ABSTRACT

          The thematic paper, "An Analytical Study  of  Buddhist Skillful Means for Self-restraint (Dama)" had main purposes to study a problem and its effect on recent societies from non-restraint, and to analyze the Buddhist skillful means for self-restraint. This was a qualitative research to collect all data from Tipitaka, Buddhist academic paper, related researches with the descriptive analysis.

          A result of this research was found that the problems in recent societies affected a way of life in Thai societies. A cause of this problem came from incomplete life in a family. Transgression of five precepts was an origin of many problems such as divorcement, poverty, improper education, drug, new life by means of social network in all classes, violent resolution of problems, crime, corruption, and extravagance with materialism. All of them were concluded into three main problems: (1) voracity, (2) non-forgiveness, and (3) denial of truth.

          The Buddhist skillful means for self-restraint had an important role on people in all classes. There was the proper training and the easier usage of this method for all people. The Buddhist skillful means for self-restraint to destroy voracity was (1) giving, (2) solitude, and (3) sufficient richness.  This was the Buddhist skillful means for self-restraint to cease greed. The Buddhist skillful means for self-restraint to cease non-forgiveness was (1) change of thoughts, (2) the use of mindfulness in life, and (3) true love defeated by truth. This was the Buddhist skillful means for self-restraint to destroy delusion. When all persons could use the Buddhist principles for self-restraint proper to cease the arising defilement in mind, they got the highest efficiency to decrease more defilement.   

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