Abstract

                         This thesis was a qualitative research with a documentary study and a field work by interviewing the target group. The objectives of this thesis were to study the ideal in Theravada Buddhist philosophy, to study Sivalithera’s biography and ideal according to Theravada Buddhist philosophy, and to study analytically the influence of Sivalithera’s ideal according to Theravada Buddhist philosophy on Thai societies.

                   A result of this study was found that the ideal in Theravada Buddhist philosophy was the vow or intention to get the success. The ideal in Buddhism was divided into two aspects or two levels. The first was a mundane ideal. This level was made for the individual or for the others. It was the success in life about the occupation, education, economics, etc. The second was a supermundane level. On the Buddhist view, it aimed at having the state of patient and enlightenment as the final purpose. If these two ideals were done continuously, they helped a person to attain some level of Buddhist achievement.

                   Sivalithera’s biography and ideal according to Theravada Buddhist philosophy was found that his ideal was divided into two levels. The first was the ideal for the individual welfare. The study of Sivalithera’s biography showed that that he saw one monk, the past close person appointed by the past Buddha in the highest position urged him to have the same purpose to get great benefits. The second showed that through many lives, he was born in the present Buddha and he was appointed in the highest position of great gain as he made wish in the past. It was call ‘success’ in his given wish. However, when his individual benefits were accomplished, he had made the social service. Firstly, to help the Sangha was that a person staying with him got the benefits from the past intention or ideal of attaining the great gain. Secondly, the ideal for the public benefits and happiness was the main aim or the main ideal of all Buddhists, especially Sangha to spread Buddhism in that age.

                   The influence of Sivalithera’s ideal on Thai societies was found that it had great effect on Thai societies in many aspects. There was the great gain in the economical situations such as merchants and people believed in Sivalithera because he had the great gain. Thus, to worship, sell, or respect to him was greatly to be successful in business, or good luck. This was meant that the great benefits coming from a person’s wish was an individual purpose. Thus, the influence of Sivalithera’s ideal on Thai societies was divided into three aspects: the individual benefit, the public benefit, and the mundane benefit. However, the supermundane level of his ideal was not clear or it might be made because Thai societies did not aim at a study of the Buddhist ideal itself. In the Sangha business, the influence of Sivalithera on Thai societies was to get enlightenment, i.e. freedom. To have the great gain or to lack the great gain was in the mundane level of the Buddha: the individual benefit, the public benefit and the supermundane benefit. Generally, the influence was the individual benefit. The ideal was for the individual benefit in the mundane level rather than the supermundane level. The ethical aspect recalled whether one should do or not. Someone who believed in Sivalithera had the prohibition such as the lack of condemning the parents, stealing, cheating, etc. Sivalithera’s mind was in the ethical aspect but the outside outlook contained the metaphysics in a way that he was believed as a holy man to create the image for great worship in order to make it stronger. This was metaphysics that was a deep belief without any clearly described reason.