AN APPLICATION OF FOUR BASES OF SOCIAL SOLIDARITY INTO STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY OF WAT MAITHUNGKHA, RATTABHUMI DISTRICT, SONGKHLA PROVINCE

Abstract

This thesis entitled ‘An application of Four Bases of Social Solidarity into strengthening community of Wat Maithungkha, Rattabhumi District, Songkhla Province.’ has three objectives: 1) to study the ideas on the strengthening the community of Wat Maithungkha, Rattabhumi District, Songkhla province, 2) to study the principle of four bases of social solidarity as appeared in Theravada Buddhism, and 3) to study the application of the principle of four bases of social solidarity into the strengthening community of Wat Maithungkha, Rattabhumi District, Songkhla province. This is qualitative research focusing on document studies and in-depth interviews presenting by a descriptive method.

          In the research, it was found that: In the community of Wat Maithungkha, people have been facing many difficulties caused by social, economic and cultural changes owing to their big change in job. As a result, problems in lacking of generosity, humbleness, voluntariness and harmony were somehow precipitated whereby unhappiness is also created. According to Buddhism, it showed that four bases of social solidarity are mentioned: 1) giving; it means that one should help others. 2) sweet speech; this means that one should speak to others through kind words, 3) useful conduct; this means that one should behave in the way that other could be benefitted, and 4) even and equal treatment; this means that one should behave evenly. In the application of the principle of four bases of social solidarity into the strengthening the community of Wat Maithungkha, to solve the problem in lacking generosity one should offer whatever one has, to solve the problem in lacking humbleness one should speak the kind speech, to solve the problem in lacking voluntariness one should follow the principle of useful conduct, that is, one should support others, to solve the problem of conflict one should behave evenly.