Is Buddhism Compatible with modernization ? : A Socio Ethical Study Concerning the Thai Youths’ Perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study youths’ attitudes towards religions in general and towards Buddhism in particular. The methods of the study consisted of investigations from secondary and primary sources. The latter sources came in the forms of observing behaviours and distributing questionnaires to 150 undergraduates undertaking their B.A. degree courses in various faculties of Kasetsart University during the first Semester of the academic year 1982-1983. Out of this number, only 121 sets of questionnaires were returned. As a consequence, the population of the study were 121 in number. The statistical methods employed in data analysis were Likert’s scale, chi-square, Yule’s Q and percentage. The Results of the were found as follows: 1) Those students who held positive attitudes towards Buddhism’s compatibility with modernization were not different in number from those who held negative attitudes. 2) The investigation into the concepts of modernization from Tipitaka and various documents in Thai, Pali and English had shown that Buddhism contained substantial principles compatible with modernization in social, economic, political, cultural and personality fields.