Abstract

                 The objectives of this research were to study the concept and principles of pardon in Buddhism, to study the concept and development of the pardon in Thai society from the past to the present, and to do an analytical study and integration of the pardon in Thai society and Buddhist principles. This research was based on a qualitative research collecting the data from Pali Canon, Buddhist literature, field work, related academic documents, and the content analysis method.

                      The findings were as follows. The most concept and principles of the pardon in Buddhism were consisted of Eightfold Noble Path, a proper principle to bring a person to the enlightenment. Three ways of meritorious making and giving reduced the intensity of selfishness. They were a basic principle of the fulfillment of merit. Five precepts were recognized as ‘great giving’—giving the safety without disturbing the others. Four bases of sympathy helped to bring about harmony about people. Brahma-vihāradhamma was a principle that all managers had to practice properly for all human beings and animals. Six states of conciliations were to make people recognize each other. The tenfold Buddhist code of the king was an important quality that all kings used to manage the regions morally. Twelve Buddhist codes of the emperor and fourfold Rajasangahavatthu were a principle to help people followed by a governor. The pardon was actually rooted on the Buddhist principle of forgivingness to develop mind, to create moral areas, to keep the sustainable association among people, and to make the fulfillment of great merit.

                      The concept and development of the pardon in Thai society from the past to the present was found in the fact that the Thai king managed the nation with following loving kindness, the tenfold Buddhist code of the king, and making the tenfold perfection continuously. For instance, in the Sukhothai period, there was the direct pardon given to the subjects by following four holy….. and the tenfold Buddhist code of the king. In the Ayuthaya age, the pardon was be stowed directly upon slaves by the king but the king still followed the tenfold Buddhist code of the king. In the Krungthonburi age, the pardon was in the authoritarian form and the king enjoyed his authority in the form of the patriarchal administration. He still followed the tenfold Buddhist code of the king. In the Krungrattanakosin age, there was the pardon as seen in the Krungthonburi age until the Rama V started reformied the law and the court. After 1932, there was the change of administration from the absolute monarchy to democracy. The king enjoyed his authority of the pardon according to the constitution, the highest law of the nation. The form of the given pardon in the present Thai society depended upon the constitution and the part VII of the advanced criminal procedural law relating to the pardon. Here, there were two types of the king’s pardon: individual pardon and general pardon. The importance of the pardon in Thai society depended on six principles: giving, loving kindness, Dhamma of the governor, justice, criminology and penology. Administration of Department of Corrections and stability of the nation.

                      The pardon in Thai society according to the Buddhist principles was generally related to each other from the past to the present by following the principle of loving kindness. Buddhism found a way to develop mind to reduce a degree of self or selfishness and to live together by means of morality (sila), concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (panññā). This was a result of action, generally identified by volition both in Buddhism and the criminal law. The giving and the pardon was close relation that could be used to protect and resolve the conflict in Thai society in the past, the present and even in the future. The pardon that all Thai people were able to practice gave the real proof (sanditthiko) and the recent result (akārika). This was the use of wisdom to develop life and make mind more purified properly in the globalization.