An Analysis of Strengthening Buddhist Well-being through the Principles of Thai Traditional Medicine

Abstract

The purposes of this research article were 1) to study Thai traditional medicine; 2) to study Buddhist well-being promotion; and 3) to analyze Buddhist well-being promotion according to the principles of Thai traditional medicine. It was the qualitative research by collecting information from Tripitaka, Thai traditional medicine scripture, textbooks related to health promotion, documents, books, articles, and related research by analyzing the data in the form of descriptive content. The research results found that 1) Thai traditional medicine was spread throughout communities, villages, sub-districts, and cities. In each community, there were traditional healers and doctor Bhikkhu who treated sick people with herbs, and treatment using Buddhist and black magic methods including folk remedies in each region, there were treatments according to each residence in that region. Later in the reign of King Chulalongkorn, he saw the importance of medical treatment according to Thai traditional medicine. Therefore, he seriously revived. He saw that Thai traditional medicine might disappear. Therefore, there was the purification of the Thai traditional medicine scriptures, which was called the Royal Medicine Textbook; 2) promoting Buddhist well-being, Knowledge about well-being, knowledge about disease, in taking care of Buddhism during normal well-being and illness, namely enhancing well-being and disease prevention, treatment and rehabilitation in illnesses that appeared in Buddhist scriptures about well-being divided into 4 aspects: physical, mental, social, and intellectual health; and 3) for analyzing the enhancement of Buddhist well-being according to the principles of Thai traditional medicine, a state of complete physical, mental, social, and intellectual well-being consisted of Rupa (form), Nama (mentality) and the promotion of Buddhist well-being that The principles of Thai traditional medicine must be applied to Buddhist well-being as follows: 3.1) physical well-being was a look at good physical well-being or eating well, 3.2) spiritual well-being was having a clean, calm mind, not stressed and not depressed, 3.3) social well-being was having good relationships, helping and relying on each other, supporting and helping each other, 3.4) intellectual well-being was solving problems in living life consciously and could adapt to each other.