Analytical Study on the Educational Role of Somdet Phra Buddhācāriya (Toh Brahmarangsi) to Thai Society

Abstract

This article consisted of three objectives; 1) to study the monastic education of Somdet Toh in the early Rattanakosin period 2) to study the educational role of Somdet Toh and his literature works, and 3) to analyze the educational role of Somdet Toh to Thai Society.

From the study found that the monastic education of Somdet Toh represented the life of samanera and bhikkhu in the early Rattanakosin period. He was educated Pariyatti in old Pāli tradition while practiced Patipati insight in the form of Majjhima Meditation. Many scholars neglected his educational roles in Pariyatti and Patipati. Somdet Toh played an important educational role in teaching Tipiṭaka and moralities. ‘School of Somdet Toh’ accommodated many novices and monks who came from all over the country to learn Pariyatti and Patthipathi. Later they went back to their provinces and became well-known teachers. Somdet Toh was not only made amulet “PhraSomdet” for no reason but mainly to cultivated people in Buddhānussati. He promoted the chanting Jinapañjara Gāthā to Thai’s society while was a pioneer in translating Tipiṭaka commentary of Mulapariyaya Sutta to Thai language. He composed moral poetry to teach his pupils to be up to other tricks. His collection of Gāthā reflects the needs of the monk in solving the lay problem in Thai Society. The insight of Somdet Toh innovated in solving the social problems was his educational’s role in Tipiṭaka. Somdet Toh’s education role changed after a century after his passing away. The purpose of propagating Somdet Toh’s fellows later seems to answer worldly purposes benefitting than the path of purification within. Of all, the importance of studying the educational role of Somdet Phra Buddhācāriya (Toh) is not only his path but also the collective historical result of early Rattanakosin monastic education. Somdet Toh was the Buddha-Sāsanadayāda in early monastic education whose impact is in monastic education and in Thai society presently and in the future.