The Roles of Buddhist Monks in Promoting Social Welfare and Social Work in Changing towards the Era of Digital Society

Abstract

The research article aims 1) to study the connection between Buddhist philosophy and concepts and theories of social welfare and social work; 2) to explore the problems, obstacles, and limitations of monks in promoting social welfare and social work; and 3) to propose guidelines for the development of monks' roles in promoting social welfare and social work as Thailand transitions into the digital society era. This study employs a mixed methods approach. The findings indicated that several influencing factors reached statistical significance at the 0.05 level on integrating Buddhist philosophy into the promotion of social welfare and social work including frequency of engagement in Buddhist activities, educational backgrounds (university affiliations), parents' occupations, and monthly household income were significant. The factors influencing opinions on the obstacles and limitations monks encounter in promoting social welfare and social work also reached statistical significance at the 0.05 level on the application of key Buddhist philosophies “Four Saṅgahavatthus” in promoting social welfare and social work. This aligns with the core principle of social work “helping people to help themselves.” The study identified attitudes as central obstacles that monks face in their efforts towards social welfare and social work. The study proposes the following guidelines: 1) The Department of Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Culture should take a leading role in promoting and facilitating the integration of technology within the domain of monks' work related to social welfare. 2) Regional, provincial, and district Ecclesiastical offices should establish dedicated departments focused on social welfare and social work with a proactive approach and designate primary and secondary personnel responsible for these initiatives.3) The Office of the Ecclesiastical Provincial Governor should collaborate with the Council of Social Professions to implement Buddhist philosophical principles in advancing social welfare and social work, in the demands of the digital society.