Buddhism, Education and Politics in Burma and Thailand: From the Seventeenth Century to the Present
Ebook
Drawing on primary sources in Pali, Burmese and Thai, practising monk Venerable Khammai Dhammasami guides the reader through the complex history of monastic education in two neighbouring countries with very different Buddhist societies: Burma and Thailand.
This book provides a clear account of the ways in which royal leaders and monastic institutions worked to develop monastic education in the face of changing political and economic conditions, including colonialism and the political instability of the 19th and 20th centuries. It studies influences from both British colonists and Siamese/Thai reformers, and engages with primary material, including documents from Burmese monasteries, royal orders, royal chronicles, and official government records.
As the first book to examine monastic education in Burma and Thailand, this is a welcome contribution to the social, monastic and religious history of Southeast Asia, and the growing field of Burmese Buddhist Studies.
An in-depth historical study of Buddhism, politics and monastic education in Burma and Thailand, drawing on Burmese language primary sources and governmental documents.
The first book to explore monastic education in Burma, filling a gap in Burmese Buddhist studies
Draws on primary material from both monastic and governmental sources, in Burmese, Pali and Thai
Provides historical coverage from the 17th century including the influence of British colonists right up to the present day and the current politics of Burma
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
1. Introduction
2. Burma: The Education of the Sangha under Strong Monarchs – Thalun (1629-1648) of the Ava Period and Bodawpaya (1782-1819) of the Kon-Baung Period
3. Burma: A Threatened Buddhist Kingdom and a Nationalist Sangha –Mindon (1853-1878)
4. Siam: Political Instability and the Sangha
5. Siam: The Standardisation of Monastic Education, and National 6. Integration, under Chulalongkorn (1868-1910)
6. Idealism and Pragmatism: Dilemmas in the Current Monastic 8. Education Systems of Burma and Thailand
Historical Summary
Afterword
Sources:
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Selected Bibliography
Notes
Glossary
Index
Ven. Dhammasami has contributed an excellent overview of the history of Buddhist monastic education in Burma, bringing the fresh perspective of a practicing monk and teacher to this much needed study.
A thought-provoking and impressively referenced publication on the role of education in the past, present and future of Buddhism. The author lucidly explains the changing role of the Sangha and the often-sobering implications. This seminal work provides an essential perspective for many different disciplines. Most obviously are education and religious studies, but the insights on past royal and monastic relationships offer vital lessons to ensure a sustainable future for Buddhist cultural heritage.
The Buddhist monastic education in Burma and Thailand from the early modern period to the present and its current predicament is analysed here by one of the most knowledgeable and versatile members of the Sangha, deeply involved in both traditions, and has himself followed through the system of education he discusses. With his wide exposure to both traditional Asian and modern Western academic traditions, the author draws from a wide variety of sources, and analyses the two monastic education systems with remarkable objectivity and impartiality. The end result is a future-oriented work forging a middle path between idealism and pragmatism.
In this book, Ven. Dhammasami provides an overview of the history of monastic syllabus in Burma and in Thailand since the 17th century. He highlights changes in the interface between the Sangha and the monarchy/state. Government and lay organizations have increasingly formalized and shaped monastic education over time, including standardizing syllabuses and examinations on a national basis. This leaves little scope for local innovation and meeting of student objectives. Ven. Dhammasami's excellent authoritative work is extremely valuable as an insider's view of Sangha education and will serve as valuable landmark at a time of reform.
- Title: Buddhism, Education and Politics in Burma and Thailand: From the Seventeenth Century to the Present
- Author: Khammai Dhammasami
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2018
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781350054264, 9781350123069, 1350123064, 1350054267
- Resource ID: LLS:9781350054264
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-04-09T02:08:21Z
Venerable Khammai Dhammasami is Buddhist Chaplain of the University of Oxford, UK. He is also Research Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies at the University of Oxford, UK, and Executive Secretary of the International Association of Buddhist Universities. He has recently set up the Shan State Buddhist University in Taunggyi, Myanmar.