Concept of Waning Age (Kaliyuga) in Students’ Community and Its Influence: A Case Study in Buddhist Universities, Mandalay · SBAM Repository

Title

Concept of Waning Age (Kaliyuga) in Students’ Community and Its Influence: A Case Study in Buddhist Universities, Mandalay

Author

Ashin Obhāsa

Type

Dissertation

Format

PDF

Language

English

Subject

Buddhist Studies

Date

2019

Place

Mandalay

Publisher

Sitagu Buddhist Academy Mandalay

Rights Holder

Sitagu Buddhist Academy Mandalay

abstract

There is a saying of a teacher – “Today students are weaker on learning, studying and on memorizing text than their days. This is one of the appearances of Waning Age, and so on." As a result, all students think, say, and act as inculcated “We all live in Waning Age. We all live in Waning Age.” Thus, this becomes one of the causes that make their exertions decline. The students’ thought, actions, speeches are in decline. Here on this statement whether this concept is right or wrong, this research tries to present a solution through surveying the opinion of Buddhist Universities’ students in Mandalay. They assert that the eight root-causes - (1) the Bad Policy, (2) the Decline in economy, (3) the Waning Age, (4) the Poor Support, (5) the Lack of Guarantee, (6) the Growing up in lousy society, (7) the Lack of knowledge on the value of wisdom, and (8) the Lack of passion - can mainly cause the decline in education. Of them, they all assert that the only lack of our passion for being wise and educated is directly connected with the decline in education even if all live in Waning Age, the declining environment more than before. Therefore, it needs to be re-criticized that current education is in decline because all live in Waning Age. Instead, it is accepted that education is in decline because students’ passion to develop their education are not cultivated. Therefore, the weaker exertion of today’s youth community is not because of the concept of Waning Age, but merely because of their weak passion. If one can criticize through the supportive skills that can raise the evaluation, such as strong desire (Chanda), endeavor (Vīriya) and knowledge (Paññā, the waning age will not be significant.

KEYWORDS: Waning Age, Influence, Mindset, Decline in Education, Passion