Abstract:
This dissertation consisted of the following objectives: 1) to analyze context, conditions, problems, and needs of mindfulness cultivation of people in Wat Mai Yai Paen community, as well as concepts on mindfulness cultivation in daily life through mindfulness-based coaching according to modern science; 2) to examine the Buddhist peaceful means conducive to mindfulness cultivation in daily life through mindfulness-based coaching; and 3) to develop and present mindfulness cultivation process in daily life through mindfulness-based coaching for people in Wat Mai Yai Paen community. The study employed action research which was based on Ariyasacca (the Four Noble Truths) model under the 9-step framework. The study conducted field trip and collaborated with all stakeholders in the areas under the 'Bowon' power (villages, temples, schools). The documentary research, employing relevant research works both within Thailand and in other countries, was also conducted to investigate content, concepts, theories, and effective methods of practice. Participation observation, in-depth interview, research criticism, and action research were utilized to collect data on Buddhist mindfulness cultivation integrated with modern science. All of this data were used to design the coaching method and tools. The Dhamma was integrated to serve and benefit the community and society, and the set objectives were met successfully.
From the dissertation, the following results are found:
1) The problems and necessities of Wat Mai Yai Paen community are caused by economic situations, which cause conflict among family members, impacting both mental and physical aspects, leaving them unable to handle problems and lacking mental instability. As a result, the mental development of people in the community is required through mindfulness cultivation, which will result in good inner well-being in order to have mindfulness more easily and use it in everyday life, resulting in benefits to oneself and family.
2) The Buddhist peaceful means conducive to meditation cultivation is Satipaṭṭhāna (the four foundations of mindfulness), namely mindfulness as regards the body, feelings, mental conditions, and ideas. Meditation cultivation leads to wisdom. Whenever there are conditions that give rise to suffering, mindfulness will investigate suffering by identifying the origin of suffering (samudaya), the cessation of suffering (nirodha), and the path leading to the cessation of suffering (magga). This is also known as Ariyasacca (the four noble truths), which when integrated with Bhāvanā (four developments) results in the following process: (1) Kāya-bhāvanā (physical development), (2) Sīla-bhāvanā (moral development), (3) Citta-bhāvanā (mental development), and (4) Paññā-bhāvanā (wisdom development). All of this helps one to understand things as they are through wisdom.
3) From developing and presenting mindfulness cultivation process in daily life through mindfulness-based coaching for people in Wat Mai Yai Paen community, the activity called cultivate mindfulness and build happiness for success was adopted to develop the target group. The results reveal that the designed process is effective as there is a behavioral change evidently. A body of knowledge obtained is Cultivation of Mindfulness model, which promotes mindfulness cultivation in daily life. A model consists of the following five aspects: (1) physical cultivation, leading to knowing oneself, loving and having compassion for oneself, recognizing one's value, and living a meaningful life; (2) moral cultivation, leading to good conduct, both in speech and action, with benefits for oneself, communities, and society; (3) mental cultivation, leading to mindfulness, peaceful mind, and inner well-being; (4) intellectual cultivation, leading to having wisdom to find solutions to problems; and (5) Kalayāṇamitta coach, who guides a person to a stable state of mindfulness. Kalayāṇamitta coaches or good coaches must be someone with seven qualities of a good friend, which include continuously and consistently assisting one another in cultivating mindfulness.