An Approach for Promoting Kataññukatavedi in Thai Society

Abstract

The dissertation entitled “The Ways to Promote Katannukatavedi In Thai Society” has three objectives are: 1) to study the situation related to Katannukatavedi in Thai society, 2) to study the Katannukatavedi according to the principles of Buddhism, and 3) to study the ways to promote Katannukatavedi in Thai society. This research based on documentary research methodology.

The result of study found that Thai society is a society that values ​​gratitude. It has been cultivated for a long time that human beings in society must assist each other according to their status and roles. When a person gets help from someone, then they should remember to repay him or her in return. The person who has been given help but do not return or make the person that one got help into trouble will be condemned by society as Akatannu man. Recently, in Thai society both monks and householders are experiencing a lack of gratitude because most of the monks most were short-term ordained. Therefore the society of laypeople lack of warmth, they did not stay together, the Relationships are frivolous such as parents and children, teachers and students, employers and employees. It is the cause leading to violence within family and society.

The Buddha teaches the principles of gratitude to his disciples, both monks and householders. Let His followers help each other to live a life of their own and have the opportunity to study and practice. At the same time teaches them to recognize how to pay return to helpers.  For the monks, follow the principles of the anagariyavinaya and the Buddha teaches householder to practice such as Dullabha-puggal (rare persons), bhramvihara 4, gharavasadhamma 4, saṅgahavatthu 4, upasadhamma 4, garava 6, and disa 6.

To encourage people in Thai society to give importance to the Katannukatavedi, therefore the researcher offers a way to promote gratitude in Thai society both among the Sangha community and householders are: 1) Religious Society of Sangha: encourage monks and novices to stay in the preceptor's temple,  so that they can have duty for each other and study the Dhamma-vinaya from the preceptor. Create the relation between each other even later, they will move to other temples, they can come to visit the teachers occationally, such as on Buddhist lent, by adhering to 3 principles: sila, samadhi and panna. (2) Society of householders: Encouraging gratitude in family, educational institutions, and workplaces to build good relationships between parents and children, teachers and students, employers and employees. The application of gratitude is a framework for raising awareness among members of family institutions, schools and workplaces.