Homes, Temple, and Samma Sikka School: The Construction of Asoka Moral Communities
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Published:
Jun 24, 2019
Keywords:
Community studies Moral Community Theravada Buddhism Asoka’s Social Movements Pathama - asoka
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Abstract
Began under the leadership of Samana Bodiraksa, Asoka, a modern reform Buddhist movement in Thailand, declared independence from the Ecclesiastic Council in 1975 and established a number of moral communities and networks of outside members called ‘Yati-dharma’ or dharma relatives throughout the country. Asoka communities observe Buddha’s teachings and rules or Dharma-vinaya defined in its own ways.
The purpose of this article is to investigate the construction of Asoka moral communities from homes, temple and Samma Sikka School. A fieldwork was done in Pathama Asoka, a major community in Nakon Pathom province in Central Thailand. Findings show that the three major components enable Asoka members to attain Nirvana through the collective practice of moral virtue in their daily lives. Those components also enable Asoka to identify itself a model of strict dharma practice and food production for self consumption while sharing one’s surplus with the rest of society.
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References
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Satha - Anand, S. (2002). Satthā kap panyā: botsonthanā thāng pratyā wādūai sātsanā [Faith and Wisdom: A Philosophical Dialogue on Religion]. Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Press.
Sirikanchana, P. (1997). Samnak santi ʻasōk: khwāmpenmā læ botbāt thāng sātsanā nai sangkhom Thai [Santi Asoke: Its Developments and Roles in Thai Society]. Bangkok: Centre for Buddhist Studies, Chulalongkorn University.
Siriraksophon, B. (2016a). “Booniyom”: Asoka’s Economic Ethics and Social Movements (Master’s Thesis in Anthropology, Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University).
Kaewthep, K. (2016b). Talāt ʻā ri ya: sanām patibat tham læ kān khapkhlư̄an thāng sangkhom khō̜ng chāo ʻasōk [“Noble Market”: Asoka’s Dhamma Practices and Social Movement], Journal of Sociology and Anthropology (JSA), 35(2), 95 - 121.
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Tanabe, S. (2016). Introduction: Communities of Potential. In Tanabe, S. (ed.), Communities of Potential: Social Assemblages in Thailand and Beyond (1 - 18). Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books.
Tanthuvanit, N. & Surapinit, C. (1995). Kān sangkhro̜ ‘ongkhwāmrū rư̄ang ʻongkō̜n chāobān [Knowledge Synthesis in Villager Organization]. Khon Kaen: Research and Development Institute, Khon Kaen University.
Taylor, J. L. (1990). New Buddhist Movements in Thailand: An ‘Individualistic Revolution’, Reform and Political Dissonance. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 21(1), 135 - 154.
Wasi, P. (1999). Sētthakit phō̜phīang læ prachā sangkhom: nǣothāng phlikfư̄n sētthakit sangkhom [Sufficiency Economy and Civil Societies: The Way to Revitalize the Economy and Society]. Bangkok: Folk Doctor.
Yamklinfung, P. (et al). (1986). Sangkhom chonnabot Thai [Rural Thai society]. Bangkok: Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University.
Interviewees
Aek (alias). The director of Summa Sikkha School at Pathama - asoka. 2 May 2016.
Chondi (alias). A Pathama - asoka villager. 20 July 2016.
Cola (alias). A Matthayom 3 student of Summa Sikkha School at Pathama - asoka. 8 January 2016.
Pafanuan (alias). A Pathama - asoka villager. 16 June 2016.
Praew (alias). A Matthayom 6 student of Summa Sikkha School at Pathama - asoka. 6 May 2016.
Rakbun (alias). A Pathama - asoka villager. 2 January 2016.
Samana Bodhirak (Phothirak). The head master of the Asoka congregation. 19 May 2016.
Satang (alias). A Matthayom 3 student of Summa Sikkha School at Pathama - asoka. 8 January 2016.
Tem (alias). A student’s parent. 2 April 2016.
Cohen, Anthony P. (1985). The Symbolic Construction of Community. London: New York, NY: Routledge.
Durkheim, E. (1995). The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. New York: The Free Press.
Fuengfusakul, A. (1993). Empire of Crystal and Utopian Commune: Two types of contemporary Theravada reform in Thailand. Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 8(1), 153 - 183.
Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays. New York: Basic Books.
Hillery, G. A. (1995). Definitions of community: Areas of agreement. Rural Sociology, 20(2), 111 - 123.
Jackson, P.A. (1989). Buddhism, Legitimation and Conflict: The Political Functions of Urban Thai Buddhism. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
Kaewthep, K. (2001). Chumchon sīsa ʻasōk čhangwat sīsakēt [Sisa - Asoke community]. In Petprasert, N. (ed.), Sawatdikān dōi phāk chumchon: klum phalittaphan [Welfare by Community: Product Case Studies] (191 - 237). Bangkok: Political Economics Studies Center, Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University.
Kaewthep, K. (2006). Chāk thammik sangkhomniyom sū phut yū thō pīa: bot thotlō̜ng sanœ̄ [From Dhammic Socialism to Buddhist Utopia: A Note]. In Wongkul, B. (ed.), Phut thāt - phut tham [Buddhadasa - Buddha Dham] (155 - 177). Bangkok: Saitharn Publication.
Kaewthep, K. (2007a). A Radical Conservative Buddhist Utopia: The Asoke People. Society and Economy, 29(2), 223 - 233.
Kaewthep, K. (2007b). Phut yū thō pīa: kō̜ranī chumchon sīsa ʻasōk [Buddhist Utopia: A Study of Sisa - Asoke]. In Buadaeng, K.& Feungfusakul, A. (ed.), Khām khō̜p fā hoksip pī chikēhāru thanābē [Commemeration of the 60th birthday of Professor Dr. Shigeharu Tanabe] (175 - 214). Bangkok: Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre (Public Organization).
Kaewthep, K. (2008). Sētthasāt hǣng kānhai [The Economics of Giving]. Ratthasatsan, 29(2), 116 - 132.
McCargo, D. (1997). Chamlong Srimuang and the new Thai politics. London: Hurst.
Monastic Accusation Committee. (1989). Pramūanʻēkkasān Kranīsuntiʻasōk [Documenting the Case of Santi Asoke]. Bangkok: Monastic Accusation Committee.
Mukdawijitra, Y. (2005). ‘Ān watthanathamchumchon: wāthasin læ kānmư̄ang khō̜ng chāttiphan niphon nǣo watthanatham chumchon [Reading Community Culture: Poetics and Politics of Community Culture Ethnography]. Bangkok: Sameskybooks Publishing.
Nartsupha, C. (2001). Nǣokhit sēnthakit chumchon: khō̜sanœ̄ thāng thritsadī nai bō̜ribot tāng sangkhom [The Economic Community Concept: A Theoretical Approach to Social Context]. Bangkok: Witheethas Project.
Phra traipidok phāsā Thai chabap mahā čhulā long kō̜n na rāt witthayālai lem thī sipsō̜ng [The Tripitaka in Thai Language by Maha Chulalongkorn Ratchawittayalai volume 12]. (1996). Bangkok: Maha Chulalongkorn Ratchawittayalai Printing House.
Puntasen, A. (et al). (2006). Sangkhro̜ ‘ongkhwāmrū kīeokap sētthakit phō̜phīang [Research on Community Sustainable Development in Thailand]. Bangkok: The Thailand Research Fund (TRF).
Sanyawiwat, S. (1980). Lak sangkhomwitthayā [The Principles of Sociology]. Bangkok: Thai Watana Panich Publishing.
Satha - Anand, S. (1990). Religious Movements in Contemporary Thailand: Buddhist struggles for modern relevance. Asian Survey, 30(4), 395 - 408.
Satha - Anand, S. (2002). Satthā kap panyā: botsonthanā thāng pratyā wādūai sātsanā [Faith and Wisdom: A Philosophical Dialogue on Religion]. Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Press.
Sirikanchana, P. (1997). Samnak santi ʻasōk: khwāmpenmā læ botbāt thāng sātsanā nai sangkhom Thai [Santi Asoke: Its Developments and Roles in Thai Society]. Bangkok: Centre for Buddhist Studies, Chulalongkorn University.
Siriraksophon, B. (2016a). “Booniyom”: Asoka’s Economic Ethics and Social Movements (Master’s Thesis in Anthropology, Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University).
Kaewthep, K. (2016b). Talāt ʻā ri ya: sanām patibat tham læ kān khapkhlư̄an thāng sangkhom khō̜ng chāo ʻasōk [“Noble Market”: Asoka’s Dhamma Practices and Social Movement], Journal of Sociology and Anthropology (JSA), 35(2), 95 - 121.
Tanabe, S. (2008). Introduction: Imagined and Imagining Communities. In Tanabe, S. (ed.), Imagining Communities in Thailand: Ethnographic Approaches (1 - 19). Chiang Mai: Mekong Press.
Tanabe, S. (2016). Introduction: Communities of Potential. In Tanabe, S. (ed.), Communities of Potential: Social Assemblages in Thailand and Beyond (1 - 18). Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books.
Tanthuvanit, N. & Surapinit, C. (1995). Kān sangkhro̜ ‘ongkhwāmrū rư̄ang ʻongkō̜n chāobān [Knowledge Synthesis in Villager Organization]. Khon Kaen: Research and Development Institute, Khon Kaen University.
Taylor, J. L. (1990). New Buddhist Movements in Thailand: An ‘Individualistic Revolution’, Reform and Political Dissonance. Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, 21(1), 135 - 154.
Wasi, P. (1999). Sētthakit phō̜phīang læ prachā sangkhom: nǣothāng phlikfư̄n sētthakit sangkhom [Sufficiency Economy and Civil Societies: The Way to Revitalize the Economy and Society]. Bangkok: Folk Doctor.
Yamklinfung, P. (et al). (1986). Sangkhom chonnabot Thai [Rural Thai society]. Bangkok: Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University.
Interviewees
Aek (alias). The director of Summa Sikkha School at Pathama - asoka. 2 May 2016.
Chondi (alias). A Pathama - asoka villager. 20 July 2016.
Cola (alias). A Matthayom 3 student of Summa Sikkha School at Pathama - asoka. 8 January 2016.
Pafanuan (alias). A Pathama - asoka villager. 16 June 2016.
Praew (alias). A Matthayom 6 student of Summa Sikkha School at Pathama - asoka. 6 May 2016.
Rakbun (alias). A Pathama - asoka villager. 2 January 2016.
Samana Bodhirak (Phothirak). The head master of the Asoka congregation. 19 May 2016.
Satang (alias). A Matthayom 3 student of Summa Sikkha School at Pathama - asoka. 8 January 2016.
Tem (alias). A student’s parent. 2 April 2016.