PARTICIPATION MODEL OF TEMPLES AND COMMUNITIES IN PROMOTING MORALITY AND ETHICS OF WAT PRATU TON PHUENG, MUEANG DISTRICT, LAMPANG PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) examine the context of temple–community participation in promoting morality and ethics based on Buddhist principles; 2) investigate the participatory process between Wat Pratu Ton Phueng and the community in promoting morality and ethics in Mueang District, Lampang Province; and 3) propose a model of temple–community participation in promoting morality and ethics at Wat Pratu Ton Phueng. This qualitative study employed documentary research and in-depth interviews with 25 key informants. Data from open-ended questions were analyzed using descriptive analysis, frequency distribution, and tabulation, while interview data were analyzed through descriptive content analysis.
The findings revealed that:
1) The context of temple–community participation indicated that Wat Pratu Ton Phueng had served not only as a place for religious rituals but also as a religious, social, and cultural center for the surrounding community. This reflected a strong interdependent relationship between the temple and the community, which had provided an important foundation for promoting morality and ethics.
2) The participatory process demonstrated a collaborative mechanism involving various sectors of the community. The planning and organization of religious activities had involved community leaders, temple committees, youth groups, and local residents, with opportunities for consultation, recommendations, and resource sharing in activity design.
3) The participation model had been characterized by dynamic, two-way collaboration. The temple had functioned as a spiritual center and a source of Buddhist learning, while the community had actively participated in planning and implementing activities, thereby sustaining the promotion of morality and ethics.