A Study of The Principle of Faith of Buddhists in Ubon Ratchathani Province according to Theravada Buddhism

Abstract

This Research aims to study the principles of Faith in Theravada
Buddhism, the details of faith and applying the principles of Faith in daily life of the Buddhists in Ubonratchathani Province. The variables for the research are sexes, ages and the levels of education. The sample of population are 400
Buddhists in Ubonratchathani. The research tools are questionnaires divided
into 3 forms : 1) about general data of the responders’ status, 2) about knowledge and understanding of Buddhist faith and 3) about open ended
questionnaire. The researcher enquired and interviewed the responders who are the Buddhists in Ubonratchathani for their opinions about applying the principles of faith in daily lives and for their additional suggestions. The data analysis is used with percentage, average, standard deviation and independent t-test. The result of research was found that :1) The Buddhists in Ubonratchathani totally have most knowledge and understanding in four
principles of Buddhist faith. When they are divided into each field, the knowledge and understanding of Vipakasaddha (belief in the consequence of Action) is in much level. Next to it, are Kammasaddha (belief in the
individual ownership of Action) and Tathagatabhodhisaddha (confidence in the Enlightenment of The Buddha), wileKammasaddha (belief in Kamma) is in medium level. 2) The Buddhists in Ubonratchathani, who are different in sex, age and education, have four kinds of faith differently in accordance with fixed hypotheses. 3) The Buddhists in Ubonratchathani apply four types of faith to their daily lives. For Kammasaddha, they believe in the law of Kamma that good Action causes wholesome consequence and bad Action causes evil result. For Vipakasaddha, they believe that the Action which has been done must bear fruit to the doer. Those who do good thing get good result, those who do bad thing get bad result. For Kammasakatasaddha, the Buddhists in Ubonrathchathani practice it as the reminder of themselves when doing
something. They believe that all beings are the owners of Kamma.
Everybody must receive the consequence of action they have done. For
Tathagatabodhisaddha, the Buddhists in Ubonratchathani still believe in real existence of Buddha and Enlightenment of him. They take this faith as the reminder of doing all things.