This thesis is a qualitative research with 3 objectives as follows:- (1) To study the principles of teaching about supporting the parents in Theravada Buddhism, (2) To study the patterns and the methods of supporting the parents by the Buddhist Monks in Theravada Buddhism, and (3) To analyze the problems and the ways of supporting the parents by the monks as appearing in the Thai Societies.
The research results were found that according to the Buddhist principles, “Mother”, defined as a woman who loves, adores, cherishes or feeds her children, and “Father”, defined as a man who loves and protects his children, are considered highly important for their children because they are life-givers who both physically and mentally nurture their children with Brahmavihãras as well as protecting, teaching their children, taking care of the living, and encouraging their children in advantageous and beneficial ways to develop the quality of life in every aspect. Therefore, the children should have great respect for their parents and requite them favors by supporting and taking care of them both physically and mentally by practicing various important Buddhist doctrines e.g. KataññuKataveditã, Six Directions, and Four Sangkhahawatthus. If the children neglect such duties, they would be punished by the state, society, and Akusala-kamma. On the other hand, if the children completely support their parents, they will derive benefit from the fruit of merit and Kusala-kamma both in the present and future, and will be considered as persons who carry on the virtuous intention of Panditas like the Buddha as well.
For laypersons, they can comprehensively support their parents in every aspect, unlike the ordained due to the related Dhamma-vinaya. However, it appeared that, by the Buddha’s permission, the Bhikkhus are allowed to support their parents in the same patterns and ways as the laypersons do, which can be concluded in 2 aspects as follows: (1) Physical support including the Four Requisites provision, physical therapy, and physical exercises for their parents for the sake of physical well-being, (2) Mental support including encouraging their parents to live in conformity to important virtues e.g. Four Sampadãs comprising Faith (Saddhã), Virtue (Sĩla), Abandonment (Caga), and Wisdom (Puñña) for the sake of developing quality of mind and upgrading their parents’ state of mind from Puthujjana (worldling person) to Kalyãnajana (admirable person) and finally, to Ariyajana (noble person) having the Buddha and Buddhist Disciples as their influential role models. If the monks neglect, ignore, or fail to support their parents in both ways as above-mentioned corresponding with their own statuses, they would be punished according to the Vinaya and risk being blamed by the society. On the other hand, if the monks completely support their parents, they will derive complete 3 aspects of benefits comprising (1) Personal benefits, (2) Common benefits e.g. mainly for the parents, and (3) Benefits for the Religion as well.
Nowadays, in Thai society, the monks support their parents differently from the past because it was found that Thai families have always clung to the economic system and socio-cultural changes so that this extensively affects the parents’ living conditions, especially elderly parents having disabilities, being unable to take care of themselves, and having no descendant who supports and looks after them. This causes even more problems for the monks in supporting their parents due to various restricted conditions according to the Dhamma-vinaya. Thus, the problems was determined by the researcher as research case studies classified into 4 aspects as follows: (1) problems of parents with senility, (2) problems of parents with illnesses, (3) problems of monks who help their parents to do the agricultural works, and (4) problems of monks who pay homage to their parents. In each aspect of problems, it was found that these problems caused by the association of the monks with their parents mainly for the purpose of lessening the physical burdens of their parents. However, the contributions and arrangements of the monks for their parents were not performed in accordance with the discipline of Dhamma-Vinaya as expected. For example, there is a code of conduct for monks prescribed by the Buddha that the monks are not allowed to have physical contact with their mothers or to perform secular tasks on behalf of their parents. Therefore, the monks have to rely on these 2 following groups of persons for proper arrangement: (1) Kalyãnamitta including biological kins and Dhamma friends, and (2) Public and social sectors in order to properly and completely achieve both aspects of objectives of supporting their parents comprising (1) Objective of physical support, and (2) Objective of mental support according to the Buddhist ethics and Dhamma-Vinaya.
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