Abstract

The research entitled “A Study of Poo-Ajarn’s Roles in Supporting Buddhist Activities : A Case Study in Sansai District, Chiang Mai Province” consists of two objectives: 1) to study the Poo-Ajarn’s roles in supporting Buddhist activities in the areas of Sansai District, Chiang Mai Province, and 2) to rank by importance of the Poo-Ajarn’s roles. The results were found that:

Fostering the role of the clergy in town: 

(1) The role in food offerings: He often offers food for resident monks in the morning and before noon, donates some money for the foundation of the temple, always offers food in the Buddhist Holy Days, always makes food offering to a monk coming for morning alms, looks after monks for their periodical practice-coming, offers food and other things on various occasions and persuades other people to make a merit. Considering the overall, every order is an important medium.

(2) The role in goods and medicines offerings: He offers yellow robes, triple robe; the under, the upper and the outer robes, umbrellas, alms-bowls, medicines, some money for medical treatment, waistbands, bags, shoes and needles. Considering the overall, every order is an important medium.

(3) The role in dwelling and important Buddhist places construction: He builds and takes part in building bathrooms and toilets, kitchens and dining rooms, temple walls, arched entrances, Uposatha Halls and pagodas. It can be said that every order is an important medium.

(4) The role in persuading people to listen Dhamma: He advises and persuades his relatives, other people; both youths and children, to listen Dhamma in a temple, and informs important Buddhist days for listening Dhamma practically. It can be said that every order is an important medium.

The role in supporting monks for their propagation of Buddhism: He discusses Dhamma with the people coming for making a merit, delivers Dhamma in important Buddhist Days, narrates Dhamma on various opportunities, speaks Dhamma at the radio broadcasting station and explains the knowledge of rituals distinctly. Considering the overall, every order is an important medium.

The role in protecting and defending Buddhism: He helps an abbot in solving problems occurring inside a temple, elucidates the improper practices of the monks to people properly and also is a middleman between monks and villagers. It can be said that every order is an important medium.

The role in functioning Buddhist rites and rituals: He prepares tools for life prolonging house, retouches an offering, leads paying homage to the Triple Gem, leads begging precepts, leads praying in morning and evening chanting and finally leads functioning the rites and rituals in important Buddhist days. Considering the overall, every order is an important medium as above.

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