ABSTRACT

This thesis is aimed at studying three objectives; they are 1) to study insight meditation practice in Theravada Buddhism 2) to study insight meditation practice by way of Phrakrukumpeerathammavisut 3) to study the result of insight meditation practice by way of Phrakrukumpeerathammavisut reflecting in people behavior of Rangaeng Sub-district, Sekhoraphum District, Surin Province. The research methodology is to study from the primary and secondary documents, and collect data from the samples in Rangaeng Sub-district, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province.

The research results are as follows:

Insight meditation practice in Theravada Buddhism is the mental practice. It makes mentality to be far away from defilement and tempest, and develops wisdom to get rid of suffering. The significance of insight meditation is to abstain from physical and mental turbulence, to develop wisdom for the highest nobility. The already well-trained-mind contains happiness and strength, can be used to do all kinds of works, and brings benefit to oneself and others. Insight meditation emphasizes on foundations of mindfulness i.e. setting up of awareness to consider, see, and know things as they are. The methods of insight meditation practice in Thailand are various such as consideration of the deflating and inflating stomach, the bodily movement, saying in mind Bud-dho, SammaAraham, breathing-in-and-out, and mindfulness in mind and matter.

Phrakrukumpeerathammavisut is the Buddhist monk who is in Thera level and specializes in insight meditation as seen by the achievement in insight meditation propagation. He was assigned by SurinSangha Order to be the chief master for Vipassana teaching section. He is good at Dhamma discussion, skillful in meditation, not being vacillated to the worldly vicissitudes, and merciful. He knows the others’ minds and uses well strategy in teaching. His principle of teaching emphasizes on the four foundations of mindfulness i.e. contemplation of the body (Kayanupassana), contemplation of feeling (Vedananupassana), contemplation of mind (Cittanupassana), and contemplation of mind-object (Dhammanupassana). His method of teaching is to consider breathing, the movement of walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, happiness, suffering, and the mental state as it comes and goes.

The result of insight meditation practice by way of Phrakrukumpeerathammavisut is found in the following aspects. In the aspect of physical development i.e. the attitude to material surroundings, it is found that people are in the highest level of development. In the aspect of morality development i.e. to have good relationship with others, it is found that people are in high level of development. In the aspect of mental development i.e. to have stable mind, mental strength, mental purity, and mental peace, it is found that people are in the highest level of development. In the aspect of wisdom development i.e. to have the right attitude, to know and understand the changing things, to have freedom, it is found that people are in high level of development