EXISTING ROLES AND DUTIES OF THAI MONKS

Abstract

As regards, Buddhism had been known the national religion since an earlier time. Thai Buddhists went to Buddhism, the Buddha’s teaching, for refuge in their living lives. More than 95 percentage of the population in Thailand believed in Buddhism. It was longer than a thousand years for Buddhism to be in coincidence with Thai living life until it was very difficult to separate them from each other. Therefore, the support of Buddhism should be operated sustainably and successively on all Thai Buddhists’ recognition. Thai monks as Buddhist ascetics performed their duties on studying, following, propagating, and succeeding to the Buddha’s sublime teachings. They also performed virtues and practical principles. Specially, most monks were unquestioningly revered and accepted as spiritual leaders for Thai Buddhists. So, it was good to support monks on their duty to develop Thai people’s virtue and morality. The country’s Sangha Act B.E. 2505 was effectively announced by the government to encourage Thai monks to participate into the country development because monks were with duties to support, maintain and sustain Buddhism prosperous and they were able to describe and make people steadily and efficiently understand the Buddha’s supreme teachings. At present, monks have to change their roles in various aspects in order to understand the society in the 21^st century, which is known in progress of the modern technology. Then, Thai monks should study more to catch up with the modern society and play a wide range of roles to grant the society more assistance and support. In addition, there are six roles and duties for monks to study and understand: 1) administration, 2) education, 3) welfare education, 4) propagation, 5) public assistance, and 6) public welfare.