Temple and Community Relations in a Shan Community

• In Event: 193. Temple and Community: Social Complexities

Abstract

When people write about temples, they tend to focus on the monastic community that resides within it. However, I am interested in temple and community relations in the Shan community of Thongmakhsan in northwestern Thailand. I became curious about this during my dissertation research when I learned that the only time a monk stayed at the temple was during the rains retreat. Although now there is usually at least one monk residing at the temple, the community’s temple committee remains responsible for administering temple funds, building programs, and temple maintenance. Rather than focusing on the temple and monastic life, I focus on the community and the ways in which community control of the temple affects and reflects the community’s relationship with Buddhism. In the process, I explore the ways people in Thongmakhsan envision their religious lives throughout their life cycles. I argue that this broader focus can expand how we understand Buddhism and Buddhist communities.

Author

• Nicola Tannenbaum, Lehigh University