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Theravada Buddhism in Thailand: As Represented by Buddhist and Christian Writings from Thailand in the Period 1950-2000

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Theravada Buddhism in Thailand: As Represented by Buddhist and Christian Writings from Thailand in the Period 1950-2000 Open Research Online The Open University’s repository of research publications and other research outputs A study of the dialogue between Christianity and Theravada Buddhism in Thailand: as represented by Buddhist and Christian writings from Thailand in the period 1950-2000 Thesis How to cite: Boon-Itt, Bantoon (2008). A study of the dialogue between Christianity and Theravada Buddhism in Thailand: as represented by Buddhist and Christian writings from Thailand in the period 1950-2000. PhD thesis The Open University. For guidance on citations see FAQs. c 2007 Bantoon Boon-Itt https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Version: Version of Record Link(s) to article on publisher’s website: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21954/ou.ro.0000fd77 Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies page. oro.open.ac.uk u a j -r£jcjT6fc A study of the dialogue between Christianity andTheravada Buddhism in Thailand as represented by Buddhist and Christian writings from Thailand in the period 1950 - 2000. A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Religious Studies The Open University St John’s College, Nottingham December 2007 Revd Bantoon Boon-Itt B.Th., B.D., M.A. a f <Si/gASsSSf<W /<£ 3 )ec<£;/<,&<=/£. '&A-7'c Of Ou/V& -2AO&’ ProQuest Number: 13890031 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 13890031 Published by ProQuest LLC(2019). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ii ABSTRACT There has been little Buddhist-Christian dialogue in Thailand. Thai Buddhists, the majority community, see little need for dialogue. There are, however, two notable exceptions: the Venerable Payutto and the Venerable Buddhadasa Bhikkhus. Thai Christians do not realise the importance of dialogue, hence Dialogue has been confined to a few Thai scholars. Historical study has shown that the first Christian emissaries from the West arrived with superior attitudes and hidden agendas, not troubling to understand Buddhism, nor its social context. Their efforts led to a lack of acceptance, even disdain, for Christianity. Thai Christians have not grasped the need to understand Theravada Buddhism, as this dissertation uncovers, and without realising, they are communicating with Buddhists using Thai vocabulary that is incomprehensible. Buddhadasa took a very significant initiative to dialogue with Thai Christians. Through his use of two levels of understanding language, Buddhadasa reformulates key Buddhist doctrines. In particular his explication ofnibbana, not at or beyond death, but for all in the here-and-now via jitwang (freed-mind) and detachment from I/me-my/mine gives Buddhism contemporary relevance. Buddhadasa compares his Buddhism to what he sees as the main features of Christianity. ‘God’ he identifies with the Buddhist concept of dhamma; nibbana with ‘the kingdom of God’; and anatta with the Christian cross, perceiving it as ‘the denial of I’. Payutto’s exposition is more cautious, by contrast. It reflects Buddhist suspicions of historical Christianity and points to the urgency of dialogue. This dissertation uncovers the weaknesses and strengths of Thai Buddhist-Christian dialogue as it now stands, giving the big picture and uncovering the underlying issues for further research. It provides the crucial groundwork necessary for future work and stresses the need to dialogue and to enter each others’ worldview to overcome the problem of miscommunication through incomprehension. Only thus can fruitful dialogue leading to mutual understanding and social harmony be achieved. iii Acknowledgements I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the many groups of people who have, in so many ways, contributed to the successful completion of this dissertation. I express my heartfelt thanks to all my supervisors, in particular to Dr. David L. Gosling for his constant advice, encouragement, understanding and patience, a pillar of support since the inception of this project, ensuring its successful completion; and also to Dr. Stephen H. Travis who has kindly stepped-in in place of Dr. John Kelly, who stepped-in for Dr. George Bebawi, and skilfully Dr. Travis guided me through the final hurdles. My heartfelt thanks to the Venerable Payutto Bhikkhu for his invaluable comments. My gratitude to Prof. Donald K. Swearer, Prof. Hans Kiing, and Dr. Seri Pongphit, for entering into correspondence with me, providing me with constructive advice. I am much obliged to the Very Revd. Dr. N.T. Wright whose work, lecture and the brief encounter I had with him at St. John’s college has inspired and given me new perspectives in the Christian-Buddhist encounter. I am also most privileged to have met and discussed with Acham Sulak Sivaraksa, Dr. W. Klausner, Dr. Cherdchai Lertjitlekka, and the Revd Wan Petchsongkram. My thanks to all those busy Thai church leaders, who responded to my appeal for information in the questionnaires. For invaluable help in finding materials from Thailand, my grateful Thanks to Acham Louis Gabaude, Acham Prasit Pongudom, and Dr. Herbert R. Swanson in Chiengmai, and to Mrs. Kultida Boon-Itt at Chulalongkom University, and Dr. Narapom Prayoonwiwat in Bangkok; and in the UK my grateful Thanks to St. John’s College librarian staff. For practical financial help I am deeply indebted to my parents, my sending church, Suebsampantawong, the Ogle Christian Tmst and the Novum Trust which in 2004 encouraged me greatly with a grant through St John’s College Nottingham. My thanks to all my colleagues at SuebSampantawong Church and the Sixth district church of CCT for both their prayer and back-up support, freeing me from my pastoral duties. Here in England, I heartily thank our senior family friends who read and re-read my texts including, Mrs. Mary W. Vongsuly, Mrs. Doreen Markham, Mr & Mrs. Donald & Joan Bartholomew, Dr John Davis, Dr. Ian Jefferson and the Revd. David Huntly. They pointed out not only infelicities of grammar and syntax but also asked pertinent questions in answer to which many points were refined and clarified. My thanks to my family and many friends, who have borne with me and supported me through the years. My wife, Mali, read and debated each chapter with me. My eldest daughter, Aninthitha Trissy, who many times, had to rescue her mother from computer problems; and my three younger children: Pilasinee Tafline, Bentoon Toby and Wasinathida Theda, who all helped in their various ways. My utmost appreciation to the Rev. Samuel Lee, friends and staff at Cornerstone church, and at St. John’s College, who provided support, in particular Dr. Doug Ingram, and the Miah family. My thesis is dedicated to the memories of my Great Grandfather Revd. Boon Tuan Boon-Itt and my Grandfather Bentoon Boon-Itt M.D. two outstanding Thai Christians who have greatly inspired me. Finally and importantly, my thankfulness to God, whom I and my family depended upon for His guidance and sustenance. iv CONTENTS Abstract ii Acknowledgements iii Introduction 1 Part One: Setting the scene for theTheravada Buddhist - Christian dialogue Chapter One: Buddhism in Thailand 8 1.1. What Buddhism means in Thailand today 8 1.2 Historical Overview 11 1.3 The reformation in the late 19th and early 20th century 13 1.3.1 The Sangha and its government 13 1.3.2 The doctrinal development 17 1.3.2.1 Towards Lokiyadhamma Buddhism 20 1.3.2.2 The return of Lokuttaradhamma 24 1.4 Current Thai Buddhism 25 1.4.1 State Buddhism 25 1.4.2 Radical Buddhism 26 1.4.3 Folk Buddhism 28 1.5 Summary 29 Chapter Two: Christianity in Thailand 32 2.1 The Thai Catholic Church 32 2.1.1 Historical Outline of the Thai Catholic church 33 2.1.2 Summary 40 2.2 The Thai Protestant church 41 2.2.1 Historical Outline of the Thai Protestant Church 42 2.2.2 Summary 51 Chapter Three: Dialogue in Thailand 53 3.1 Why dialogue? 53 3.2 Historical overview of inter-religious dialogue 54 3.3 Dialogue between Christianity and Theravada Buddhism 56 3.3.1 Historical overview 56 3.3.2 Principles for inter-religious dialogue in the Thai context 59 3.4 Concluding discussion 62 V Part Two : Buddhists in dialogue - a closer look Chapter Four: The Venerable Buddhadasa, his distinctive interpretation of Buddhism and dialogue with Christianity 64 4.1 Overview of Buddhadasa and his goals in Life 65 4.2 Buddhadasa’s reformation 68 4.3 Phasakhon-phasatham: Buddhadasa’s distinctive method of interpretation 70 4.3.1 Buddhadasa’s use ofphasakhon-phasatham 71 4.3.2 Sources of the phasakhon-phasatham 73 4.3.3 Problems arising from the phasakhon-phasatham 16 4.3.4 Criticisms of phasakhon-phasatham 11 4.4 Buddhadasa’s interpretation of cardinal Buddhist teachings 78 4.4.1 Buddhadasa’s teaching onpaticcasamuppada 78 4.4.2 Buddhadasa’s teaching on jitwang and not holding onto tuagoo- khonggoo for the attainment of nibbana 86 4.5 Buddhadasa’s dialogue with Christianity 93 4.5.1 Dhamma is God 94 4.5.1.1 God the Father 102
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