ABSTRACT

                 This thesis aims to examine the concept of man in Theravada Buddhist philosophy, study the duties of man, and analyze the duties of man in Theravada Buddhist philosophy. The results showed the following.

    Man in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy. Man in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy refers to human beings as social animals who can develop themselves and achieve the highest level of spiritual emancipation. The importance of human beings in Theravada Buddhist philosophy lies in the fact that they are teachable and trainable physically, mentally, and spiritually. With the highest level of development, they can be called the noblest among men. However, man does not live without adhering to any rules and regulations. They still have to follow principles, rules and regulations to ensure the stability and continuity of human relationship, such as principles of human rights and freedom for the development of human potentials and life safety.

                  The duties of man based on Theravada Buddhist philosophy. It can be stated that there are only two types of duties man must fulfill: Toward himself, and toward others. The significance of human duties depends upon the suitable applications of Dhamma principles by seeking higher levels of virtues to become perfect or complete in duties where he must observe moral precepts and perform his duties to the best of his ability.

                Analysis of human duties in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy. That is to say, human duties involve man and his relations with other people. These can be divided into 6 types: (1) as mother and father, (2) as master and teacher, (3) as husband and wife, (4) as friends and equals, (5) as servants and subordinates, and (6) as monk, priest and ascetic. In this regard, Theravada Buddhist Philosophy states that a perfect human being is obligated to fulfill his duties and know how to apply Dhamma principles to the performance of his duties before he can completely perform his duties toward others.