Buddhist Society in Modern Siam

words from Sulak Sivaraksa

Sulak Sivaraksa of Bangkok, Thailand (or Siam, the more traditional name he prefers to use for his country), is probably that country's most prominent social critic and activist, and one of the major contemporary exponents of socially engaged Buddhism. Now sixty years old, he has for the last 30 years combined provocative intellectual work with continual grassroots organizing in Thailand. He has founded rural development projects as well as many non-governmental organizations dedicated to exploring, in Thailand and internationally, alternative models of sustainable, traditionally-rooted, and ethically- and spiritually-based development.

A conversation with Sulak, originally from the Buddhist Peace Fellowship (BPF) voice, Turning Wheel Magazine.

An alternative to consumerism - History, in the form of the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, can instruct us how to control economic domination by the superpowers.

The essence of democracy Two leading Southeast Asian thinkers and human rights activists - Sulak Sivaraksa of Thailand and Dr Chandra Muzaffar of Malaysia - believe that the age-old teachings of Buddhism and Islam offer a springboard for an alternative politics in the region.

Mindfulness is the key to peace... (mindfulness) is a powerful tool to use against all forms of suffering both within oneself and within the environment.

Back to basics for middle classes - Sulak talks about the financial crisis.

Globalisation represents greed The relentless drive by world-wide corporate entities to force their products on to the richer sectors threatens the global balance of natural resources and the lifestyle of indigenous people.