The Abhayarājakumāra Sutta: A Theravada Buddhist Framework for Addressing Challenges in Online Communication within Thai Society

Abstract

          This academic article investigates communication approaches based on Theravada Buddhist principles for addressing the challenges of online communication within Thai society. Utilizing a documentary research methodology, the study draws upon relevant literature and scholarly works. The findings indicate that online communication exerts a profound influence on public perception, particularly through the propagation of negative information concerning Buddhism, which adversely affects the faith of Buddhist followers, especially the younger generation. The article highlights two principal problems: 1) a lack of ethical principles in online communication, which is often instrumentalized for defamation and personal attacks, and 2) a deficiency among information consumers, particularly youth, in the maturity and self-restraint required for the critical evaluation of information. To address these issues, the communication principles articulated in the Abhayarājakumāra Sutta are proposed as a key conceptual framework. This framework prioritizes two fundamental components of communication: the conveyance of truth and the creation of benefit. According to the sutta, the Buddha would only utter speech that is true, factual, and beneficial, and He would do so only at the appropriate time, even if such speech were displeasing to the listener. Conversely, speech that is true but not beneficial would not be spoken. The application of the principles from the Abhayarājakumāra Sutta can resolve contemporary online communication problems by: 1) addressing the ethical deficit by establishing "benefit" as the guiding criterion, meaning that information which does not generate constructive value for oneself and society should neither be consumed nor disseminated; and 2) cultivating a communicative ideal that promotes self-restraint through the use of wisdom and critical judgment in assessing the context and intent of a message before belief or response. This approach thereby constitutes the formation of an intellectual and ethical safeguard for users of online media in Thai society.