BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: A PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

This article, "Buddhist Philosophy and Community Development: A Participatory Approach to Sustainability," focuses on driving and developing strong and sustainable communities. It emphasizes the development of quality individuals in terms of physical, mental, and intellectual well-being, leading to overall community development. Buddhist-based development is based on self-reliance, integrating Buddhist principles and local wisdom with modern management practices. In the Thai social context, Buddhist-based community development often relies on the collaboration of three main institutions known as "Bovorn" (Home, Temple, School/Government), which are crucial mechanisms for transmitting and applying Buddhist principles in practice: 1. Home (Community/People): The center of self-reliance and the primary practitioners, emphasizing the cultivation of belief in the law of karma, leading to fundamental virtues such as honesty, shame and fear of sin (Hiri-Ottappa), and unity (Sanghahavatthu 4), which form the foundation of social strength. 2. Temple (Religion/Monks): Serves as a spiritual center and learning center. 3. School/Government: [This section appears to be cut off here, likely referring to the school or government agency.] (Education/Government Sector) integrates Buddhist principles into curricula and community development plans to create quality citizens (with morality, ethics, and wisdom) and promote vocational development based on right livelihoods. Community vocational development according to the Buddhist approach does not focus solely on increasing income, but also emphasizes quality of life and morality in the workplace, using the Four Noble Truths as a framework in four steps: Suffering (studying the problem), Origin of Suffering (identifying the cause), Cessation of Suffering (the goal), and the Path to the Cessation of Suffering (the way to practice).