Buddhist Economics: The Development of Sustainable Happiness Model in The Way of Organic Farming

Abstract

This research was to a qualitative research by gathering the data from documents and field work through in-depth interview. The group of study was selected by purposive sampling which were 1) 2 agricultural officials and 2) 10 households of organic farmers. They were selected by using the selection criteria from members of the Khlong Yong Organic Community Enterprise Group that have been successful in organic farming and have been the group's leading educators. The data was analyzed by autobiography and description. The research was found that 1. Paradigms and Buddhist economic principles in the development of happiness of organic agricultural farmers, stem from the process of experiential learning. Thus, the main changes in beliefs and thinking processes to be 1) not just financial-oriented farming, 2) diversity agriculture, 3) self-reliance, 4) healthy agriculture, and 5) long-term planning for family. They define 3 major changes in the production, processing, and distribution were as follows: 1) restructuring the production, processing, and distribution to be suitable for households and communities, 2) reducing and discontinuing to use chemicals including chemical fertilizers and pesticides, 3) modification of mono-crop production to diversity agriculture and transformative learning. 2. The model of applying Buddhist economy principles and the sustainable happiness development of organic agriculture is live in a harmonious way of life between humans and humans as well as humans and nature. There were 8 forms of desirable for farmers: 1) diligence 2) saving 3) honest 4) patience 5) discipline 6) morality 7) intelligence and 8) society.