This means that savings and investments in economic activities, i.e. economic motives,
are not lacking. Buddhism teaches people not to be greedy, but at the same time one has
to carry out one’s own life in a rational way.1
During economic downturn of 1990’s,
Buddhism provides a way out to the Thai rural people. One has to be content and
satisfied with one’s lots. Those who work in the cities lost their jobs and returned to their
hometowns. They have managed to live in a simple way and have not lost their faith and
hope to have a better life economically again. They will certainly go back to work again
if the economic conditions are favorable. Buddhism, therefore, is not a hindrance though
not a direct stimulation for economic development. It teaches people to live in a simple
life and be satisfied with all they have got. Anyway, I am not saying that village people
are all happy. What I am trying to say is that the rural economic niche helps to lessen the
hardship of the life of people. In the village, people do have “social capital”, to use the
term coined by the World Bank, to maintain at least a minimum level of living standard.
That is they can, at least, survive during the period of economic downturn.