Buddhism in Contemporary Thailand

The beginning of a separation in the period of modernization
Buddhism in Thailand reached the modern period under warm support of the king and the people, without the interruption of colonial persecution or suppression. Side by side with the people, the monks came into encounter with Western civilization. Hand in hand with the secular government the monkhood started on modernization. Under King Chulalongkorn (Rama V; 2411-53/1868-1910) the structure of the secular government was changed to adopt a new pattern and a modern Western system of public education was introduced. With the assistance of the King’s half-brother, the Monk-prince Vajirananฺa-Varorasa, who later became a supreme patriarch, an important role in public education was assigned to the monks, a new form of ecclesiastical government was established, and a foundation was laid for the modernization of ecclesiastical set of the Pali Canon, known as the Royal Siamese Tripitฺaka. A royal library was erected for the preservation of Buddhist sacred books and rare scriptures. Two royal Buddhist academies, Mahamakut and Mahachulalongkorn, were founded with a plan to function in due course as Sangha colleges or universities providing for monks and novices advanced Buddhist studies along with modern higher education.

With the end of the reign of King. Chulalongkorn, things changed for the worse. The process of modernization continued on the part of the secular sector, but on the ecclesiastical side it was kept going for only a short period of time and then waned. The monkhood was put in a losing position. Monks were retired from their role in public education, though most of the public schools were still housed in monastery compounds and the monks still collected donations for the building of these schools. Preliminary arrangements for modern higher Buddhist education were set aside and the plans were not undertaken. Without open suppression, there was no urge to activity. The monks fell into inactivity and became attached to traditionalism. Being deprived of their deserved responsibility, they became underemployed and many developed the habit of idleness, living only on the rich inheritance of traditional popular support.

A WIDENING GAP BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL SANGHA AND THE MODERN INTELLECTUALS
For the Thai public, an encounter with the West did not mean a reaction against it, as in the countries that were once under colonial rule. But, on the contrary, it meant an eagerness to learn and to imitate. Strong nationalism, with which Buddhism as a national cultural heritage is usually identified, also has not been widely developed and cannot be relied upon as a wall against Western secularism. People who first found access to modern technology of the West, usually those in urban areas and the intellectuals, identified themselves with Western thought and culture. In doing this, they gradually isolated themselves from the traditional Thai society, a term which was usually used to refer to the backward rural areas and the uneducated or the old-fashioned. One who tried not to be isolated sometimes found himself a man of twin personalities: a traditional Thai and a Westernized modern Thai. For these people Buddhist institutions were associated with the traditional Thai society or, at least, the traditional personality, and Buddhism was identified with traditional cultural activities. Thus, Buddhism made itself accessible only to one part or one half of Thai society, the less privileged and waning half. Buddhism and the modern Thai society gradually isolated themselves from each other. Thai Buddhism has put itself in a more and more narrowed confinement. The monkhood finds no place in the intelligentsia except for a few individual monks. They have lost intellectual leadership or leadership in the modernized sector of Thai society. Under the modern Westernized system of education, Thai youth have to a large extent been alienated from Buddhism and also, to a lesser extent, from traditional Thai culture. Thailand’s modern system of education is sometimes accused of being education for Westernization or education for alienation of Thai youth.

To the traditional Thai society and to the traditional personality of a modern Thai, Buddhism usually takes the form of merit-making acts and Buddhist festivals and ceremonies. To the old-fashioned or the more traditional, this usually extends to include the faithful observance of some basic rules of morality. Few of the later traditional Buddhists, however, have intellectual knowledge of the Buddha’s teachings or care to learn about them. The majority of them are given to celebrations and temple fairs and festivals. Superstition and astrology still play an important part in their lives, both individual and social. Monks themselves for the most part focus their attention only on monastic affairs inside the Wat and place emphasis on the construction of monastic buildings. They are usually seen blessing religious ceremonies by chanting or ceremonial preaching and inducing the adherents to make donations for a monastic building. Optimistically, however, in rural areas, social leadership of the monks is still maintained. Monasteries remain, to a large extent, centres of social life of the communities. Monks still play traditional roles helping people towards their well-being, both spiritual and temporal. The monkhood still serves the society as a main source of social mobility and provides much for the lessening of the unequality of opportunity in education. But, unfortunately, these roles are rarely played on a conscious level and there is a fear of losing them.