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Papers by jesada buaban

๋Journal of Religious Anthropology, 2024

Humans are highly emphasized in world religions on the grounds that they are the most valuable be... more Humans are highly emphasized in world religions on the grounds that they are the most valuable beings with the potential to develop their lives to achieve the highest goals, heaven in the Abrahamic religions and Nirvana in Buddhism. Such teachings lead to the rejection of suicide. Furthermore, well-being tends to refer to the well-being of humans rather than ecosystems. This perspective has been rejected by a new religious movement, the Church of Euthanasia (CoE), which bases its beliefs on antihumanism. It prioritizes other natural resources, while ending human life to protect nature is supported. Using the concepts of antihumanism and animism, this paper argues that the pro-suicide and anti-procreation campaigns run by the CoE radically challenge the mainstream interpretation of human dignity in world religions and the ontology of academic humanism. Interestingly, the CoE was formed in the name of a religious movement that used religious identity to challenge the teachings of world religions.

Journal of Religious Anthropology, 2023

This paper traced the daily life of Muslims in Yogyakarta, especially during Ramadan, the period ... more This paper traced the daily life of Muslims in Yogyakarta, especially during Ramadan, the period that dramatically changes the life of Muslims who have to conduct fasting. Also, in this month, religious reinterpretations and resistances of the Muslim individuals can be found since their living conditions do not allow them to fast. Based on three years of ethnographic field research and analysis through Nancy Ammerman’s concept of Everyday Religion, this paper argues that when we view Muslims as individuals, we will see how they interpreted Islam in everyday life, meanwhile the autonomy of individual is always overlooked when we view them as part of a religious organization, which eventually reduces their role to mere good followers who respect the leader’s guidance. In addition, though these Muslims define themselves as “fake Muslims”, this term implies that they are actually “good Muslims” or at least “not inferior” to other Muslims who claim that their code of conduct is in line with the scriptures. These Muslims say religion must be adapted according to individual conditions, and those who creatively adapted will be loved by God. Therefore, to provide an alternative perspective on the method of studying religion, we have to mention “whose religion” rather than “what religion”.

Prajñā Vihāra: Journal of Philosophy and Religion, Jul 1, 2021

This paper analyzes the attitudes to masturbation in the Abrahamic religions and Buddhism. Textua... more This paper analyzes the attitudes to masturbation in the Abrahamic religions and Buddhism. Textual interpretation has been used to scrutinize the primary sources within religious texts, while Weber's ideas on legitimacy and domination have been employed to elucidate the effect of religious injunctions against masturbation. The findings reveal that the primary sources used to condemn masturbation in Abrahamic religion is not clear, and so it should not be considered dogmatically. The interpretations of those sources draw connection between masturbation and such ideas as lust and impurity, which are measured with reference to a spiritual elite. Buddhism sees sexual desire in relation to suffering that must be able to overcome for those who desire enlightenment. Though its theological background is different the Buddhist examples help clarify the Abrahamic worldviews on masturbation. Moreover, the holy status of Catholic priests and Buddhist monks, who are viewed as a spiritual elite, is achieved by abstaining from sex and masturbation, and this hierarchy serves to designate as sinful and impure the practice of masturbation.

Manusya: Journal of Humanities, 2020

Thai missionary monks are viewed as passive in the new land on the grounds that though they work ... more Thai missionary monks are viewed as passive in the new land on the grounds that though they work abroad, they still serve Thai communities rather than adapt Buddhism to attract the locals. Missionary work in Indonesia is, however, exceptional. This article questions how Thai monks attracted Chinese followers, who have a different background of beliefs. Ethnographic methodology was conducted in Central Java and Sumatra for three months. It found that in order to negotiate with educated lay religious leaders, Thai monks choose to invent an identity of traditional forest monks who are experts in meditation as found in Northeast Thailand. This special figure cannot be found among the laypeople who are immersed in worldly matters like the family and business. Thus, meditation masters from Thailand are often invited to Indonesia not only to provide meditation guidance but also to invent a new identity of Thai Buddhism in Indonesia.

Yiguandao, a laypeople's new religious movement, is scrutinized in this paper through an ethnogra... more Yiguandao, a laypeople's new religious movement, is scrutinized in this paper through an ethnographic methodology conducted in Thailand and Indonesia. It found that (1) Yiguandao is not marginalized by mainstream Buddhism without any negotiation, instead, it interprets the new teaching to respond as well. However, its successful methods do not necessarily base on scientific explanations. (2) It emphasizes that people are able to get enlightenment in this very life, but must be helped by Chinese gods. Therefore, degrees of the Chinese identity embodied in Yiguandao's practices vary based upon religiopolitics in each country.

Journal of Academic Law, 2020

This paper focuses on the cases of monks who have been forced to disrobe and analyses the law enf... more This paper focuses on the cases of monks who have been forced to
disrobe and analyses the law enforcement that has been interpreted to violate the monk’s rights in maintain his monastic life. Though religious freedom in Thailand is guaranteed by the constitution, but in practice it does not happen. That is because the monastic institute has been designed to work as a state’s bureaucrat organization. In consequence, monks are punished by the state’s law even when they break some monastic codes, which should be considered as individual or (private) organizational belief. Moreover, he was accused of a crime, the law also allows forcing him to disrobe though the judgment has not been ended. This paper argues that Thai state should consider monks as ordinary people who share the same rights with other Thai citizens, meaning
that privileges should not be given to them, while the law implementation must not harass their rights.

This article examines interpretations of Buddhism that have been occurred to respond to Confucian... more This article examines interpretations of Buddhism that have been occurred to respond to Confucian values. Textual analysis and ethnography to scrutinize Chinese ritual performances in Indonesia were employed as research method. It found that in order to serve the Confucian values, Buddhism has to emphasize filial piety alongside monastic practices. It can be seen in the stories of Guanyin saved her father and Mulian saved his mother from hell. Although the origin of these stories can be traced to the Pali and Sanskrit scriptures, they had been reinterpreted and localized to convey Confucian values and Chinese tradition. In addition, these stories also claim the superior aspects of Buddhism on the ground that filial piety should be conducted not only in this very life, but also in other spirit worlds, through a certain level of meditation practice only available in the Buddhist way.

Asia Social Issues

This paper examines the sacred status of Thai Buddhist monks who have been engaging with the mode... more This paper examines the sacred status of Thai Buddhist monks who have been engaging with the modern secular healthcare system, which also contrasts with their monastic traditions. It questions how modern medication has affected the sacred figure of Thai monks and what is their reaction to maintain their sacred status in such a secular space? Participant observations and informal interviews have been conducted, and data are conceptualized through the ideas of the birth of the clinic and biopower proposed by Michel Foucault. It finds that the traditional healing previously played by Thai monks has been challenged by modern medication eventually the monks also access the modern hospital. This phenomenon helps to change the idea of the cause of sickness, from demons to germs. This is interesting when some Buddhists request the monastic code-based healthcare system and monk patients’ zone. This paper argues that such an effort aims to maintain the sacred status of monks, who are perceive...

Simulacra

This paper examines the monastic administration in Thai Buddhism, which is ruled by the senior mo... more This paper examines the monastic administration in Thai Buddhism, which is ruled by the senior monks and supported by the government. It aims to answer two questions; (1) why the Sangha’s administration has been designed to serve the bureaucratic system that monks abandon social and political justices, and (2) how the monastic education curriculum are designed to support such a conservative system. Ethnographic methodology was conducted and collected data were analyzed through the concept of gerontocracy. It found that (1) Thai Buddhism gains supports from the government much more than other religions. Parallel with the state’s bureaucratic system, the hierarchical conservative council contains the elderly monks. Those committee members choose to respond to the government policy in order to maintain supports rather than to raise social issues; (2) gerontocracy is also facilitated by the idea of Theravada itself. In both theory and practice, the charismatic leader should be the old o...

Walailak Journal of Social Science, 2021

This paper investigates networks and strategies that the Thai missionary monks initiated with Mus... more This paper investigates networks and strategies that the Thai missionary monks initiated with Muslim and Christian groups in Indonesia. It questions how has the monks reinterpreted Theravada Buddhism to establish itself in a Muslim village. Based upon an ethnographic fieldwork conducted in 2015-2016, it found that the forms of rituals have been adapted to respond to the local culture, Javanese in particular, while religious teachings are mostly transmitted in secular ways. Social welfare is a tool adopted to negotiate with other religious followers. Interestingly, monks seemed to be respected as much as Muslim Imans. This phenomenon portrays the successful adaptability and negotiations that eventually lead to the new form of religion. These processes help Thai monks to attract the new patrons who can still remain in Islam and Christianity without conversion, which can be seen as an interesting method of missionary work in the global era.

Journal of Human Rights and Peace Studies, 2019

Buddhist monasteries have been claimed as peaceful places and monks do not support the violent ap... more Buddhist monasteries have been claimed as peaceful places and monks do not support the violent approaches. These claims are falsified by this paper, which focuses on the violence in Buddhist temples, where monks treat novices cruelly, in many cases. Two questions are raised namely; how has Theravada Buddhism been interpreted to serve the violence? And what kind of violence can be found in the monasteries nowadays? Ethnographical methodology was conducted in many provinces of Southern Thailand. The researcher, as a monk, has been staying with those novices for 18 years. It finds that Thai Buddhism is interpreted as utilitarianism to serve the dictator monks who take care of novices. Many kinds of violence such as verbal, physical, and sexual harassments can be done in the name of the compassionate protectors who punish for the success of his pupils. Though many abbots are compassionate, they are too old to take care of young novices. The power is, in fact, used by secretary monks who have responsibility in educating novices. In consequence, abbots cannot help when novices are harassed. This phenomenon clearly reveals the failure of gerontocracy in Thai monastic administration. At the same time, many novices still choose to live in the temples because their families are also in

Keywords: harassment violence Theravada novice

Academic Journal of Law, 2020

Books by jesada buaban