วารสารมานุษยวิทยาเชิงพุทธ

EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION (ADR) IN BUDDHISM: THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEDITATION AND MEDIATION AS AN INSIGHT FOR CONTEMPORARY MEDIATORS

2025-09-07T20:03:02+07:00

Background: The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process has become popular as a means of resolving disputes beyond the formal judicial system. Modes of dispute resolution grounded in dialogue have a long history in many legal systems and cultures. Among all these traditions, Buddhism provides a holistic model for comprehending and resolving conflict. Drawing from the tenets of compassion (Karuṇā), mindfulness (Sati), non-harming (Ahiṃsā), and non-attachment (Anupādāna), the Buddhist approach transcends procedural justice and responds to the emotional, moral, and psychological aspects of conflict empathetically. In an era marked by escalating geopolitical conflicts, including tensions in the South China Sea, border clashes in South Asia, inter-ethnic conflict zones like the Myanmar area, border issues between India and Pakistan, and transboundary issues linked to water sharing between India and China. The infusion of Buddhist principles into ADR is timely and critical to offer a transformational alternative to adversarial and interest-based models. To address this gap, the study aims to examine the synthesis of Buddhist doctrine and the contemporary ADR framework, focusing on the transformative aspects of meditation in the mediation process. Adopting a qualitative and doctrinal approach, the study analyses Buddhist philosophical texts alongside contemporary ADR literature to explore how meditative practices contribute to emotional regulation, focused attention, empathy, and constructive dialogue. Based on the teachings of right awareness, right speech, and cultivating inner peace, it further examines how mindfulness-informed mediation practices may enhance conflict de-escalation and promote durable, mutually acceptable outcomes in family, workplace, and community disputes.

Involvement to Buddhadhamma: The study reflects a contemplative encounter with the Buddhadhamma, which critically examines whether Buddhist philosophical fundamentals serve as a universal and ethically coherent basis for reconciliation and conflict transformation. At the heart of this study is the Buddhist view of conflict in relation to suffering (Dukkha), its cause in craving (Taṇhā), and its cessation through morality (Sīla), meditation (Samādhi), and wisdom (Paññā). These teachings suggest that struggle originates from a deeper source than external circumstances; It stems from the heart or the mind. The study suggests that the Noble Path serves to address these sources of conflict, in the context of right intention (Sammā-saṅkappa), right speech (Sammāvācā), right action (Sammākammanta), and right mindfulness (Sammā-sati). These principles provide moral guidelines for personal conduct and a framework for resolving conflicts at social, and institutional levels. These components help individuals develop ethical behaviour and self-awareness, which are valuable tools for mediators who aspire to foster constructive communication and emotional transparency during disputes. The study highlights that the Buddhist approach of conflict transformation is more than a method for resolving interpersonal or societal conflicts. It recognises that peace, emotional well-being, and relationships are interconnected.

Conclusions: The study concluded that Buddhism offers a positive foundation for ADR by replacing adversarial competition with compassionate understanding and shared healing. Incorporating mindfulness and meditation into mediation creates an atmosphere in which parties can de-escalate from finger-pointing and hostility to peace-making and mutual resolution. Through the infusion of Buddhist principles, mediators can help disputants to become more settled and enable both parties to find inner peace amidst conflicts, as well as promote socially harmonious relationships within the community. This research supports mediators' use of Buddhist-inspired techniques to cultivate empathetic understanding, ethical discernment, and emotional resilience, which are necessary to achieve more sustainable and substantial conflict resolution.

THE EFFECTS OF USING GUIDANCE ACTIVITIES PACKAGE COMBINED WITH THE FOUR BRAHMAVIHARAS PRINCIPLES TO ENHANCE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH FRIENDS AMONG GRADE 6 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AT SAINT MARY SCHOOL, AYUTTHAYA

2025-11-24T18:00:33+07:00

Background and Objectives: St. Mary's School in Bang Pa-in District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, under the Office of the Private Education Commission, offers education from pre-kindergarten to lower secondary level. As a researcher, teacher of ethics at the school, and assistant guidance counselor, I observed that sixth-grade students lack fundamental knowledge of how to build good relationships with their peers. Interviewing teachers and students revealed that most students have difficulties in building relationships by using impolite language, not apologizing for mistakes, not co-helping, and arguing with friends. Furthermore, they still lack polite speech, appropriate behavior, a cheerful demeanor, empathy, and compassion. Therefore, building relationships is crucial, and cultivating these qualities in various ways. The researcher, in the capacity of a Buddhist ethics teacher and assistant guidance counselor at the school, is interested in studying the effectiveness of using guidance activities applying the Four Sublime States of Mind: Loving-kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, and Equanimity to enhance positive relationships with peers. The objectives of this study were to compare peer relationships of Grade 6 students in the experimental group before and after using the guidance activity set combined with the Four Sublime States, to compare peer relationships between the experimental and control groups after the experiment, and to examine students' satisfaction with the guidance activity set combined with the Four Sublime States.

Methodology: This research used a quasi-experimental design with an experimental and a control group. Measurements were taken in pre-post experiments. The guidance activities focused on applying the Four Sublime States to improve relationships with peers. The following steps were included: 1) Studying relevant concepts, theories, documents, and research to serve as a conceptual framework for creating the guidance activities; 2) Defining operational definitions to guide the activity planning; 3) Developing the guidance activities, incorporating the Four Sublime States of Mind to enhance positive relationships with peers; 4) Checking the quality of the guidance activity set: This was done by having 3 experts with knowledge and understanding of guidance activity set development evaluate its suitability; 5) Revising, revising, and developing the guidance activity set on good relationships with friends according to the experts' recommendations, and 6) Further improving the guidance activity sets on good relationships with friends to make it even more suitable. This will be used in experiments with sample groups and for further data collection.

Main Results: The results showed that: 1) The experimental group students who used the guidance activity set combined with the Four Sublime States had significantly better relationships with their friends after the experiment than before the experiment at the .01 statistical significance level; 2) After using the guidance activity set combined with the Four Sublime States, the good relationships with friends of the experimental group students had significantly different scores at the .01 statistical significance level, and 3) The experimental group students were highly satisfied the guidance activity set combined with the Four Sublime States and their good relationships with their friends.

Involvement to Buddhadhamma: Applied Buddhism emphasizes the development of wisdom and morality through Buddhist practice. The learning activities were designed to integrate the Four Brahmavihāras, mettā (Loving-kindness), karuṇā (Compassion), muditā (Sympathetic Joy), and upekkhā (Equanimity), which cultivate noble qualities in students by fostering kindness, empathy, appreciation of others' success, and impartiality.

Conclusions: The study found that the guidance activity package integrated with the Four Brahmaviharas successfully enhanced positive peer relationships among Grade 6 students. In addition, it introduced an innovative model for guidance counseling that can be applied to similar contexts for fostering social harmony and cooperative learning.

DHAMMA LANGUAGE-HUMAN LANGUAGE IN PHRA BODHIÑÃNATHERA (AJAHN CHAH SUBHADDO)'S PERSPECTIVE

2025-12-01T20:35:24+07:00

Background and Objective: The transmission of something from the sender to the receiver, when aimed at creating understanding, uses language as a means of communication. However, worldly language that people commonly use often causes misunderstanding, just as the attempt to understand truth through language points to something deeper than what the senses can perceive. This research article aims to analyze how to understand the truth by Dhamma language and human language theory from the perspective of Phra Bodhiñãnathera (Chah Subhaddo). This interpretation is from "48 Thamthasenā" and "Human Language, Dhamma Language by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu" that are shown about understanding the truth by distinction between human language and Dhamma language, which depend on conventional truth (Sammutisacca) and ultimate truth (Paramatthasacca).

Methodology: The study used a qualitative research methodology, employing documentary research. The data scope by analyzing and interpreting from two books was 1) "48 Thamthasenā" of Pra Bodhiñãnathera (Chah Subhaddo), a Mō̜radoktham volume 37, published by the disciples of Wat Nong Pa Pong, Wat Pa Kanthi Dhammaram (Branch 147), and the Galayanadhamma Club that was published in 2016, which collects all his teachings and important ideas, and 2) Human Language Dhamma Language by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu, published in 1971. The aim was to show how to understand the truth by analyzing and interpreting these books.

Main Results: This analysis showed that the distinction between Dhamma language and human language from the perspective of Phra Bodhiñãnathera (Ajahn Chah Subhaddo), a prominent figure in modern Theravada Buddhism. Ajahn Chah's teachings highlight the limitations of human language, which is tied to sensory experiences and social norms, and its potential to obscure deeper spiritual truths. In contrast, Dhamma language seeks to convey the ultimate truth (Paramatthasacca) beyond conventional language's capacity. The study explores key concepts from Ajahn Chah's 48 Thamthasenā and Human Language Dhamma Language by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu, emphasizing the importance of experiential understanding in Buddhist practice. This paper provided insights into how language shapes our understanding of spiritual truths and promotes a practice-oriented approach to Buddhist teachings, enhancing our comprehension of Ajahn Chah's linguistic and philosophical contributions.

Involvement to Buddhadhamma: This article is situated within the Application of Buddhism and the development of wisdom and morality, focusing on understanding the truth in everything by analyzing and interpreting it through the conventional truth (Sammutisacca) and ultimate truth (Paramatthasacca) theories, which are based on the Buddha's thought. A key part of Buddhist discussion is the difference between conventional truth (Sammutisacca) and ultimate truth (Paramatthasacca). The two types of truth in Buddhism are very important for understanding how language and reality relate to each other.

Conclusions: The study of this article contributes to analyze and interpret the truth from the literary works "48 Thamthasenā" of Phra Bodhiñãnathera through the theories of the Dhamma language and human language by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu which found that humans could perceive truth through language, and language could be assisted to understand the truth. Understanding the truth was divided into two types: Conventional truth (Sammutisacca), the truth according to the state of things, and ultimate truth (Paramatthasacca), the fundamental and absolute truth. These truths were related to important theories that were to interpret and find the truth. Human language is the language commonly used to denote things perceived through the senses, and Dhamma language is used by ordinary language to explain the truth, but the speaker must have thorough training in Dhamma. Both theories were explained and presented through the perspective of Phra Bodhiñãnathera.

APPLICATION OF BUDDHIST MINDFULNESS (SATIPAṬṬHĀNA) TO CULTIVATE SELF-AWARENESS AND REDUCE WORKPLACE STRESS AMONG LEADERS IN THAILAND

2026-01-09T17:16:02+07:00

Background and Objectives: Supervisory roles in Thailand's private organizations require rapid decisions, emotional resilience, and coordination across diverse teams. As workloads and interpersonal expectations intensify, supervisors experience rising stress, emotional fatigue, and diminished judgment clarity. These pressures undermine well-being and leadership effectiveness. Mindfulness, grounded in Buddhist contemplative traditions, has gained recognition as a practical method for cultivating present-moment awareness, stabilizing emotions, and supporting intentional action in demanding environments. However, prior mindfulness research in organizational and leadership contexts has predominantly emphasized secularized psychological models, often treating mindfulness as a generic attentional skill, while providing limited explanation of its Buddhist doctrinal mechanisms. Moreover, empirical studies integrating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna) into leadership and supervisory research remain limited, particularly in Thai organizational contexts. This study examines how daily mindfulness-based self-reflection grounded in Satipaṭṭhāna provides a structured doctrinal framework for supervisors' stress management and relational responsibilities. The objectives of this research article were to examine two key aspects. First, the study aimed to examine the underlying mechanisms through which daily mindfulness-based self-reflection, interpreted through the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna), cultivated supervisory employees' self-awareness and adaptive emotional regulation in high-pressure organizational environments. Second, the study aimed to examine how the Four Foundations of Mindfulness were practically applied in supervisory work to support stress coping and foster mindful and adaptive leadership behavior in everyday organizational contexts.

Methodology: This qualitative research employed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 purposively selected supervisory employees who regularly engaged in mindfulness-based reflection. Data were analyzed using iterative coding and thematic interpretation, guided by the doctrinal framework of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and contemporary psychological models of mindfulness-based self-regulation.

Main Results: Two major findings emerged. 1) Development of Self-Awareness through Satipaṭṭhāna: Supervisors cultivated awareness across four domains: Embodied awareness of tension and posture (Kāyānupassanā), early recognition of emotional cues such as irritation or pressure (Vedanānupassanā), monitoring of fluctuating mental states (Cittānupassanā), and insight into intentions, impulses, and habitual reactions (Dhammānupassanā). Collectively, these foundations operated as an integrated mechanism of self-regulation, enhancing cognitive clarity, reducing impulsive responses, stabilizing emotions, and enabling deliberate, adaptive leadership, and 2) Guidelines for Applying Satipaṭṭhāna in Supervisory Practice: Findings indicated that brief reflective routines, such as mindful pauses, emotional check-ins, intention setting, and end-of-day reviews, can be integrated into daily work. These practices help supervisors regulate emotions, make clearer decisions, and engage with teams empathetically. These routines were viewed as feasible, culturally congruent, and suited to Thai organizational environments.

Involvement to Buddhadhamma: The findings were categorized as Applied Buddhism, representing the integration of core Buddhist teachings with contemporary supervisory practice and organizational management. Satipaṭṭhāna offers a doctrinally coherent framework for strengthening personal well-being, improving interpersonal harmony, and fostering ethical leadership. Its four foundations support emotional balance, resilience, and wholesome conduct, fostering wisdom and morality in everyday work and contributing to sustainable organizational functioning aligned with Buddhist aims of clarity, compassion, and right intention.

Conclusions: Daily mindfulness-based self-reflection, rooted in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, offers an effective method for enhancing supervisors' self-awareness and fostering healthier workplace interactions, intentional leadership behavior, emotional regulation, and leadership capabilities. The study demonstrates practical improvements and psychological resilience. These improvements contribute to healthier workplace interactions, as supervisors become attuned to team needs, capable of managing emotional tension, and prepared to guide others with patience and clarity. Satipaṭṭhāna thus functions as a bridge between Buddhist contemplative wisdom and contemporary organizational development, supporting well-being and adaptive functioning in modern Thai workplaces.