Ratana Model Project : Community development with Buddhist methods

Abstract

This article studies community development in a Buddhist way, specifically through the application of the Ratana Model, which is an approach that uses the “Trisaranam” or “the Three Jewels”: the Buddha Jewel, the Dhamma Jewel, and the Sangha Jewel as a mechanism to drive the community to have a good quality of life and be virtuous, with the temple as the center of learning and the monks as the spiritual and cultural leaders connecting home, temple, school, and community (Bor Wor). The Buddha Jewel acts as a model of goodness, the Dhamma Jewel is the main principle in promoting morality and the sufficiency economy, while the Sangha Jewel is the power of group formation and cooperation in society. Activities such as meditation, moral training, cultural conservation, and the use of technology to disseminate online Dhamma translate the principles of Dhamma into the context of the digital age, enabling youth to access Dhamma and participate in community development. The results of the study found that the Ratana Model helps reduce inequality, create harmony, and enhance moral consciousness at the individual, family, and social levels sustainably. The main difference between the general Buddhist way and the Ratana Model is that the Ratana Model is a structural practice that systematically uses “Buddhism, Dhamma, Sangha” to solve problems and develop communities, not just the general application of Dhamma principles, but also a strategic design for change.