims of Education and Other Essay, pp. 56-57.

[5]:

Ibid., pp.14-15.