Guidelines for Sangha Affairs Administration in Government Area According to 7 Aaparihāniyadhammas: A Case Study of Bang Bo District Samut Prakan Province

Abstract

          A Study on the Sangha Affairs Administrative Guidelines in the Government of Bang Bo District Sangha Samut Prakan Province has objectives as follow: (1 ) to study the situation of Sangha affairs administration in the administration of the Sangha in Bang Bo District, Samut Prakan Province (2 ) to study the seven principles of 7 Aparihāniyadhammas  appearing in Theravada Buddhist scriptures (3) to study the approaches for the administration of Sangha affairs in relation to the administration of the Sangha According to the principle of 7 Aparihāniyadhammas. This research is qualitative research through studying documents and interviewing key informants, including 15 people.

          The research results showed that Sangha affairs administration in Bang Bo District Sangha Administration Samut Prakan Province had several weaknesses. For example, each temple had too few meetings. The meeting lacked coherence and the meeting was concluded before the scheduled time. Monks also lacked knowledge and understanding of the Sangha Act, such as a lack of caution in accepting luxury things. Moreover, there were a few new monks in the present. Also, the remaining monks did not pay attention to their studies and were interested in finding knowledge to increase their abilities. However, the research has found that there were principles that can be used to solve the above  problems, namely the 7 Aparihāniyadhammas. The 7 Aparihāniyadhammas is an important set of principles in the administration of the Sangha to bring the unity and the prosperity. The guidelines for applying the 7 Aparihāniyadhammas  principles in the administration of Sangha affairs in administrative matters are: (1) holding regular meetings, (2) holding meetings in unison, (3 ) giving importance to the study of the Dharma and Vinaya and the Sangha Act, (4) considering the respects of the elder monks as important (5) being cautious when accepting fortune (6) being contents in the four requisites (7) organizing various activities or projects to increase the number of monks and develop existing monks to earn more knowledge. If the Sangha can follow all these recommendations, they will have only prosperity without decline at all.