The Promotion Model of Holistic Well-Being of Elderly Monks according to Dhamma – Vinaya Principle in Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

          This research article has objectives: 1) to study the concept of promoting holistic well-being of older monks in Buddhism, 2) to study problems and concepts of well-being development of older monks in Chaiyaphum Province, and 3) to study the promotion model of holistic well-being of elderly monks according to the Dharma-Vinaya principle in Chaiyaphum Province. The research area was conducted to interview and discussion groups with a total of 90 persons (including monks) for data collection. And then it comes to analyze and synthesize information in order to obtain research knowledge according to the objectives.

           The research result finds that:

           The concept of holistic well-being for elderly monks, it is good health care, there is a feeling of happiness, balance and holiness in four dimensions: body, mind, social, intellectual or integrated spirituality in Buddhism, appropriate and relevant Buddhist principles. Elderly monks can apply them to life in order to gain benefits in various fields, to understand and see a life that has value as goodness to develop a balanced body and mind.

          The conditions of health development problems of elderly monks in Chaiyaphum Province consisted of 4 issues as follows; 1) the physical health problems which were (1) consumption problem that it didn't even consider to eat food, then affects the body, (2) environmental problem that it is an inaccessible place to religious work, (3) congenital disease problem that it is a lack of protection against, (4) hereditary problems such as diabetes, allergies etc., and (5) physical condition problems that it is a change and deterioration, 2) the mental health problems which were (1) behavioral, there is the habitual behavior, (2) emotional, it is an aspects caused by forgetting when there is an emotion that cannot be controlled, (3) attitude, it is a lack of knowledge and understanding and (4) stress, It is a state that results in a changing mental state, when there is an inaccurate consideration, 3) the state of social health problems which it is a lack of self-care, lack of knowledge of disease prevention and have not participated in community activities and                                   4) the state of intellectual health problems, the monks who were received an ill, they do not consider it’s as an element, causing damage to the body and mind that made it impossible to understand and access to knowledge.

          The model for promoting the holistic well-being of elderly monks according to the Dharma-Vinaya principle in Chaiyaphum Province has 4 forms: (1) the physical holistic well-being  promotion model, monks must perform duties and be aware of physical and mental health which can be performed in conjunction with the principles of various Dharma-Vinaya teachings in order, (2) the spiritual holistic well-being  promotion model, the spiritual aspect of Buddhism, it emphasizes the calm state of mind, i.e. in meditation because it makes the mental state of mind supple, in mood there is considering the truth of the current emotional state, in attitudes, the monks had to have good attitudes, (3) the holistic social well-being promotion model, it is the participation of society in order to receive information, public relations or information about health promotion, along with amendments including prevention, examination, and (4) the intellectual holistic well-being promotion model, it is the physical, precept, mental, and intellectual qualities that influences external oneself which can be performed with the principles of precepts, concentration and wisdom.