ABSTRACT

     The focus of this thesis is to propose how to develop efficient management of monastic religious properties under Thai Sangha. The objective of this thesis are the followings:  1. Examining the concept of monastic religious property management from the Buddhist scriptures and Tipitaka,  2.   Exploring the problematic issues concerning on monastic religious property management under Sangha Acts and, Sangha Supreme Council’s rules and regulations.  3. Developing efficient  measures of the  Monastic religious property management.

     The finding of the thesis include : 1. An initiative in creating the professional supporting system for monastic management to help abbots complete accounting and legal-related works,   2.   A suggestion for improving awareness of monks on religious rules and regulations as appeared in Tipitaka.

                 The study starts with finding out the Buddhistic perspective on monastic religious management in order to gain any insight of Buddha on the issue. Therefore, the Pali Canon or Tipitaka is examined for ideas, rules and methodology in handling and managing monastic properties as Buddha defined. As it has been known, Buddhism forbid prohibits monks to own assets, especially money. All acquired properties are owned by Sangha as a whole, while monks can consume as needed only, not taking over.

                 Then all Sangha Acts and legal regulations issued by Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand are explored to identify the causes of problematic factors in managing monastic religious properties. It is found that abbots hold full legal authority over their temples and monastic religious properties. However, they are authorized to manage, to maintain and to make use of them, but not possessing. Legally, all monastic religious properties belong to no one, but the Kingdom.

                 After that, the analyzed answers of 65 returned questionnaires from abbots in Rayong, Tak and Burirum indicate that most abbots are confident in completing management task, according to the Sangha Supreme council’s regulations, but they are weaken by unknowledgeable workers and ill funding.

                 Finally, after integrating the recommendations of experts participating in the group discussion session, the study propose solutions concerning on laws and orders involving Sangha administration, general management, the public and communities participation as well as religious rules as appeared in Tipitaka, which can be summed up into two major ideas. The first is to reduce input of abbots and their monks for secular works of monastic religious properties, namely the professional supporting system for monastic management, by employing professional workers to do the works for them.  The last is to ensure that monks’ practice stick to the Buddha’s rules of handling and managing given properties, by increasing their time in studying Tipitaka. It is imperative that monks have to apprehend the significance of spiritual outcome of breaking their religious rules; or they sadly gain nothing, but bad karma from their monkhood, unknowingly or mistakenly.