Keeping the Faith- Thai Buddhism at the crossroad

Author : Sanitsuda Ekachai : Columnist Editorial and Assistant Editor of Bangkok Post. Won many international accolade including Asia Leadership Fellow-Japan Foundation. Eisenhower Fellow.
326 pages.

Aptly titled : Thai Buddhism at the crossroad, a frank look at the issues faced by Thai Buddhism.

It is a collection of articles, written over a span of over 10-15 years from late 1980s to 2001. The common thread are the issues and problems faced in Thai Buddhism. The articles are categorised around specific issues. Reader can jump to which issues that interest them. Issues include - the power of the old (structure), scandals and sexuality, Thai Buddhisma and women.

See also previous review - Forest Monks Recollections- Background and Framework which discuss how the current Sangha structure came about - purportly to unify Thai Buddhism, but really a disguise to control the various thread of Buddhism when the military government took control.

It is a rare book, written by a local, someone who has good command of English and yet understand the issues- both cultural and spiritual. At first glance, it may seem the target audience would be narrow and small - a Thai, who can read English well. However, as stated earlier, the issues - one of the result when a religion is mainstream and its followers do not feel any threat, leading to complancy and abuse. Monks and lay people, particularly those who volunteer in managing temples, Buddhist organisation or helping them to grow- can learn to preempt the issues that Thai Buddhism faced.

So, I heard, the Buddha led a wandering life, but refuse to set up organised structure. What happened in Thailand - especially the evolution from many different thread of Buddhism- right down to different tradition in different amphoe to a "modern" monolistic Thai Buddhism, show again what happen when people have a taste of power, titles, money and do not practise the teaching. The organisation become a evergrowing monster of politics, greed, jealousy and become incapitated to reform itself.