SANGHA ADMINISTRATION IN THE DIGITAL ERA: DEVELOPMENT, CHALLENGES, AND ADAPTATION

Abstract

This academic article aimed to analyze the context, challenges, innovative developments, and structural adaptation strategies of the administration of Thai Buddhist monastic affairs in the era of digital disruption. The study was found that the transition to a digital society significantly impacted six areas of Buddhist monastic affairs, creating four urgent challenges: A crisis of faith; due to the lack of mechanisms for managing online crises, a technological gap; resulting from generational disparities within the monastic community, cybersecurity risks and ethical issues; in managing assets through cashless systems, and the problem of inappropriate social media use among monks and novices. However, the monastic community had developed and applied innovations to respond to these changes through online dissemination of Buddhist teachings on online platforms and virtual media; reforming the monastic registration system with a central database and smart cards, managing online universal Buddhist education; and utilizing geographic information systems to drive proactive social welfare work. This article therefore proposed key structural adaptation strategies, including: building cybersecurity resilience and digital skills among monastic leaders; developing a national code of ethics and guidelines for digital media use, and promoting a model of transparent and well-governed smart monasteries. And the integration of electronic cooperation networks between homes, temples, and government agencies to enhance the administration of Thai monastic organizations to keep pace with global changes, enabling them to guide society intellectually according to the Seven Virtues of a Good Person (Sappurisadhamma) and adhering to the ideals, principles, and methods of the Ovada Patimokkha for the stability and sustainability of the religious institution.