Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Mutual contribution of Pariyatti and Patipatti-dhamma of Sangha in Thailand.

Historical background

From the time the Thai people established the kingdom of Sukhothai, the first Thai kingdom, around BE 1800(CE1250) most of the Thai people have upheld Buddhism as their state religion down to the present day. In term of administration, Thai Sangha in the time of Sukhothai was divided into two groups, the gamavasi and arannavasi were monks who lived in monasteries within the cities or in rural villages. The duties of these monks emphasized ganthadhura-the study of the Buddha’s teachings and teaching the Dhamma to the people. Arannavasi monks live in forest monasteries. Their duties emphasized Vipaasandhura-the practice of tranquility and insight meditation for training the transcendence of suffering. Two groups of monks handed down from the Sukhothai period up to present.

Pariyatti mentions to the studying and understanding of the Buddha’s teachings which come from his own experiences. Patipatti refers to the practicing of doctrine and Pativedha refers to the attainment of the true doctrine. Then we can simply say that Pariyatti is the result of Buddha’s Patipatti.

There are many arguments between the Pariyatti and the Patipatti happening nowadays, for example, the Pariyatti sometime refer that the Patipatti usually create and deliver their own doctrine which are not the Buddha’s teachings while the Patipatti sometime say that the Pariyatti are only the bookworm who only understand the Dharma but never taste it themselves.

Thereby, some of the Patipatti are usually afraid of the Pariyatti’s arguments and do not feel like wanting to make the controversy happens because the Patipatti sometime do not know how to express the natural phenomenon from their practice into written language.


The development of Buddhist Pariyatti and Patipatti
Generally speaking, Buddhist Pariyatti aims at training humans to liberate themselves away from suffering. This aim is formulated by the Buddha in the Four Noble Truths, suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering and path to end of suffering. After expounding these to his earliest disciples – proceeding from the First and Second Truths, he affirmed that there was a path overcoming the gloomy side towards the attainment of ultimate bliss. In order to achieve this aim, Buddhist followers are advised to strictly follow only this path. The ultimate goal of Buddhist pariyatti is to destroy ignorance, the root cause of suffering. Specifically, learning and practicing in a Buddhist sense should seek to eliminate from the students’ mind a variety of wrong views, which form the theoretical basis of ignorance. These purely conceptual contents of the mind comprise the so-called "imputed ignorance", as opposed to the "innate ignorance". It is "conceptual" or "acquired" ignorance. Innate ignorance cannot be accessed until there is conceptual ignorance (or misconceptions), so first one has to eliminate the "imputed" ignorance, i.e. wrong views.

The most education processes imply that there is some kind of result to be gained from the process of learning. A student, for instance, studies a certain subject in order to master it and put it to use in his/her life, thus becoming more knowledgeable, wealthier, gaining higher status in society etc. This is what we may call the social value of education. Similarly, Buddhist followers have to learn and gain certificate issued on completion of one’s studies. It is usually assumed that by getting a diploma, one somehow becomes a more valuable person and he/she can turn this extra value to his/her advantage. Many young monks entering higher education today are conditioned by such expectations. The value system of modern education obviously implies belief in a concrete and permanent self, which can become “better" (more knowledgeable, educated etc.) and happier through education. It seem to be missed the point, but actually not.

Pariyatti and Patipatti cover three major fields of Buddhist learning: (1) individually, they aim at helping monks with the process of purifying body and mind, serving as a means of developing his wholesome faculties into favorable conditions of achieving the ultimate liberation; (2) monastically, they serve as the pivotal foundation for all sorts of monks’ activities, and as unique support for any possible preservation and development of Buddhist Teachings in the world; (3) socially, in lay people’s living they serve as basic conditions of making a morally perfect personality; hence, a happy family life and a peacefully developing country.

The importance of Pariyatti and Patipatti
Buddhism does propagation of the principles of education as pariyatti, patipatti and pativetha that form basis of the various schools of Buddhist education. Pariyatti and Patipatti are considered as the foundations of education because they are steps leading to deliverance. The importance of Pariyatti and Patipatti may be explained as :

1. Pariyatti means study of the true doctrine. In the Buddhism, education begins with the study of Discipline (vinaya) and Doctrine (Dhamma) for the destruction of sufferings. Buddha ordained Annakondanna at Isipatana and said:

‘Come then, Brother, well taught is the Dhamma. Live the holy life for the utter destruction of woe’.

Destruction, discarding and eradication of woe are the goal of Pariyatti and Patipatti in Buddhism. Every disciple who wants to overcome all defilements or to get deliverance has to study the discipline and doctrine that is, a man can follow the path only if he knows the path clearly and he can know the path by study only. With this the formation of Sangha and system of monastic order started. The relationship between the teacher and his pupils within the monastery becomes the educational system because all new comers have to pass first five years under the spiritual preceptor or teacher’s care until they are properly trained in the Discipline and the Doctrine. This system is called Nissaya. In this way, the relations between preceptor and pupil are like that of a father and a son, based on confidence and love. The subject matters of study were the Buddhist legends and moral fables. The curriculum of the monks included what were termed as Suttanta, Dhamma and Vinaya, together with Suttas and Sutta-vibhanga. This system of education was established in the monasteries automatically because of relation between preceptor and pupils. The teacher means spiritual preceptor took sometime his class in the open air informally or he, sometime, stood under the tree and taught his pupils. The relations between teacher and pupil are also governed by the Vinaya. The newly ordained monks have to undergo an arduous ethical training under the supervision of some elder and able monk. Therefore, Vinaya or disciplines are the orders of Sangha that have to be preached by all.

In this way, Buddhist Pariyatti is appreciated because it leads to Nibbāna. Thus, the three-fold path: morality, meditation and wisdom form the basis of pariyatti system of Buddhism. Nibbāna can be attained by practice in accordance with the three-fold path only.

2. Patipatti means practice, training, cultivating oneself in the path that purifies himself. The Buddha explains the function and the purpose of cultivating virtue, meditation and wisdom for the cessation of the three root causes of evil: lust, hatred and delusion. These root causes are eliminated through following, practicing or training in virtue, meditation and wisdom that are called the path. Without the path, one can not purify himself. The Buddhist monk giving up worldly pleasures endeavors to lead a life of voluntary poverty and completes celibacy to attain the higher aim. He has to practice his function within the bounds of a monk’s life to attain deliverance of mind.

In Buddhism, there are two ways to leading to life of a monk: one entails continuous meditation, this is called ‘Vipassana Dhura’ and the other is studying and teaching the Dhamma that is called ‘Gantha Dhura’. Between these two, it is obligatory on every monk to take up one of these ways in accordance with his temperament, environment and intention. Vipassana Dhura is regarded as the intense process of cleansing one’s speech, action and thought. Buddha warns against bookish learning of a monk as:

‘Though he recites the sacred texts a lot, but acts not accordingly that heedless man is like a cowherd counting other’s cattle and not obtaining the products of the cow. He shares not the fruits of the tranquil man’.

This clearly indicates that even if a person becomes expert academically after learning by heart much from the texts, but he has yet to practice of what has been heart and learnt by him by means of following the right path. He remains only a learner until he completes the whole process. The Buddha does not praise an academic intellectual development as important because it cannot rid a man from the cycle of birth-and death. Buddha has always put emphasis on the practice of eight-fold path and living up to the high ideals. As he says:

‘Though he recites only a little of the sacred texts, but acts in accordance with the teaching, abandoning lust, hate and delusion, possessed of right understanding, his mind entirely released and clinging to nothing here or hereafter, he shares the fruits of the tranquil man’.

These sayings indicate that the Buddhist way of life does not depend on mere academic and intellectual development but on practical teaching because later can lead to enlightenment. Method of grasping the highest truth is the awakening from ignorance with full knowledge and practice of virtue, concentration and wisdom. Each is a way to an end and none of them is an end in itself. These three go together supporting each other. Virtue or regulated behavior strengthens meditation and meditation in turn promotes wisdom. Wisdom helps one to get rid of the clouded view of things to see life as it really is that is to see life and all things pertaining to life as arising and passing away. Virtue, concentration and wisdom are related to each other and they can not be separated.

3. Pativedha means the true doctrine of penetration or realizable aspect of the true doctrine. It is the practical result for mental development until one purifies his mind, gets right understanding with clinging to nothing and sees all things as they really are, mpermanent, unsatisfactory and without self. As the Buddha says:

‘All conditioned things are impermanent; All conditioned things are dukkha, unsatisfactory; All dhamma are without a self, a soul’.

With the consideration of the five aggregates -one sees them clearly as they really are, one’s mind is uplifted at the stage of right understanding known as Insight (Vipassana) and he continues to develop his Insight-meditation, until one day, he gets insight into the true nature of himself and he attains partial experience of Nibbāna by attaining the first stage of realization. He attains the height of Nibbāna. This is the pariyatti’s process in Buddhism. According to Buddhism Nibbāna is considered as the highest goal of ethical life. With a view to enabling man to secure the supreme end of life, Buddhism draws attention to the unsatisfactory nature of mundane existence and exhorts people to seek deliverance from it. It is for the sake of attaining the highest end that ethical codes of conduct and behavior are laid down by the Buddha. Pariyatti and Patipatti is considered as in indispensable means for the consummation of the holy life because truth and value are attributes of reality. Both these elements of truth and value are joined in the concept of Nibbāna, which has been central concept in the Buddhist Pariyatti and Patipatti. Therefore, Buddhist theory of Pariyatti and Patipatti is a way to pave the path for the spiritual development of man. The aim and purpose of Pariyatti and Patipatti according to Buddhist is to bring about a perfect and integrated development of human personality.

The Pariyatti and Patipatti of Thai Sanghas

Buddhism may essentially be regarded as a process of learning and discipline. The teachings of the Vinaya texts are of fundamental importance in understanding Buddhism. As is well known, the Buddha himself is regarded as the Teacher of Gods and men which is one of attributes of the Buddha appearing in the early Buddhist texts. Pariyatti is called in Pali 'sikkha' which is classified into threefold Training

1) Training in higher morality (adhisilasikkha)
2) Training in higher mentality (adhicittasikkha) and
3) Training in higher wisdom (adhipanfiasikkha).

The Pali term ‘bhavana’ used by the Pali texts is in this context, quite appropriate. Bhavana can be used to refer to

1) Kayabhavana - which in the sphere of educational philosophy means physical which refers to the bodily growth through education,
2) Silabhavana which in the educational field refers to the development of the social sense, the sense of discipline which is so important to the development of society,
3) Cittabhavana : cultivation of mind in its emotional aspects in educational field, which includes the cultivation of the following virtues : compassion, tolerance, mindfulness, clear comprehension, concentration, peace and other virtues. Mental equilibrium is essential in order to attain an emotional balance and face crucial issues in life.
4) Pannabhavana: cultivation of wisdom or intellectual development in the sphere of education, here his importance of intellectual training or cultivation of wisdom by which a man can know and understand the realities of the world and of human existence. One can be involved in worldly affairs and yet understand the ultimate significance of the universe and of life. This is the philosophy of human life based on 'simple living and high thinking'. To know what they really are is but the art of living in this world because of suffering which envelopes it and which hinders a true understanding of the problems of life and the world.

As a matter of fact the main purpose of Buddha in proclaiming his teachings was to develop the mind of human beings in the true spirit of learning. Although the Buddha has strong power of speech to convince people to change their way of life, adapt new values and seek for new goals. Yet the Buddha upholds and praises only one type of marvel 'The Miracle of Teaching or Instruction' which can bring about this change. Many rival religious teachers employ tactics of magical and miraculous deeds to convert very well the concept of learning, the method of instruction and the duty of teachers and students. Thus the Buddha in refuting religious superstition was far ahead of his times.

The Buddha, of course, places the standards or criteria which lead human beings who are interested in his teachings to attain the real knowledge and wisdom through critical research and analysis. The teachings of the Buddha, therefore, affirm and support the scientific principles. His approach to the problems of learning are as scientific systematic and secular as the methods of modern educational philosophy and practice. In this regard, the Buddha's approach to learning as a 'come and examine the truth as gold is tried by fire', Paccattam veditabbo vinnuhi -'to be realized by each one independently of the others.' Buddhism based on the scientific principles of learning is called 'Vibhajjhavada, which means 'the doctrine of analysis'. Not only the teachings of the Buddha but the organization of the Sangha itself inculcates this spirit of freedom to learn in a democratic way.

Every newly ordained bhikkhus who is of not more than 5 years standing has to stay with his own spiritual teacher of preceptor called Upajjhaya, or a regular instructor, Acariya in the monastery. All newcomers of the Sangha, of course, are educated in the teachings of the Buddha in general and in the fundamental precepts (adhibrahmacariya sikkha) and in the practice of or training in specialized or minor precepts (abhisamacarasikkha). So also in Buddhism, there are two kinds of the Buddha's disciples namely

1) Sekha, one who has reached one of stage of holiness, except the last and has yet to undergo a higher training, and
2) Asekha, one who does not require any training so as to attain the final goal of Buddhism in each step is the aim of education realized.

The Buddha, therefore, organizes Sangha as an educational institute in which the monastery is the center of education and discipline. Thus the monastery in Buddhism is not merely a residence of bhikkhus (monks), but also plays the significant role as the centre of meditation as well as of culture and education etc. ever since. The Buddha is very far sighted and realizes very much the importance of education, because the role of learning based on the right view (sammaditthi) is the process of cultivation and development of human behaviour. The criterion of the personality of the best man is the achievement of knowledge and good behaviour. Of course, it consists in the ability of learning to perpetuate and help in the spread of the Buddha's teachings throughout the world. Buddhism was once the national religion of India in the time of Asoka, and also spread beyond its birth place in countries like Thailand, Laos and Cambodia etc. because of these noble educational aims and objectives.

The duty of the monks according to Buddhist tradition can be divided into 2 categories

1) Ganthadhura -the burden of studying Scriptures
2) Vipassanathura -the burden of contemplation.

The former was meant for the town-dwelling monks and is independent of the latter for which is meant for the forest dwelling monks. Such a division of spiritual labour made the administration of the Sangha easier. Even in the city, in some big monasteries the building provided for 2 divisions of monks -

1) those studying the Scriptures and
2) those practising meditation at the same time.

It would be right to say that before the onset of modern education, all education was along traditionalist lines and provided only in the monasteries. All those interested in study had to be ordained as monks even if only for a period of a few years. Thus to be ordained is to be educated. This is called 'Buad-rien' (Buad = ordination and rien = education).

The principle of 'Buad-Rein' (ordination cum education) was in fact enunciated during King Boromtrailokanath's reign. The monasteries multiplied many fold and the whole country became educationally and spiritually conscious. Some of these were royal monasteries, some private and some others public. The aim was to worship the Triple Gem of Buddhism -the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha by a keen study of the Tipitakas and its application in the sphere of education among the entire population of the country.

At present, Thai sangha established two kinds of Buddhist educational systems, Dhamma learning and Pāli learning. It is widely acknowledged that Pāli is the form of the earliest Buddhist ‘scriptures’ – retained by Theravāda Buddhists. Buddhism can only be accurately understood if one has the thorough ability to maneuver through the intricate texts. Knowing Pāli is an advantageous educational-key to unlocking important ethical situations demonstrated in the Tipitaka. Pāli protects Theravāda Buddhism from damage to its pristine purity, and is officially recognized as the only language of the Theravāda School by the order of Sangha -throughout its peaceful march of more than 2500 years. Both Pāli and Theravāda Buddhism are inseparably interlinked with each other. It can be said that if today Pāli vanishes from this earth, tomorrow there will be certainly the end of Theravāda Buddhism.

For the promulgation of Buddha’s teaching, the study of Pāli should not be reserved only for Buddhist monks, but it should be also for lay people because their participation in learning Pāli will be one of effective ways of keeping Buddha’s teachings lasting longer. There is no need to say that the purpose of learning Pāli is to fully and exactly understand the genuine words of the Lord Buddha in Five Nikāyas.

Patipatti of Thai Sangha has gradually grown from time to time. There are so many forest monasteries abundant in every parts of Thailand. They are centers of all walks of life to seek a liberation. In the tradition of the Paryatti and Patipatti that flourished in Thailand, these three trainings form the core of a practitioner's discipline. The path proceeds from insight into the view to meditative practice to proper conduct. That is to say: one first trains in conceptual understanding, subsequently deepened through the experience of meditative stability and insight, and then moves into action on a more enlightened, wiser basis.

This formulation of the importance of training in right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samādhi is in the classic commentarial literature such as Buddhaghosa's Path of Purification often subsumed under the heading of a complete three-fold training (trishiksa) in proper conduct (sīla), meditative engagement (samādhi), and knowledge or wisdom (paññā).

As my own opinion, I myself can say that both Pariyatti and Pattipatti can totally go along together. After achieving the result of practicing, the practitioner will instantly gain the knowledge by their own self. But without the basic of the doctrine, the practitioner will not be able to end up their own practice also.

Conclusion:
In Buddhism holy-life consists of three stages i.e. sīla, samādhi and paññā. Each of them serves as a sufficient condition for the other; sīla is the basic foundation of ethical life and it prepares a congenial atmosphere for samādhi rather it is conducive to samādhi and samādhi forms a background for paññā which means samādhi is conducive to paññā. With the proper fulfillment of these gradual stages, the Buddhist holy-life is complete. However, though all the three stages are complementary to each other yet each of them has its limitation; sīla provides training to the body and speech, samādhi provides mental training and paññā unfolds the nature of reality whereby the nature of the Dhamma, is clearly understood. In this way each stage has a definite function and a definite field of operation, though with congenial inter relation.

According to Buddhism in order to reach final release from suffering the Noble Eightfold Path must be strictly and perseveringly followed. In treading this Noble Path it prescribes the three graduated stages of practice. These three graduated stages must be followed respectively. As Nibbāna can be attained only when all defilements become exhausted, the purpose of following the three graduated stages of practice is but to do away with all such mental impurities. In observing sīla, the coarse type of defilement are said to be eradicated. Paññā performs the functions of uprooting the most subtle type of defilements called anusaya. When these three forces taken together start functioning -all types of defilements are put to an end into a single moment. However, since the three stages of practice are associated with different functions, they should be considered separately.

It should be affirmed again, that pariyatti and patipatti of Thai sangha accompany the way or the path that the Lord Buddha leading. Eventually, both Pariyatti and Patipatti are finally needed each other, as like two of weight holding the balance of the doctrine. And also in the end of result they will realize by themselves like the Dharma quote which says Paccatta veditabbo vinyuhi’ which briefly means that directly experienceable by the wise.

Pariyatti and Patipatti are harmful in separation and beneficial in union.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Pariyatti and Patipatti-Dhamma in Theravada Countries

Biological Background
Thai chiefs and their warrior bands, migrating from southwest China, founded the first Thai capital, Sukhothai, in the thirteenth century. But the land they entered had been the scene of flourishing civilizations many hundreds of years before.
The area that is now Thailand had been part of the Funan Empire, centered on the lower Mekong valley and with a culture derived from India, which flourished from the first to sixth centuries A.D. The Mon people, who were settled in the Chaophaya valley, the heart of present Thailand, Theravada Buddhism, which adheres to the earliest texts, is practiced in Sri Lanka(by Sinhalese), Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. By the eleventh and twelfth centuries, however, ordinary people in most Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia had become deeply influenced by Theravada Buddhism with its simplicity, equality, and university, and the had previously absorbed the doctrines of karma and rebirth.

These countries absorbed this cultural heritage, creating in turn their own distinctive civilization: a product of Indianized concepts of king and state, Theravada Buddhism, and indigenous beliefs, customs, and social organization. This remarkable synthesis of externally derived and indigenous spiritual, political, and social ideas and activities was characteristic of the Ayuthaya dynasties that followed(mid-fourteenth to mid-eighteenth centuries)-and it still is, with the assimilation of two new elements: the impact of the west and the influx of Chinese.

Pariyatti-dhamma
The tenets of Theravada Buddhism Such are the classical tenets of Theravada Buddhism, the “pure” Buddhism of early texts, whose influence spread from Srilanka and Burma to the kingdom of Sukhothai. Theravada or Pali Buddhism (the language of its scriptures) underlies the great tradition of Buddhist art, literature, dram, and philosophy, It provides ethical standards or concepts which Southeast Asian Buddhists recognize as ideal forms of thought and action, but which are tempered in practiced (as in all religions) by what is attainable. The ideal of total renunciation, leading to Nirvana (extinction), is impossible for ordinary men. Instead, they are given rules of conduct, informed by the ideal, and indeed difficult to live up to, but falling short of the absolute. These, for laymen, are the “five precepts” abstain from taking life of any kind; give freely, but take nothing that is not given; abstain from wrong sensual pleasure; abstain from speaking what is false; and abstain from intoxicating drinks or drugs.

The monkhood as an institution encourages social mobility. It provides an assurance of status (the most revered in all Thai society),a means of education(up to and including university level in Bangkok), and an opportunity to travel to monasteries throughout the country, which are available even for the poor and underprivileged.

Buddhism in Thailand
Buddhism plays a very significant role in the daily life of Thai people. Since about 95 of the people in the kingdom of Thailand are Buddhists, Buddhism inevitably involves almost every occasion such as birthdays, marriages, moving to the house, funerals, opening business offices and buying new vehicles etc.

Buddhism probably reached its height under the reign of King Li Thai of Sukhothai (King Ramkhamhaeng’s grandson) as it was during his reign that the first Buddhist didactic literary work was written and it was known as the “Tribhumikatha”. Through the centuries Buddhism has been the main driving force in Thai cultural development. Thais of all classes subscribed to Buddhist doctrine. Although Buddhism is proclaimed as the state religion, all Thais are endowed with full religious freedom. Though Thai constitutions stipulate that Thai kings must be Buddhists the Kings, however, must be the Upholders of All Religions.

There are about 27,000 Buddhist temples across the century and majority of them are in the countryside. In Thailand Buddhist monks are highly venerated for their chaste life, self-restraint, social benevolence and knowledge of spiritual practice. To allow people to have more time to devote to religious practice, all major Buddhist holy day are declared as national holidays. In addition, it has long been a Thai custom for Buddhist males over twenty years old to be temporarily ordained as Buddhist monks, usually during the annual Rains Retreat. Temporary ordination, ranging from a few days to three months, is opened to everyone, even His Majesty King Bhumibol and Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn have been monks for short periods. Their acts will continue a tradition for the new generations to come.

The Buddhist outlook, for the layman, is in fact reoriented around the twin theme of “making merit” (tham bun) and avoiding sin (bad). It is the overall or karmic balance between merit and demerit which decides the individual’s existence in this and future lives. The aim, therefore, is to behave in a way that ensures a happy state of mind and maybe physical contentment, now or in the near future, and a more fortune rebirth. The best and most natural way to do this is by supporting the monks (by giving food, alms) and by maintaining the monkhood (by giving sons for ordination, repairing monastery buildings, constructing new ones). The monks reciprocate by blessing the hosts and participants at religious ceremonies and on important occasions in the life cycle-birth, marriage, departures, sixtieth anniversary, and death.

The Theravada Buddhism countries
Thailand is situated in the heart of the Southeast Asian mainland and covers an area of 513,115 square kilometers. It is bounded by Burma (the Union of Myanmar) and Laos in the North, Burma in the West and Malaysia in the South and Cambodia lies to the East of the country.

To be frank, our neighbouring countries are very friendly and peace-loving nations as they follow the principles of mutual cooperation and peaceful coexistence. Though we sometimes experience a border conflict, it is peacefully solved through diplomatic channels. Indeed border trade with our neighbours are very active. It is estimated that several hundred millions of baht changes hands annually. We import timber and gemstones from Burma while it in turn imports consumer goods and engine parts from us. Meanwhile, Laos is our close neighbor as we speak a similar language, share the same religious beliefs and have identical culture links. Thus, we consider each other as brothers.

At present, cooperation on various issues is being strengthened between our neighbouring countries, for example, a Golden Quadrangle Project has been established by China, Thailand, Burma and Laos. They aim to cooperate in developing trade, investment and tourism by focusing on telecommunications and transportation.

It is to be remembered that Thailand has played a significant role in bringing about peace to her Cambodian neighbour. At a time of civil war, Thailand provided a temporary shelter to the Cambodian refugees who fled to Thailand for safety. Now peace has been restored, Thailand has not hesitated to provide financial and technical assistances to rebuild the war-torn country. At present, many Thai businessmen have invested in Cambodia. Thailand also imports timber and gemstones from Cambodia which, in turn, imports from Thailand consumer goods, fuel, cement and clothes. Trade between Thailand and Cambodai is increasingly important as Cambodai is now the world’s most important ruby-producing area and Thailand needs to import raw materials from her neighbours since she is one of the world’s leading centres for cutting and trading of gemstones.

In addition, Thailand also enjoys harmonious relations with her southern neighbour, Malaysia. As both are members of ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Inevitably, they are under the same roof of the organization in which its members are bound to follow the same principles.

Patipatti-dhamma in Theravada
Now, although Theravada Buddhism is strictly concerned with individual salvation(which cannot be achieved either by divine intervention or by the use of ritual), in practice the individual layman acts (making merit, avoiding demerit) in social context, that is, in the help he gives others, in support for the monks, and by participating in ceremonies. Indeed the social organization required for religious activities plays a prominent part in Thai behavior.

Mujjhima Patipada (The Middle Practice)
According to Buddhism, Mujjhima Patipada is the middle path or the moderate practical code of conduct for both lay people and monastic life. Mujjhima Patipada is regarded as the Buddhist ethic, that the Buddha recommends all monks and lay people to abide by. It is the Eightfold Path for the cessation of suffering. This Eightfold Path is consists of 8 Folds (magga) Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. These 8 folds are categorized into 3 fundamental mode of training, called Trisikha, particularly for Buddhist monks and lay Buddhist in holy life, namely; Sila Sikha; training in higher morality, Samadhi Sikha; training in higher mentality and Panna Sikha; training in higher wisdom. This threefold training corresponds to the Buddha’s fundamental teaching “Exhortatory Patimokkha”: Not to do any evil (Sila); to cultivate good (Samadhi); and to purify the mind (Panna) which may be abbreviated as “Clean conduct, Calm spirit and Clear vision.”

Sila sikha or training in higher morality is for the development of bodily and verbal actions under Right speech, Right action and Right livelihood. Samadhi Sikha or higher training in mentality under Right Effort, Right mindfulness and Right Concentration. Panna Sikha is the training for higher wisdom under the Right View and Right Thought.

For lay Buddhists, the Buddha recommends to practice the right middle way of life under the bases of Meritorious action; Dana-meritorious action consisting in generosity, Sila- meritorious action in observing the moral precepts and Bhavana- meritorious action in mental development.
 
The right middle way is characterized by the following;
   1. The middle way is the middle practice I which the Buddha recommends his Buddhist assembly to avoid the two extreme ways of life: self mortification and sensual indulgence, which lead to stagnation from the Buddhist goal of mental liberation and realization of truth.
   2. The middle way is the process of cessation of suffering. According to Buddhism, suffering is the human problem. The causes of suffering are the outflow or bias, ignorance and craving for desires. The cessation of suffering is the cessation of kamma. The process of suffering is Dependent Origination or paticcasamuppada. The process of cessation of suffering is the Eightfold path under the middle way or Majjhima patipada.
   3. The middle way is the practical application of Buddhist ethic. It is not the ethic of thought, as clamed by some western theologians, but it is the method of ethical practice for a better way of life, the Buddhist life style which leads to the cessation of suffering at both the individual and social levels.
   4. The middle way is the way of life, not only normal life, but also monastic life. The middle way is more a process than a rigid law or rule. It is meant to help us recognize that we, as human beings, can grow and experience richer, fuller lives, that each of us has an inner true nature that we realize by listening to our intuitive wisdom.
   5. The middle way is the means to achieve the goals-cessation of suffering, realization of the spiritual liberation. The Buddha says:

“Dhamma is like raft, It is used for crossing the river of pain, suffering, and conflicts. Once the crossing has been accomplished, it is not necessary to cling onto the raft or carry it around.”
In order to attain the goal, Right View, Right Effort, and Right Mindfulness play the key role of “Right practice” of the “Middle path” to a journey. Right View is like a compass or a device to determine direction, Right Effort is the driving force while Right Mindfulness is like a driver who steers the vehicle.