Abstract
The thesis consists of three objectives as (1) to study the historical and demographic characteristics of the Karen ethnic group in Mae Sawan Luang Village, (2) to study the context of Karen ethnicity in Mae Sawan Luang Village and (3) To analyze the Buddhist ethics for the Karen’s lifestyle in in Mae Sawan Luang Village. This research focuses on the lifestyle that appears in various traditions of the Karen ethnicity.
The study found that the history and demographic characteristics of the ethnic Karen in Mae Sawan Luang Village, there are 152 households, 710 people, 317 male, 303 female and 210 are Buddhists. The Karen or Sgaw is considered as the most populous ethnic group living in the upper north and in the lower north of Thailand provinces viz. Tak, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Kanchana Buri, Ratcha Buri call themselves Pangae and they call themselves as Paka-Kyaw.
According to the Karen lifestyle in Mae Sawan Luang Village, they employed agricultural cultivation and animal husbandry and food-gatherer. The way of life of ethnic Karen is a mixture of traditional beliefs and modern beliefs. That is to say, they believe in the Animism and the ancestral spirits that those souls will protect the offspring of later generations to have well-being. So they have a shrine of ancestor at home in order to worship and sacrifice ancestral spirits on important days of the year.
The Karen ethnic group, they mostly love in peace and tranquility by adhering to the subsistence lifestyle of the elders and Buddhist ethics in life. The Buddhist ethics that found in lifestyle of the Karen ethnic group in Mae Sawan Luang Village is called the Iddhipàda: path of accomplishment. The path of accomplishment consists of four doctrines, they are: 1) Chanda: will; zeal; aspiration, 2) Viriya: energy, 3) Citta: thoughtfulness and 4) Vãmaÿsà: investigation.
Beside these, they are also developing the doctrines that called ‘Diññhadhammikattha-saÿvattanika-dhamma: virtues conducive to benefits in the present; virtues leading to temporal welfare’, they consist four teachings as 1) Uññhànasampadà: to be endowed with energy and industry; achievement of diligence, 2) ârakkhasampadà: to be endowed with watchfulness; achievement of protection, 3) Kalyàõamittatà: good company; association with good people and 4) Samajãvità: balanced livelihood; living economically.
The Buddhist ethics that appear in tradition and culture is the Kata¤¤åkatavedã: one who is grateful and repays the done favors. The principle of gratitude in the society of the Karen ethnic group has a customary and familial relationship as a system of kinship, with respect to each other as relatives. Karen is a social group with relatives and gives respect as a family of kinsmen. Every year, relatives come from different villages in the tradition of hand-knitting because Karen ethnicity is related to their ethnic groups, both in the traditional belief system and the culture ritual.
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