lay buddhist activism

THE FIFTH LAY BUDDHIST FORUM 2011, 0CTOBER 27-30, 2011, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

Lay Buddhist Activism in Making Dharma Relevant in Modern Day World

Suwida Sangsehanat and Bong C. L.

Paper presented at

The Fifth Lay Buddhist Forum

-Monasticism and Lay Buddhism-

October 27-30, 2010

Seoul, South Korea.

Suggested citation:

Suwida, S., and C. L. Bong, (2011). “Lay Buddhist Activism in Making Dharma Relevant in

Modern Day World” in The Fifth Lay Buddhist Forum: Monasticism and Lay Buddhism, October

27-30, 2011. Seoul, South Korea. Pages 396-405 (English version) (or pages 406-414 for

Korean version).


Lay Buddhist Activism in Making Dharma Relevant in Modern Day World

Suwida Sangsehanat1 and Bong2 C. L.

Abstract:

A society can only be as good or as bad as its members. This paper presents several examples of lay

Buddhist activism by individuals or small groups in transforming society for the better by applying

and engaging people in living Dharma, in a life based on Buddhist teaching and values. The first case

related in this paper is the work of Mr. Chamlong Srimuang in inculcating and applying the value of

integrity in daily living and working among professionals to root out social ills such as injustice and

corruption. He founded a Leadership Training School to train different levels of professionals in the

right attitude to living and right livelihood based on character-building in embracing integrity and

appreciation of nature and what it offers. The second case related is the work of Baanaree

Foundation in bringing Dharma to urban centre and supporting right livelihood enterprises in the

middle of the metropolitan city of Bangkok. The activities include providing resources for learning

and practicing Dharma (regularly scheduled Dharma talks and guidance in meditation by monks of

certain renown and competence) attract more discerning people who are uncomfortable with going

to temples (as most temples usually conduct ‘devotional’ or ‘religious’ chanting by monks of

uncertain quality), support ‘vegetarian market’ that conduct business not out of ‘greed’ but

providing a hospitality service with the attitude of ‘sharing of labour and merit’. The third case

related in the paper is the work on Buddhist arts and architecture and the practice of dana, an

immense generosity of the renown Thai artist, Mr Chalermchai Kositpipat, the sponsor, designer and

builder of the famous temple in Chiangrai, Wat Rong Khun, also known as the White Temple. The

design is a fusion of traditional Thai and modern arts. The funds for this huge temple complex come

from the proceeds of the sales of his works of arts, rentals from the shops in the temple compound,

and donations from visitors to the temple. This work and generosity is a mark of tremendous faith

and devotion of a lay Buddhist to Buddhism and his country. The works and contributions described

above show how lay Buddhist individuals and groups like them meet the challenges and make

Dharma relevant to everyday life in the modern world; how it can be applied to transform oneself

from within, and then transform the society for the better through collective effort and living based

on the sharing of similar views, conviction and values of Buddhist teaching.

Keywords: activism, lay, Buddhist teaching, Dharma, transform, society, relevance, values, modern

day world.

1 College of Bodhivijjalaya, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand. Email: [email protected]

2 Email: [email protected]


Introduction

For Buddhism to be relevant, its teachings have to be understood and lived or both internalised and

externalised to build an inner world and outer world that is fit for living for all sentient beings. The

world is plagued with crises after crises such as wars, eruptions of social unrest and violence,

environmental disasters and famines. Social ills and injustice of all kinds tear humanity apart. How

does Buddhism respond to such global and social turbulence for it to be relevant today?

Large and small Buddhist institutions such as Buddhist temples or monasteries or lay Buddhist

organisations respond to these social and global issues seemingly with ‘compassion’ by providing

aids and various other educational and social-welfare services with funds raised publicly. A

significant proportion of their time and effort is expended in fundraising and dispensing activities

leaving little time for Dharma practice. In fact, some monastics and lay individuals are more

interested in acquiring or gaining fame and power through sitting on positions of influence in a

board that manages the funds raised publicly. Often instead of practicing anatta and humility, some

monastics or lay individuals or organisations actually go on ego-trip, building up their pride and

sense or illusion of importance, which really defeats the goal of the practice and teachings of Buddha.

However there are monastics, lay individuals and organisations that truly practice selflessness in

their service to humanity. The funding for these services is generally of two kinds in terms of their

sources, through public donations or resources or through the really altruistically motivated personal

fund or resources. This paper presents three cases of lay activism (obviously there are more) in daily

living and spreading Dharma through altruistic selfless services, without seeking personal gain, fame,

power or influence; and making Dharma relevant in today’s world by addressing the issues of the

times and meeting its needs.

1. Transforming society through transforming its members – Leadership Training School

The founder of a human resource training school called the Leadership Training School located in

Kachanaburi in Thailand is Mr Chamlong Srimuang, an Asoke lay Buddhist social activist who

leads an austere ascetic life, taking only one vegetarian meal a day. Having witnessed the

meaningless wastages of human potential brought on by the prevalence of social ills and vices in

the society, unethical practices of money politics and politics of money, and the single-minded

pursuit of money and profits without regards to the wellness of oneself, others and the society,

he decided to do something to effect change and transform the society for the better. He

considered human resource as most important single resource for effecting the change he

envisioned. He sees no shortage in people who are smart and clever with technical knowledge

and knowhow, but these are not put to good use because of the poverty of character or lacking

in knowledge or appreciation of morality or ethical living. It is the latter that causes the rots in

the society. He identified such negative character traits as slovenliness, laziness, unrestrained

consumerism, greed, selfishness, lack of integrity and resourcefulness to be eradicated; and such

positive values as integrity (purity of mind and body), uprightness, frugality, honesty, faith and

gratitude to be inculcated into the trainees of his Leadership Training School. His courses are

designed to instil the values of leadership, morality or integrity of character, sacrifice and

unselfishness (generosity) or public spiritedness and selfless service to the society. He applies

Dharma to inculcate these values into people his school trains; in short, he teaches right living

and right growth based on Buddhadharma. The philosophy and methodology used is based on


the Asoke philosophy and practice and Sufficiency Economy philosophy. In brief, the objectives

of the school are as follows:

a. Sound body and mind: purify the mind, be diligent, frugal, honest, generous; be respectful to others; being grateful for what is given;

b. Reduce or give up vices and unwholesome deeds of ways of life or lifestyles that are destructive to health and life and that eventually lead to lower rebirths;

c. Adopt a life based on Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy. d. Participate in activity and contribute to empowering people, community and society. e. Promote Thai products and Thai lifestyle.

Since the school was started in 1995, it has trained well over 50000 people who come from a

cross section of the society – professionals and administrative executives from public institutions

and private business corporations including banks, petroleum industry, various ministries such as

the Ministry of Justice, and farmers. Many of the corporations or public institutions require their

executives to undergo and pass a training course at the School before being considered for

promotion.1 In this way, professionals in responsible decision-making positions are educated in

human values. They would apply them in their work, in that way contributing to transforming

the society for the better through ethical practices and lessening of vices in their personal,

professional and family lives. The success and effectiveness of the training program in

transforming human potential and quality is evidenced from the trainees’ admission of their own

change and their recommendations for their subordinates and relatives to undergo similar

training there. The school operates regular monthly courses and also special courses for groups

larger than 100. It is a non-profit operation.

While himself an Asoke member, the school is not affiliated in any way to the Asoke Community.

Its pool of trainers includes well-known people in the government or politics, industry, public

institutions, Asoke members, and experts in various fields and ex-trainees.

2. Living and bringing Dharma to urban population - Baanaree Complex

Situated in Soi Aree in an upscale part of Bangkok metropolitan city, amidst the hustles and

bustles of high tension and sometimes mercenary business world, is the Dharma-inspired

‘Baanaree complex’. The Baanaree complex consists of a Dharma educational and practice

centre run by the Baanaree Foundation and a vegetarian food court with an outdoor garden and

indoor dining facilities. It is a cool and safe haven for the weary (office workers and business

people) who need a refreshing respite or rest (physical and spiritual), and Dharma learners and

practitioners to cultivate their fields of merits and wisdom. It has an environment that

conduces and influences whoever visits to be mindful of his or her conduct and to receive and

offer his or her best in service or regards to others. This wonderful place was put together by

the initiative of a group of like-minded lay Buddhists intent on living Buddhadharma the way

they can in making a living each day and on bringing Buddhadharma to the life of the urban

population and visitors in the metropolitan city on the principles of sharing of what is good or

wholesome (meritorious) for one another. The Baanaree Dharma centre houses the Baanaree

Library, Dharma Hall, meeting rooms and workshops operated by the apolitical non-profit

Baanaree Foundation whereas the Vegetarian Food court is made up of more than twenty food

stalls operated by different lay individuals. The Baanaree Dharma centre holds regular Dharma

talks given by prominent and well-respected monks in both Thai and English. The centre


publishes and prints Dharma books, and also sponsors reading and recording of Dharma talks on

CDs for distribution. The centre’s workshop also provides a space for volunteers to meet and

work together on other projects such as knitting hats or mats or other products for Dana. It also

holds family activities on learning and practicing Dharma. It regularly teaches insight meditation

(motion meditation). The library is well stocked with Thai Dharma books including Tripitaka and

also has some English books. The founder of the Foundation is a multimillionaire lay Buddhist

who had found Dharma that helped him overcome a particularly difficult patch in his life during

the economic crisis in 1997 to emerge a more successful business person later. At the peak of

his success, he retired from active business as he found that money or material wealth did not

bring him happiness.2 Since his retirement from active business, he has devoted his time, effort

and resources to serving the society, a service from which he derives much happiness and

satisfaction. The vegetable food stall operators are everyday ‘ordinary’ people who are not

prospering business persons or millionaires in any way. However they stand out as Dharma

practitioners in daily lives. They believe in merit-making and fair healthy living, in being

generous and sharing. They find happiness in serving the public with fairly priced wholesome

vegetable foods, and in making and sharing merits with the public. On Buddhist holy days and

full moon days, they contribute their foods to offer as ‘Dana’ and sell their foods at lower prices

than the already very fair prices for the foods on normal days. Each day, they offer herbs and

vegetables and drinking water free to the customers. The customers return the good service by

contributing in kind like cleaning up the dining table and keeping away the dishes they use in

proper places to lessen the work of the food stall owners and contribute to maintaining the

cleanliness of the place. This little complex is a very special place in Bangkok metropolitan

where ordinary people of all walks of life in the city gather to simply make daily living and/or

practicing a wholesome living in sharing and merit-making, in cultivating a wholesome mind, in

getting a taste of Dharma in the brief respite from their otherwise stressful and tension-filled

daily working routine.

These individual lay Buddhists work together on promoting Buddhadharma, sharing the wisdom

and merits of Buddhist way of life in learning, showing personally their endeavour at living right

(right livelihood) and practice of generosity or non-attachment (dana) in an urban setting

without the formality, rites and rituals commonly associated with a temple or religious setting

that some urbanites or visitors or tourists of the city are sometimes uncomfortable with. This is

one endeavour in the propagation of Buddhadharma that is wholly originated, organised and

supported by lay individuals that benefit urban populations of all religious creeds (Buddhists,

non-Buddhists, visitors, local and overseas tourists, etc). These lay Buddhists’ effort or activism

in bringing Dharma to urban centres in such a successful and beneficial way is praiseworthy.

The success of this little niche could serve as an inspiring model for city planners in their

planning, designing and development of a city, for Buddhist organisations and city temples and

monasteries to consider to adopt and develop niches like this in their cities to bring and enliven

Dharma in a city for the good of the many leading a stressful city life and who want to

participate in right livelihood. Niches like this without the rigidity and formality of conduct and

religious rites and rituals associated with religious places or temples attract crowds who are

uneasy with those restrictive formality. Further niches like these enable people of different

inclinations and dispositions to choose and participate in spiritual life and practices in the ways

meaningful to them and not in ways simply imposed on them by traditions or conventions the


meanings of which they may not understand. A niche like this is ‘cool’ and would appeal to

young and old people, people of all ages and walks of life.

3. Selfless Generosity, faith and devotion - Wat Rong Khun or the White Temple

In a village by the name of Rong Khun in Chiangrai province in northern Thailand is being

constructed by far the most ambitious and magnificent piece of Buddhist art work in Thailand.

This is the temple complex called Wat Rong Khun or Rong Khun Temple or sometimes also

known as the White Temple. The temple glitters in the sun and can be seen from afar. This

temple complex when completed will have nine buildings and the whole temple ground

including the buildings are crafts of a fusion of Thai Buddhist contemporary and Thai Buddhist

arts depicting Buddhist cosmology and Buddha’s teachings on samsara, the way to Nibbana and

Nibbana. The donor, builder and financier of the massive multimillion dollar project is the now

famous and accomplished Thai contemporary artist, Mr Chalermchai Kositpipat. He dedicates

his whole fortune, talent, time and effort in building this temple complex as an offering Buddha,

his country and King. He has funded this project with his money without soliciting funds from

the government or the public. So far he has spent more than 30 million Baht (close to USD one

million) on its construction. He has planned and budgeted for the construction through to its

completion in 20703 with proceeds and revenues from the sales of prints of his artwork, T-shirts

and other souvenirs, and rentals from the souvenir shops built on one part of the temple ground.

The temple management would accept an individual donation of not more than USD250.00 per

donor towards the construction of the project. The artist is determined that the temple is built

with contributions made with the sincerest and purest of motivation and faith. That is one

reason he builds the temple with his own money without expecting or planning to raise funds by

any means except for voluntary donations of small amounts. Wat Rong Khun, although not yet

completed already stands to be one of the most magnificent masterpieces of contemporary Thai

temple arts. Mr Chalermchai Kositpipat is inspired and motivated to work on such monumental

piece of artwork by the faith he has on the Dharma and how he benefits from the Dharma, in his

own words:4

‘Dharma of the Lord Buddha is like a piece of rattan with sharp thorns. It strikes onto my

rebellious heart. Sometimes, Dharma is like cool water that cools down the heat in my heart.

It is also like warm water that warms up my heart when I am afraid of the facts of life. Now

that I have used Dharma for 20 years to kill my passion, I finally have found happiness, peace

and wisdom.’

Wat Rong Khun is an example of the huge generosity of the heart and mind of a lay Buddhist

who selflessly contributes his money and dedicates his talent, time and effort and life of deep

faith and devotion to designing, building, sculpting and painting one of the most magnificent

Buddhist temple complexes of contemporary arts, architecture and design. This lay Buddhist

project also stands out as a project built not on solicited funds or donations as most religious

projects or for personal fame or gain.

Concluding Remarks

There are many remarkable individuals, lay Buddhists and monastics alike, who enliven Dharma, live

it, internalise and externalise it and show its relevance in today’s world. The cases presented are


just a few. There are many others who contribute in various ways and also selflessly like many who

are in the business of printing and distributing Dharma materials for free. There are also monks and

nuns who adapt their delivery of Dharma to make it alive and relevant and in a language and manner

that is understandable and acceptable by the young of today. Many of those who contribute

selflessly with the right attitude of mind and motivation are a great inspiration to many and they are

living proofs that right livelihood based on Buddha’s teachings is possible and is supportive of

spiritual and material growth in harmony with the environment. There is no need to exploit

resources and others selfishly in blind pursuit of material wealth which in the end does not

guarantee or bring happiness that selfless service and right livelihood do as indicated in the above

examples. The lives and works of the lay Buddhists described above show how Dharma can be

applied sincerely with pure motivation to benefit oneself and others without the taints of pursuing

personal fame or glory or spiritual materialism. Today’s world is in need of such kind of Dharma

practice that actively engages oneself and others to make the world a better one; one that is alive,

that is internalised and expressed for one’s own and others’ happiness and welfare; one that is

ordinary in everyday living yet extraordinary in its cumulative beneficial impact on the development

of humanity.

References:

1 . Suwida Sangsehanat. 2006. “Integrated Wisdom on Buddhist Philosophy: An Alternative

Strategy for Thai Social Development”. Ph.D. dissertation, Thammasat University, Thailand.

2 . Veeranat Rojjanaprapa. (2011). “Dare to think new, Retire earlier than others”. ISBN : 978-

616-7036-31-1. DMG Books.

3 . Daniel Nahabedian. (2010). The White Temple. http://www.canvas-of-light.com/2010/12/the-

white-temple-thailand/ . Accessed 16:20hr, July 28, 2011.

4. Chalermchai Kositpipat. (2006). Wat Rong Khun, Tourismchiangrai.com

http://web.chiangrai.net/tourcr/e_version/index.php?option=rongkhun. Accessed 13:39hr, July

30, 2011.

http://www.canvas-of-light.com/2010/12/the-white-temple-thailand/

http://www.canvas-of-light.com/2010/12/the-white-temple-thailand/

http://web.chiangrai.net/tourcr/e_version/index.php?option=rongkhun

lay buddhist activism

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