Economic relationship between the Thai buddhist temple and the community

Abstract

Buddhism is a religion with influences felt around the world. Its importance has led it to be the center of innumerable studies, usually focusing on some historical or spiritual aspect. Research concerning the practical side of Buddhism is scarce and incomplete. This thesis is meant to help fill the gap in research on the practical side of Buddhism. As capitalist institutions grow in Thailand, the national religion, Theravada Buddhism, has successfully transformed and adapted itself, while retaining its influence in the nation. Often times, one hears about the merit making activity of people who sell their land and donate the money to the temple. In the early mornings, it is common to see people from all walks of life making merit through donations of food and other basic necessities. Monetary contributions are given to monks daily at the numerous temples in Bangkok and around the nation. It begs the question: what happens to Buddhist wealth in the form of merit? Do the temples accept this income in the form of merit without making any positive economic contributions in return? Or does the merit given, in fact, end up reinvested in the community in an economically productive manner? Case studies of four Thai Buddhist wats can be summarized as follow: 1.Each wat returns reasonable levels economic contribution to its community. 2.The temples here use revenue for various purposes, each of which can be seen as a means to their common end; living and teaching a lifestyle based on the principals of Buddhism. Exploration of the relationship that exists between Thai wats and their local communities allows a profile of each wat to be developed. This thesis shows the financial interaction of these four temples with their community.