Includes bibliographical references (leaves 518-528)
關鍵詞
Phra Thepwethi; Buddhist monks; Thailand; Biography; Ethnography; Thai Buddhism
摘要
This dissertation approaches the Thai Sangha through an in-depth study of the life of one of its members, Phra Rajavaramuni (Prayudh Payutto). By carrying out extensive interviews with Phra Rajavaramuni, members of his family, teachers, colleagues, and other monks, a picture of the Thai Sangha is painted. By using the life of Phra Rajavaramuni as a focal point, a mosaic of edited comments of those around him are pieced together to form a broader picture of the Thai monkhood. The resulting perspective may be called a "person-centered ethnography." Through this in-depth perspective we learn how one monk's search for education can inform us about education and administration in the monkhood at large, the differences between scholarly and popular Buddhism, and the variety of ways in which Thai Buddhism is changing and adapting itself to face the concerns and questions of modern society. The testimonies of others about Phra Rajavaramuni help us to see not only how he is perceived, but also to understand the different types of monks in the Thai Sangha as well as the kinds of hopes and expectations people have for Buddhist monks and Buddhism in general. These expressions will also assist us in beginning to understand the type of biographical information Thai people feel is most important to relate.Just as a life story has direction, so does the history of Buddhism. The analysis of the Thai case points to broader tensions for Buddhist praxis in general, such as the ongoing discourse regarding the relative merits of more scholastic or meditational practices, of living in the city or the forest, and how the fruits of practice are to aid or relate to modern society and social change.
