The Strengthening Buddhism in the Contemporary Society

Abstract

The results were found that Buddhism was steadily established since the Buddha propagated for 45 years. Buddhists obviously contained in Buddhist education, practice, dissimilation and protection effectively. After having passed away of the Buddha, Buddhism faced with several situations both a risk of stability and a factor of flourishing. Moreover, Buddhism sprung throughout an early Indian country and far abroad. Since the 18^th Buddhist century, Buddhism tremendously declined from the Buddha’s land. Fortunately, King Asoka the great with his vision and true faith in Buddhism sent 9 groups of Buddhist missionaries to 9 routes in the beginning of the 2^nd Buddhist century. Among them, the 8^th route of a group of Buddhist missionary had been sent to the Suvannabhumi peninsula. Buddhism has been flourished in this area as the Southern East Asia region now a day. Buddhism also established in the Thai kingdom since the Dravadi, Sukhothai, Ayudhaya, Thonburi and Ratnakosintra period respectively. Theravada Buddhism as called Ceylon tradition has been accepted and propagated till now. All 4 Buddhist companies, Monk, Meachee, Lay men and Lay women have been working together. Owing to Monks and royal Dynasties as an important factor, they spent full effort to set Buddhism stably in Thailand.

It was found that factors affecting to both stability and situation of Buddhism in modern Thai society could be divided into 4 aspects as follows, in the Buddhist aspect, Buddhists have been lacking the process of development and screening people into Sangha and position. In the monastic aspect, monasteries and buildings have been building under the capitalism and consumerism and misdirection of development. In the ceremony aspect, it has been performing with faith without wisdom. In the doctrinal aspect, it has been believing master more than the fact depicted in the Tipitaka due to lack of endeavoring study by Buddhist themselves, then misleading to Dhamma understanding among the Buddhists. All thease problems are  Internal threats which are not too hard to solve them if the Thai Buddhists cooperate to solve them. And the dangers of the other cult and religion, which is the external threat that has heavily infiltrated Thai socety in the past ten years with the help of  economic, politic and educational tools. If the Thai Buddhists do not know and not solve the problem early. There is a risk of losing Buddhism to a sudden death, such as in India, Indonesia, Afghanistan, etc. in the past.