ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF BUDDHIST PRINCIPLES IN INTEGRATING INTO THE PROCESS OF BUDDHIST-ORIENTED TEACHING AND LEARNING

Abstract

 This academic article aims to analyze the role of Buddhist principles that can be integrated into Buddhist-oriented instructional management in order to promote balanced learning among knowledge, skills, and moral development. It situates the discussion within the context of contemporary society, characterized by rapid transformations in economic structures, technological advancement, and shifting value systems. A significant issue arising from such conditions is the excessive emphasis on academic knowledge, often at the expense of moral foundations and inner development. This gap represents a crucial area in which Buddhist education can play a meaningful and complementary role. Key educational and Buddhist principles—such as the Threefold Training (Tri-Sikkhā), the Four Noble Truths, the Middle Way (Majjhimāpaṭipadā), the Four Sublime States (Brahmavihāra), the Four Bases of Social Solidarity (Saṅgahavatthu), the Four Bases of Success (Iddhipāda), and the Five Powers (Pañcabala)—are not merely religious doctrines. Rather, they function as comprehensive learning frameworks capable of cultivating learners’ intellectual capacity, emotional maturity, and social responsibility in a balanced and integrated manner. The analysis of the role of these principles in instructional management reveals multiple dimensions, including their function as ethical foundations, their contribution to cognitive development, their enhancement of life skills, their role in fostering a supportive learning environment, and their support for holistic learner development. The integrative approaches proposed in this article encompass curriculum design and instructional planning, the application of teaching methods derived from the Buddha’s pedagogical strategies (Desanā-method and skillful means), the organization of supplementary activities aimed at moral and mental development, interdisciplinary learning integration, and the utilization of technology and innovation to support lifelong learning. These approaches demonstrate that Buddhist principles can be effectively harmonized with twenty-first-century education at the levels of curriculum, pedagogy, and extracurricular activities.