Buddhist monks in Thailand are part of a unified hierarchical
sangha (community of monastics) which in turn is controlled
by the government. Everyday Buddhist monks all over Thailand eat
food given to them by Thai people, the majority of whom are poor and
oppressed. This makes it possible to look at Buddhism from a sociopolitical
perspective that aims at social justice, thereby adding a new
dimension to the Buddhist hermeneutics for the poor. Greed is thereby
seen not just in individual terms but also as a built-in mechanism of
oppressive social structures. If greed is to be reduced or eliminated,
therefore, personal self-restraint will not be enough; these social
structures need to be changed as well. Many Buddhists seek liberation
(Pali: nibbaµna, Sanskrit: nirvaµna) by practicing meditation, but
do not pay sufficient attention to the way the society in which they