Knowledge Based on Buddhist Principles and Local Buddhist Contexts Affecting Self-Regulated Learning among Higher Education Students in Chachoengsao Province

Abstract

Self-regulated learning is an essential competency for higher education students in contemporary society, where learners are confronted with vast amounts of information and rapid change. This study had two objectives: (1) to examine a body of knowledge based on Buddhist principles, local Buddhist contexts, and the Kalama Sutta that promotes self-regulated learning among undergraduate students; and (2) to analyze approaches for applying this body of knowledge to enhance students’ self-regulated learning. The study employed documentary research methodology, synthesizing knowledge through content analysis of the Tipitaka, commentaries, academic documents, and relevant research articles.
The findings revealed that the key body of knowledge based on Buddhist principles consists of the Four Noble Truths as a conceptual framework for problem analysis, while the Four Bases of Success serve as principles for strengthening motivation and perseverance. The principles of intellectual growth also support the development of wisdom. In addition, the Kalama Sutta plays an important role as both a procedural mechanism and a rational framework that connects Buddhist knowledge and local Buddhist contexts to the regulation of learners’ learning behaviors. The Kalama Sutta helps learners move beyond superficial information reception toward deeper learning through questioning, verifying information from multiple sources, and making reasoned decisions. These processes correspond to the core components of self-regulated learning, namely planning, monitoring, and reflection. Regarding approaches for applying Buddhist knowledge to promote self-regulated learning among undergraduate students, the study found that learning processes in both classroom settings and community contexts should be designed in relation to the Four Bases of Success, the Four Noble Truths, the principles of intellectual growth, and the Kalama Sutta. Such integration helps learners develop critical thinking. Furthermore, learning contexts and environments that support rational inquiry should be developed by organizing social contexts at the classroom level, institutional level, and in certain community spaces as structures for shaping learning behavior. Therefore, policy-oriented and system-driven approaches require integrated implementation. Educational agencies should establish a conceptual framework for learning management that promotes the use of reason, while emphasizing collaboration among social institutions, including families, educational institutions, temples, and communities.