AN APPLICATION OF BHÀVANÀ 4 FOR DEVELOPING LIFE QUALITY OF PAKASAI SUB-DISTRICT COMMUNITY, NUEA KHLONG DISTRICT, KRABI PROVINCE

Abstract

This research titled “An Application of Bhavana 4 for Developing Life Quality of Pakasai Sub-district Community, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province” included the following objectives: 1) to study the concept of quality of life development of Pakasai sub-district community, Nuea Khlong district, Krabi Province; 2) to study the four principles of Bhàvanà in the Theravada Buddhist scriptures; and 3) to examine the application of the Bhàvanà 4 principle for developing the quality of life of the Pakasai sub-district community, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province. The researcher explored and collected data through in-depth interviews. Data analysis and summary included analyzing all the obtained data, processing, summarizing and presenting the data in a descriptive form. The results of this research were as follows. 1) Regarding concept and theory of quality of life development of Pakasai sub-district community, it was found that quality of life development was from the right thought, right speech and right action that help the people realize what should or should not be done without selfishness, taking one’s own advantage, or doing what negatively affects the community. It is, consequently, necessary to develop the quality of life according to the Bhàvanà 4 principle including Kàyabhàvanà, Silabhàvanà, Cittabhàvanà and Pannabhàvanà to solve the community's problems for peace and harmony. 2) Concerning the principle of Bhàvanà 4 in Theravada Buddhist scriptures, it was found that the Dhamma principle can be applied to develop quality of life that the Bhàvanà 4 principle consists of: 1) Kàyabhàvanà, a physical development; 2) Silabhàvanà, precepts observation; 3) Cittabhàvanà, the mental development; and 4) Pannabhàvanà, intellectual training in understanding things as they are. 3) In the application of Bhàvanà 4 principle for improving the quality of life of the Pakasai Sub-district community, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province, it was found that the application resulted in mental training to a higher level with stability of merit such as kindness, morality without harming each other, reasoning, knowing solutions, and knowing how to lead one’s life with wisdom without prejudice and discrimination. When people in the community adopt the principle of Bhàvanà 4 to live properly with physical, mental, moral and intellectual development, it will help the community be peaceful and livable.