Abstract

The purposes of the thesis entitled “A Study of Awakening in Buddhism” were 1) to study the concept of awakening in Buddhism, 2) to study the principles that caused of awakening in Buddhism, and 3) to study the application of the concept of awakening in present Thai society.

The results showed that awakening was the state of the person who was complete with consciousness and compassion, actual perception of what was happening. Awakening awareness caused concentration, wisdom according to the Four Noble Truths. It corresponded to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, Erikson’s psychosocial development, and Pavlov’s classical conditioning theory. The mind could be developed and had a systematic development process as a common concept of them. The well-developed mind would result in good work. The principles of the Buddhist awakening are; the Noble Eightfold Path (Magga) and the Threefold Learning (Sikkhàttaya). Awakening development was based on the Five Indriya i.e. faith (Saddhà), effort (Vãriya), mindfulness (Sati), concentration (Samàdhi) and wisdom (Paññà). The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaññhàna) ; viz, body, feeling, thought and phenomenon were very important because the base factors which caused the awakening were mindfulness (Sati) and clear comprehension (Sampajañña).

The awakening was beneficial to both oneself and society. It could; therefore , be divided into 1) individual benefits which could make immunity, helped with illness, made peace calm, not distracted, relaxed, had discreetness and fixed the problem correctly, and 2) public benefits which focused on awakening society and released from consumerism.

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