BUDDHIST ETHICS AND DISCIPLINE DEVELOPMENT OF FOURTH-YEAR ENGLISH TEACHING DEPARTMENT STUDENTS IN THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION, MAHAMAKUT BUDDHIST UNIVERSITY LANNA CAMPUS

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were to 1) investigate the practice of Buddhist ethics among fourth-year English Teaching Department students in the Faculty of Education 2) examine the students’ practice of self-discipline        3) analyze the students’ self-conduct, which affects their discipline development, and 4) propose Buddhist ethical principles-based discipline development guidelines for the students. The sample consisted of 73 fourth-year English Teaching Department students in the Faculty of Education and 5 teachers. Interviews and questionnaires were employed for data. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and chi-square. The findings revealed that 1) 94.5% of fourth-year English Teaching Department students in the Faculty of Education followed the Buddhist ethics by observing the five precepts, while 2.7% of them equally followed ten wholesome courses of actions, ten unwholesome courses of actions, and the Noble Eightfold Path. 2) The students’ compliance with 4 areas of self-discipline was at a high level ( = 3.63). The discipline of doing teacher-assigned tasks was higher on average than other areas ( = 3.72), self-discipline ( = 3.68), general self-conduct ( = 3.62), and learning discipline ( = 3.51), respectively.            All aspects were presented at high levels. 3) The Buddhist ethics had a relationship with the students’ 4 areas of discipline with a statistical significance level of 0.05, and 4) Buddhist ethics should be used as a tool for developing students’ self-discipline since it emphasizes correction of misbehavior, good deeds, and good acts, which are the foundations of good members of society.