Buddhist Methods of Educational Administration in the 21st Century.

Abstract

This academic paper aims to present Buddhist concepts and methods of educational administration in the 21st century to raise awareness and realize the importance and necessity of educational administration in ever-changing situations. Administration is considered as a science that has components regarding knowledge, principles and rules

applied from various sciences used as a guideline to study administration principles, and then lead into practicality. Successful administration depends on ability, experience and executive skills or organizational leaders being able to apply the concepts and theories related to administration into actual practice appropriate to the situation. It still requires the application of appropriate Buddha-dhamma principles in educational administration apart from relying only on concepts and theories according to the modern sciences. Buddhist educational administration is thus  another approach that can be used as an important principle in driving educational administration to achieve sustainable development in accordance with the National Education Act B.E. 2542, which aims according to section 6 referring that “education must be managed in order to develop Thai people to become a perfect human in terms of body, mind, intellect, knowledge and morality, having ethics and culture, and being able to live happily with others”. Therefore, the Buddhist ways of educational administration are divided into 3 aspects. In terms of self-administration aspect, namely the four Brahmaviharas (four sublime states). In terms of the human administration aspect, the four Sangahavatthu, and the work administration aspect, the four Iddhipada (four qualities for accomplishment). Furthermore, all these dhamma principles are what the Buddha established to set the guidelines for self-conduct for thousands of years ago. However, these principles and guidelines are still relevant in current days and can be utilized efficiently and effectively to the existing social and environmental conditions.