Buddhism in Mekong Region Journal

Toward Sustainable Buddhist Pilgrimage Tourism: Integrating Stakeholder Collaboration at Sarnath, India

Ntapat Worapongpat — 2026-07-01

This article aimed to study: (1) the current conditions and level of sustainable development of Buddhist pilgrimage tourism at Sarnath, India; (2) the perceptions and experiences of international pilgrims and stakeholders; and (3) the key factors influencing sustainable development, including stakeholder collaboration and governance mechanisms, as well as to propose integrated guidelines for strengthening collaboration. The sample consisted of 400 international pilgrims and 25 key informants, including monks, local community representatives, government officials, and tourism stakeholders. They were selected by convenience sampling and purposive sampling methods. The instruments for data collection included structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview forms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.The research results were found as follows:Buddhist pilgrimage tourism at Sarnath demonstrates a moderate to high level of sustainability, with the highest performance in spiritual and socio-cultural dimensions, while economic and environmental aspects remain at a moderate level.International pilgrims exhibit diverse perceptions and experiences depending on their cultural and religious backgrounds, while stakeholders recognize the importance of Sarnath as a global pilgrimage destination but face challenges in coordination and communication.Key factors influencing sustainable development include spiritual authenticity, heritage management, accessibility, institutional support, and stakeholder collaboration, with collaboration identified as the most critical factor.

The governance structure is characterized by multi-level stakeholder involvement; however, collaboration remains fragmented and lacks a unified framework.The study proposes an Integrated Buddhist Pilgrimage Collaboration Model (IBPCM) to enhance sustainable, culturally sensitive, and spiritually authentic tourism development.

DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT IN ECONOMICS THROUGH COOPERATIVE LEARNING MANAGEMENT INTEGRATED WITH BLOOKET FOR MATHAYOM SUKSA 3 STUDENTS OF KANLAYANAWAT SCHOOL, UNDER THE KHON KAEN SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA OFFICE

Phuwanai Kaiwan — 2026-07-01

The objectives of this research were to study and compare academic achievement in Economics using Cooperative Learning combined with the Blooket program for Mathayom 3 students, and to assess student satisfaction. The target group consisted of 30 Mathayom 3 students at Kalayanawat School, under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Khon Kaen, selected via purposive sampling. The study employed a single-group pretest-posttest design. Research instruments included 10 lesson plans, a 30-item multiple-choice achievement test, and a satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and T-test (Dependent Samples).The research findings were as follows: 1) The academic achievement scores showed a post-test mean of (21.63 S.D.=2.32), which was higher than the pre-test mean of (14.56 S.D.=2.68). 2) A comparison of academic achievement revealed that the post-test mean score was significantly higher than the pre-test mean score at the .05 level. 3) The students' overall satisfaction with the learning management was at a high level (=4.24 S.D.=0.57).

THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOCIAL STUDIES RELIGION AND CULTURETHROUGH THE COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH (STAD) OF MATTHAYOMSUKSA 1/1 STUDENTS AT SANAMBIN SCHOOL

Jutaporn Wongkhamchan — 2026-07-01

This classroom research aimed to : 1) develop students’ learning achievement in Social Studies, Religion, and Culture through the STAD cooperative learning method, 2) compare students’ learning achievement before and after instruction, and 3) examine students’ satisfaction with the STAD learning approach. The target group consisted of 38 students from Grade 1/1 at Sanambin School in the first semester of the 2025 academic year, selected through purposive sampling. The research design was a one-group pretest–posttest experimental design. The research instruments included eight STAD-based lesson plans, a 30-item multiple-choice achievement test, and a 20-item student satisfaction questionnaire. The data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test. The results revealed that the students’ posttest scores were significantly higher than their pretest scores at the .05 level. In addition, the students’ overall satisfaction with the STAD cooperative learning method was at the highest level. These findings indicate that the STAD approach effectively enhanced students’ learning achievement and promoted positive attitudes toward learning.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE HISTORY SUBJECT ON THE TOPIC RATTANAKOSIN: THE REFORM ERA, USING THE JIGSAW COOPERATIVE LEARNING TECHNIQUE FOR MATHAYOM 3/4 STUDENTS AT NONG WUA SO PITTAYAKOM SCHOOL UNDER THE SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AR

Thatchaphan Khamkodkaew — 2026-07-01

This research aims to 1) study the learning achievement, 2) compare the learning achievement, and 3) study the students' satisfaction toward the learning management in the History subject on the topic Rattanakosin: The Reform Era, using the Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Technique for Mathayom 3/4 students at Nong Wua So Pittayakom School, under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office, Udonthani. The target group is 30 students in Mathayom 3/4 during the first semester of the 2025 academic year. The research instruments consisted of six learning management plans, an achievement test consisting of 30 items, and a student satisfaction questionnaire consisting of 20 items. The statistics used for data analysis included percentage, mean, standard deviation, and T-test dependent. The research findings revealed that the learning achievement post-test score ( = 24.13, S.D. = 3.27) was higher than the mean pre-test score ( = 13.70, S.D. = 4.01). When testing the difference, it was found that the mean post-test score was statistically higher than the mean pre-test score at the .05 level of significance. Furthermore, the overall student satisfaction toward the learning management was at a high level ( = 4.48, S.D. = 0.23). When considering satisfaction across three aspects, sorted from highest to lowest, it was found that Classroom Activity Management ( = 4.53, S.D. = 0.10) and learning environment ( = 4.53, S.D. = 0.10) were the highest, followed by benefits received ( = 4.39, S.D. = 0.12) respectively.

IMPROVINGACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN THE CIVICS SUBJECT USING THE ADVANCE ORGANIZER MODEL OF MATHAYOM 1/2 STUDENTS AT KALAYANAWAT SCHOOL UNDER THESECONDARY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AREA OFFICE, KHON KAEN

Manatsanan Aonto — 2026-07-01

This research aimed to study and compare the academic achievement in Civics of Grade 7/2 students at Kalayanawat School, under the Khon Kaen Secondary Educational Service Area Office, before and after instruction using the Advance Organizer Model. The study also examined student satisfaction with this instructional model. The target group consisted of 35 Grade 7/2 students from Kalayanawat School, selected using purposive sampling. A quasi-experimental research methodology, specifically a one-group pretest-posttest design, was employed. The instruments included 10 lesson plans based on the Advance Organizer Model, an academic achievement test, and a satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using percentages, means, standard deviations, and dependent samples t-test. The results showed that: 1) Students' post-instructional academic achievement was significantly higher than their pre-instructional achievement, with average scores of 20.80 and 10.94, respectively. 2) A comparison of scores revealed that... The average post-test scores were significantly higher than the pre-test scores at the .05 statistical significance level, and 3) students' overall satisfaction with the learning management was at the highest level ( = 4.52, S.D. = 0.73), with the highest average score in the learning atmosphere, followed by classroom activities and the benefits received, respectively.

GANDHĀRA AND MATHURĀ ARTISTIC TRADITIONS AND THEIR RECEPTION IN BUDDHIST ART OF THE MEKONG REGION (IInd – 14th CENTURIES): A CASE STUDY OF CHAMPA AND VIETNAM

Venerable Thích Thiền Định, PhD KHAIMANEE — 2026-07-01

The sculptural representation of the Buddha emerged in India around the second century BCE, with the Gandhāra and Mathurā traditions playing a foundational role in the formation of Buddhist sacred imagery. These two schools established enduring iconographic and stylistic models that were transmitted widely across Asia. In Vietnam, the reception of Gandhāra and Mathurā artistic traditions involved not simple imitation but a process of selective adaptation and localization, integrating Indian forms with indigenous aesthetic values and religious culture. This study argues that Vietnamese Buddhist sculpture represents a creative transformation of Indian prototypes, resulting in a distinctive artistic tradition characterized by serenity, refinement, and cultural harmony. The interaction between Indian and Vietnamese Buddhist art highlights the role of Buddhist visual culture as a vital medium of intercultural exchange between India and Vietnam.

GANDHĀRA AND MATHURĀ ARTISTIC TRADITIONS AND THEIR RECEPTION IN BUDDHIST ART OF THE MEKONG REGION (IInd – 14th CENTURIES): A CASE STUDY OF CHAMPA AND VIETNAM

Venerable Thích Thiền Định, PhD KHAIMANEE — 2026-07-01

The Application of Huma Betang's Philosophy in Caring the Earth and Maintaining the Saddha of Buddhists in Bumi Tambun Bungai, Central Kalimantan

Partiyem — 2026-07-01

This article examines the development of Buddhism in Central Kalimantan by implementing the Huma Betang philosophy as a symbol of the traditional house typical of the Dayak people in taking care the earth and maintaining Saddha/belief. Using historical qualitative methods, a research approach that examines events, figures, descriptively, analytically, and using data collection methods from sources such as documents, and archives, to examine how the existence of Buddhists in implementing the philosophy of local cultural values of the Dayak Huma Betang tribe in the movement to take care of the earth to maintain Saddha in Tambun Bungai, Central Kalimantan. Understanding of the integration of Buddhism and environmental action with the midst of a global environmental crisis, collaborating religious communities and Dayak communities to become a force for positive change instilling moral and ethical values to motivate real and sustainable actions to help government programs Analysis of various sources of scripture such as Dhammapada, Vanaropa Sutta, Implementation of Huma Betang local wisdom through the application of shared responsibility, moderation and tolerance, living in harmony and peace in the movement of caring the earth and environmental awareness (Eco Dhamma), the concept of interdependence (Paticca Samuppada) and universal compassion (Metta) is in harmony and relevant to the Buddha Dhamma.

The Development of Buddhism through Chinese Cultural Traditions in Sentani, Papua, Indonesia

Endang Wijaya — 2026-07-01

This paper examines the development of Buddhism in Indonesia through the mediation of Chinese culture, situating the discussion within international discourses on transnational Buddhism, diaspora religion, and cultural contextualization. Historically, Buddhism spread across Asia through migration, maritime trade, and intercultural encounters, producing diverse local expressions while maintaining core doctrinal foundations. In Indonesia, Chinese diaspora communities have played a crucial role in sustaining and reshaping Buddhist life through institutions such as klenteng, ritual practices, and organized religious networks. Employing a qualitative historical approach and library-based research, this study analyzes historical sources, selected discourses from the Sutta Piṭaka, and contemporary scholarship to demonstrate that Chinese cultural traditions function as active religious media rather than merely ethnic or cultural backgrounds. The findings indicate that klenteng and vihāra have served as key sites of religious transmission, ethical education, and community formation, particularly during periods of political restriction and minority marginalization. Textual analysis of the Kālāma Sutta, Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, and Sigālovāda Sutta reveals that Buddhist perspectives on tradition emphasize critical and ethical evaluation oriented toward cultivating wisdom (paññā), moral discipline (sīla), and social harmony rather than unquestioning adherence to inherited customs. The paper further explores contemporary developments through a case study of Vihara Cycloop Dhammajaya Sentani in Papua, illustrating the contextual expansion of Buddhism into non-traditional regions within Indonesia’s pluralistic socio-political landscape. Overall, this study contributes to international scholarship by reconceptualizing Chinese culture as a dynamic religious agent in Indonesian Buddhism and enriching discussions on religion–culture interaction and lived Buddhism in multicultural societies.

The Lokuttara Sangha: Historical Development, Spiritual Identity and Socio-Cultural Phenomena in Thai Buddhism

Chatsuphang Saramart — 2026-07-01

This academic article aims to study the Lokuttara Sangha as a “symbol” of supernatural power outside the regulated framework of mainstream Buddhism, using an analysis of important scriptures such as the Samantapasadika and the Mahavamsa and online media such as YouTube and Facebook in contemporary Thai society.

The study found that the Lokuttara Sangha is a belief in “transcendent monks” or a monastic order in the shadows, rooted in the Third Buddhist Council and the missionary monks to Suvarnabhumi. It is described as a group of five Arahants, such as Phra Sona Thera and Phra Uttara Thera, who possessed supernatural powers and existed beyond time. Their teachings emphasize simple practices such as mindfulness, observing the mind, living a simple life and the use of the Four Bases of Spiritual Power to develop the mind towards transcendence. The belief has developed in modern Thai society, connecting with important figures and expanding to digital media such as YouTube and Facebook.

From a sociological perspective, the Lokuttara Sangha functions as an “alternative institution” responding to spiritual needs and reflecting the resilience of Thai Buddhism amidst legal, environmental and economic challenges related to faith.