Dhamma and Democracy: Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and the Situation in coup detat country Thailand

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Dhamma and DemocracyBuddhadasa Bhikkhu and the
Situation in coup detat country Thailand

• By
• Dr. Hans-Bernd Zoellner,
• University of Hamburg

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Ramkhamhaeng as the Exemplary Buddhist Ruler

• In the Ramkhamhaeng inscription, religion is
  described as a big pool which promises to serve
  the material and spiritual needs of everybody.
• Secular and religious elements are
  indistinguishably intertwined and any attempt to
  separate both spheres might be labelled arbitrary
  without communicating the methods for any
  distinctions made.

3
Ramkhamhaeng Stele
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Systems Perspective
5
N. Luhmann
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Religious Communication according to Systems
Theory

• The code used in the language of religion
  consists of the binary immanence/transcendency.
• Like any other code, this one is asymmetric and
  has paradoxical consequences if the coding is
  employed on itself.

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The Coup

• The plotters said that the coup was necessary to
  end intense conflicts in Thailand's society that
  Thaksin had created.
• The constitution of 1997 formerly dubbed the most
  progressive in Thai history was abrogated.
• A new charter, the countrys 16th or so since
  1932, is going to be set into practice in order
  to implement real democracy.

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Sonthi Generals on TV
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Siamese Twins
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Buddhadasa Bhikkhu

• can be dubbed the spiritual Siamese twin of
  Pridi Banomyong
• discriminated between two kinds of language,
  dhamma-language and everyday language
• advocated dictatorial democracy

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Conclusion

• A society based on holistic dhamma can only be
  achieved through a kind of permanent revolution.
• This can take shape by a sequel of coup détats
  followed by re-draftings of constitutions
  according to dhamma under the guidance of a
  dhammaraja.

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dhammaraja