COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BASED ON BUDDHIST COMMUNITY

Abstract

The objectives of this research were as follows; 1. to study the appropriate
concepts, theories and Buddhadhamma or Dhamma Principles for community
development, 2. to study the practical ways for community development of
villages in Lopburi, and 3. to propose the practical model for the community
development based on Buddhist Life Style of Villages in Lopburi Province. From the
study, it could find that Findings were as follows:
1. For the concept, theories and Buddhadhamma or Dhamma Principles
appropriate for the community development, it could show from the study that
the practical ways for the community development of the villages in Lopburi could
rely on the 5 aspects self-reliance theory of TERMS as follows; 1) technology, 2)
economy 3) natural resources, 4) mind, and 5) social and culture. For
Buddhadhamma suitable for the practical community development, Parisuddhisela
could be applied.It consists of four aspects; 1) non-violence, 2) mindfulness, 3)
virtue, and 4) moderation.
2. For the ways of community development of villages in Lopburi, it could
show the applicable ways of 5 self-reliance of TERMS and in 5 aspects as follows:
1) local practical technology based practice, 2) sufficient economy based practice,
3) practical mutual natural resource consumption, 4) self-reliance of open-minded
behavior following the Dhamma Teachings, one must absolutely rely on oneself,
with mindful agreement of any changed condition, and 5) self-reliance on social
and culture practice on continual participation in any local social and cultural
activity.
3. The practical model of community development of villages in Lopburi
could join the integrated ways of self-reliance and Parisuddhisela and the
operational concept of Buddhist community through the activities of the
communities. The important guidelines are the following 4 factors: 1) production
process, 2) consumption process, 3) purchasing and selling process, and 4)
diversification of goods process. The driving processes for the community development could rely on 4 major factors as follows; 1) the role of community
leaders, 2) cooperation of the members of communities, 3) vision of the
communities, 4) the practical community management.