The Value System and the Formation of Buddhist Identity Among the Tai Yong in Lamphun Province

Abstract

This research article aimed to: 1) Investigate the development of a Buddhist cultural pathway, 2) Promote values while fostering the construction of Buddhist identity, and 3) Examine the value system alongside the formation of Buddhist identity among the Tai Yong community in Lamphun Province. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, incorporating both document analysis and qualitative methodologies. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews with 20 key informants and discussions with 5 specifically selected experts. The primary tools for data collection included interviews and group discussions. The gathered data were analyzed using descriptive and interpretive content analysis techniques.

          The research found that:

1. The development of a Buddhist cultural path for the Tai Yong community in Lamphun province emphasizes preserving and adapting rituals to align with today's social context. This initiative seeks to combine local wisdom with Buddhist principles through collaborative efforts between families, temples, schools, and the wider community, ensuring the seamless transfer of heritage across generations while fostering new spaces for social interaction and learning.
2. Strengthening values and shaping the identity of the Tai Yong people involves weaving together language, rituals, traditional knowledge, and the pivotal roles of temples and communities. Buddhist practices and long-held beliefs function as vital channels for imparting values over time, with monks and community leaders actively promoting learning and engagement within society.
3. For the Tai Yong people, the system of Buddhist values and identity emerges through the collaborative creation, application, transmission, and continuity of practices driven by families, temples, and communities. By blending Buddhism with local traditions, values such as gratitude, solidarity, and communal responsibilities are nurtured, adapted, and perpetuated to remain relevant in the modern social landscape.