Integration of Buddhist Ethics in the Boon Chaek Khoa Tradition of people in Roi Et Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were 1) to study the theoretical concepts of the Boon Chaek Khoa Tradition; 2) to study the Buddhist ethics that appeared in the Boon Chaek Khoa Tradition; and 3) to integrate the Buddhist ethics principles that appeared in the Boon Chaek Khoa Tradition of people in Roi Et Province. This was a qualitative field research. The key informants used in the research were in-depth interviews, consisting of 3 groups: 1) a group of teachers, 2) a group of monks, and 3) a group of laypeople, totaling 15 persons. The tools used for data collection were interview forms and descriptive content analysis. The research results found that 1) the Boon Chaek Khoa Tradition was a belief tradition of the Isan people regarding the afterlife and making merit and dedicating it to the deceased by specifying the recipient, specifically the recipient; 2) the Buddhist ethics that appeared in the Boon Chaek Khoa Tradition was found to have 2 important Buddhist ethics principles as follows: 2.1) the principles of Katanyukatavedita were to repay the kindness of those who have passed away by making merit and dedicating it to them, 2.2) the principles of Punyakiriyavatthu 3 were (1) Danamaya: it was a donation, sacrifice, sharing whether it be consumer goods or equipment, no matter who you gave your belongings to, it was considered a merit, (2) Silamaya: it was a practice to stop doing evil, not to harm anyone, and to focus on doing good, (3) Bhavanamaya:  it was the development of the mind and intelligence, making the mind calm, free from sadness, and appreciating things as they really were; and 3) integrating the principles of Buddhist ethics that appeared in the Boon Chaek Khoa tradition of the people in Roi Et Province. It was found that in terms of beliefs, the people in Roi Et Province believed in the Boon Chaek Khoa tradition that it was a tradition that expressed gratitude to benefactors and has practiced the principles of Punyakiriyavatthu 3 according to the principles of Buddhist ethics.