AN APPLICATION OF THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS FOR FAMILY DEVELOPMENT OF BAN THUNG SAKORN COMMUNITY, PAKASAI SUB-DISTRICT, NUEA KHLONG DISTRICT, KRABI PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this article included: 1) to study the concepts and theories of family development of Ban Thung Sakhon Community, Pakasai Sub-district, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province; 2) to investigate the Four Noble Truths existing in the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism; and, 3) to apply the Four Noble Truths for family development of Ban Thung Sakhon Community, Pakasai Sub-district, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province. It was a qualitative research focusing on the study of documents and in-depth interviews and findings were presented in the descriptive form. Findings of this research were as follows. 1) The concepts and theories of family development of Ban Thung Sakorn Community, Pakasai Sub-district, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province state that a family is the smallest institution and it is the most important foundation of society with its responsibility in enhancing the family members’ quality of life from birth to death. The family has a role in socializing family members to learn way of life, tradition, culture, and social rules. Families in the community, however, still have problems such as drugs, divorce, rape, crime, economics, and social inequality etc. These social problems lead to the instability in family development to live with happiness. It is, thus, necessary to solve such problems and develop the family for their well-being. 2) The Four Noble Truths existing in the Theravada Buddhist scriptures is an authentic process to end suffering including: 1) Dukkha (understanding the problem), 2) Samudaya (understanding the cause of the problem), 3) Nirodha (understanding the purpose to end the problem), and 4) Magga (realizing the path to end the problem). 3) The application of the Four Noble Truths  for family development of Ban Thung Sakorn Community, Pakasai Sub-district, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province includes the following aspects: (1) family problem, (2) drug problems, (3) economic problems, and 4) divorce problems.