THE MANAGEMENT TOWARDS BUDDHISM PROPAGATION OF THE MEDITATION PRACTICE CENTER IN RAYONG PROVINCE

Abstract

This research has objectives which are 1) to study the Buddhism
propagation of the Meditation Practice Center in Rayong Province, 2) to study the
concept of Buddha-Dhamma applied in the management towards Buddhism
propagation of the Meditation Practice Center in Rayong Province and 3) to present
the way of the management towards Buddhism propagation of the Meditation
Practice Center in Rayong Province.
The research methodology in this study was the Mixed Methods
combining the qualitative research with the quantitative research. The researcher
studied by means of documentary research and the In-depth Interview with 17 key
informants who were the abbot of the meditation practice center, insight
meditation masters, Buddhism propagation experts and practitioners. The tool
used in this research was the interview question form and the data was collected
by means of note taking and tape recording. After gathering the data from the
interview, it had been analyzed by using the descriptive content analysis and
verified by the Focus Group Discussion of 11 key informants who were monks and
savants in the management towards Buddhism propagation. The research tool was
the question form of Focus Group Interview and primary model for verifying the
data. The researcher gathered all the data by arranging a small group meeting,
voice recording and note taking. Then the researcher analyzed the data from these
two steps by using the descriptive analysis method in quantitative research. In
terms of the quantitative method, the research tool was questionnaire for the
sampling group of 316 people. The researcher analyzed the data by using the
instant program of social science. The statistics used were the frequency values,
percentage, mean and standard deviation.
The research findings were:
1. The Buddhism propagation of the Meditation Practice Center in Rayong
Province consisted of 3 models which were 1) Dhamma Preaching was the dhamma
preaching with format which required the preaching plan by considering from

occasional type, time duration, sermon content, venue arrangement, etc. 2)
Dhamma Narration or Dhamma Sermon was the dhamma preaching with a language
that was easy to understand with less formality than the Dhamma Preaching and 3)
Dhamma Practice Training had different trainings depending on the way of the
Meditation Practice Center.
2. The concept of Buddha-Dhamma applied in the management towards
Buddhism propagation of the Meditation Practice Center in Rayong Province was
the Four Means of Accomplishment (Iddhipāda) consisting of Chanda (Will), Viriya
(Effort), Citta (Thoughfulness) and Vīmaṁsā (Investigation). This concept was
adopted to 1) develop the leaders such as abbots and heads of the meditation
practice center in its management of 3 aspects which were retreat, lecturer and
management; 2) develop the Buddhism propagators who were insight meditation
masters and lecturers in propagating through 3 models which were dhamma
preaching, dhamma narration or dhamma sermon and dhamma practice training.
3. The way in the management towards Buddhism Propagation of the
Meditation Practice Center in Rayong Province consisted of 3 ways and 8
developments. The first way was the management in terms of the retreat aspect
by providing the suitable place for Buddhism propagation for each model; the
second way was the management in terms of the lecturers by providing them with
appropriate preparation for Buddhism propagation in each model; the third way
was the management in terms of the management suitable for Buddhism
propagation in each model. The first development was to develop abbots and
heads of the meditation practice center by means of Chanda; the second
development was to develop abbots and heads of the meditation practice center
by means of Viriya; the third development was to develop abbots and heads of
the meditation practice center by means of Citta; the forth development was to
develop abbots and heads of the meditation practice center by means of Vīmaṁsā
in order to acquire the characteristic of good administrator; the fifth development
was to develop insight meditation masters and lecturers by means of Chanda; the
sixth development was to develop insight meditation masters and lecturers by
means of Viriya; the seventh development was to develop insight meditation
masters and lecturers by means of Citta; and the eighth development was to

develop insight meditation masters and lecturers by means of Vīmaṁsā in order to
acquire the characteristic of good Buddhism propagator.
The outcomes of quantitative data analysis were 1) the level of opinion of monks
and laypeople towards the Buddhism propagation of the Meditation Practice Center
in Rayong Province in overall and the income ranked strongly agreed; 2) the level
of opinion of monks and laypeople about the management towards the Buddhism
propagation of the Meditation Practice Center in Rayong Province in overall and the
income ranked strongly agreed; and 3) the level of opinion of monks and laypeople
about the management towards the Buddhism propagation of the Meditation
Practice Center in Rayong Province following the Four Means of Accomplishment
(Iddhipā da) in overall and the income ranked strongly agreed.