Research Paper: BUDDHIST EDUCATION

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Buddhism Education had crucial roles in society especially in moral education of the people and young men. Trough the influence of Buddhist teaching, Khmer people in general is compassionated, friendly, and generous. Buddhist monks played a major role as teachers of Buddhist and publics. Many young men were chosen to be ordained as novices or monks to study Buddhist teaching. Most of them lacked educational opportunity, as they were poor and lived far away from cities.

Buddhist Education is Human Recourses for Cambodia societies today. Therefore, the concept of Buddhist School arose, so that the children and young men can get the benefit from Buddhist teaching and closer to Buddhism. Buddhist Education was established with the following objective:

A.               To make young people and children familiar with Buddhism.

B.               To inculcate moral discipline and cultural appreciation in young people and children.

C.               To teach young people and children to lead their lives according to Buddhist principles.

D.               To train young people and children to work for public welfare.

E.                To build Human recourses in Societies of Cambodia.

The Buddhist Educations are still going strong. At the Buddhist School of Sihanoukraja University of Cambodia, class levels are arranged according to student’s grades as follows

A.               There are 3 Primary School classes for young people, novices and monks of Buddhist study from grades 1, 2, and 3.

B.               There are 3 Secondary School classes for young people, novices and monks of grades 1, 2, and 3.

C.               There are 3 High School classes for young people, novices and monks of grades 1, 2 and 3.

D.                There are 4 years Bachelor of Art for students, novices and monks’ level from freshman, sophomore, Junior, and Senior.

Concluding, the foregoing talks enable us to see that religious knowledge is crucial as well as academic knowledge. Education is not a tool to prepare students to become productive citizens, but it is also the principal tool of human growth, essential for transforming the unlettered monks and novices into a mature and responsible Society. We believe that both moral cultivation and academic training are equally important for students, live a successful and a moral life, students need to have knowledge in Buddhist teaching and modern academics. Therefore the government must equally support Buddhist and modern education. Through the proper moral and academic education, students will be good, virtuous and happy in communities