INTEGRATIONG BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE TO PROMOTE HOLISTIC HEALTH OF FAMILIES AND SOCIETY

Abstract

               The purposes of this study were to study the local wisdom in promoting the holistic health of the family and society, and to integrate the Buddhist Psychology with the local wisdom in promoting holistic well-being, also analyze the application guideline of Buddhist Psychology in integrating holistic health and family and society. The researcher used a qualitative research model by using structured in-depth interview, consisting of interviews, families in community of leadership areas with non-participant observations in strengthening the family security. Also the researcher conducted a random sampling of 24 participants in the area of the prototype community in all four sectors, namely, Northern, Northeastern, Central region and Western in order to find the common character, the common conclusion and Focus Group Discussion of the approach to integrate Buddhist Psychology and local wisdom in promoting holistic well-being of family and society.
              The research found that the local wisdom was an important factor in promoting the holistic health of the family and society, including the wisdom of living by the environment, beliefs and religion, culture and tradition, networking, relationship system and health These local wisdoms can be integrated with Buddhist principles or the integration of Buddhist Psychology. That had gotten the values and goodness of living and the community way of living in harmony with nature and the environment. That led to the application of Buddhist Psychology under social factors and conditions to be conformed to the context and local wisdom, including the principles of threefold training that focused on strengthening family and society for having well-being, the principles of eightfold noble paths focused on getting good behavior in living, the principles of Sanggahavatthu focused on participation and public mind in strengthening health and the principle of four noble truths focused on family and society were known the situations to lead the promotion of health according to the principles of 4 Bhãvanã, namely Kãya Bhãvanã meant having healthy and disease prevention, Citta Bhãvanã meant having peaceful mind, Sîla Bhãvanã meant livelihood and Paññã Bhãvanã meant knowing and what was happening and be able to integrate local wisdom with Buddhist Psychology, to go on promote the holistic health conditions of the family and society.