Monks and the Maintaining of Social Morality in Thailand

Abstract

The Monks or the Sangha is one of the greatest, most traditional, and most important institutions in Thai society. The members of the Sangha play a prominent role in the life of almost every Thai, in both religious and secular matters. Role of monks can be of greater or smaller importance according to situation, time, and changes within the society. The Thai society is mainly rural; over eighty percent of the Thai population lives in villages. Although the patterns of role and involvement of the Sangha may vary from one community to another, by and large the differences vary only in detail and not in the substance. The Buddhist Sangha consists of monks or Bhikkhu (P?li) or Phra (Thai), novices or Samanera (P?li and Thai), and Bhikkuni (P?li) or Bhiksunee (Thai). However, at present there are no fully ordained Bhikkhunis, their line of ordination having died out in Ceylon one thousand years ago. In addition, there are nuns or Mae Chee (Thai) in the present Thai society instead of Bhikkhunis. Those who are called Mae Chee in Thailand are the laywomen observing eight-precepts, wearing white garments, shaving the heads and devoting themselves to the religious life.