EFTA00286476

a manual 
of peace: 
38 Steps towards 
Enlightened Living 
EFTA00286476

A Dhammakaya Foundation 
Paperback First Edition 2005 
Published by the Dhammakaya Foundation 
Department of International Relations 23/2 
Moo 7., Khlong Sam, Khlong Luang 
Patumthani 12120 Thailand Tel. (+66 02) 
524 0257-63 
Copyright 
2005 by the Dhammakaya Foundation 
All Rights Reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, 
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any 
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or 
otherwise, without the prior and express written consent of the 
publisher 
National Library of Thailand Cataloging in Publication Data 
Dhammakaya Foundation A Manual of Peace: 38 Steps 
towards Enlightened Living Bangkok: Dhammakaya 
Foundation, 2005 466p. 
1. Buddhism 
I. Title 
294.315 
ISBN 974-93135-5-0 
Printed in Thailand by : Craftsman Press 
Co.,Ltd 487/42 Soi Wattanasilp, 
Rajprarop Road, Makkasan, Rajthevee, 
Bangkok, Thailand Tel: +66-2-2533009, 
2533298 
EFTA00286477

May the meritorious fruits accruing from the study of this 
book be dedicated for the benefit of George, Annie, Alice, 
Lilian, Richard, Harry, Alfred George, Arthur, Norman, Ivan 
(née Lee) & Evelyn Ayre, Ellen Mary Stokell, Hannah Can; 
George & Charles F. Lee, Elizabeth, John & Margaret Curry, 
Anne Fen wick, Annie Jarman, Dennis George, Dennis Arthur 
& Malcolm Woods, Emily Maly Casbon, William Jabez & 
Ethel Dawes, Moses Edmund, Gladys, Hilda, Cecil, Reginald 
and Marie Heaton wherever they have been reborn. 
EFTA00286478

EFTA00286479

Contents 
Preface to the First Edition  
7 
The Manual of Peace in Action  
10 
Abbreviations 
 
18 
Orientation 
19 
BLESSING GROUP I.: TURNING YOUR BACK ON UNWHOLESOMENESS 
25 
1. Not Associating with Fools 
2. Associating with the Wise 
3. Expressing Respect to those worth of respect 
27 
37 
51 
BLESSING GROUP II.: TURNING TOWARDS WHOLESOMENESS 
65 
4. Living in an Amenable Location 
67 
5. Having done Good Deeds in one's past 
77 
6. Setting Oneself up properly in life 
91 
BLESSING GROUP III.: SETTING ONESELF UP IN LIFE 
101 
7. Artfulness in Knowledge 
103 
S. Artfulness in Application 
113 
9. Artfulness in Usage 
119 
10. Artfulness in Speech 
131 
BLESSING GROUP IV.: HARMONY IN THE FAMILY LIFE 
139 
II. Cherishing our parents  
141 
12. Raising our children 
153 
13. Cherishing our husband or wife 
165 
14. Not Leaving one's work undone 
177 
BLESSING GROUP V.: BECOMING A PILLAR OF SOCIETY 
183 
15. Generosity 
 185 
16. Dhamma Practice 
 197 
17. Looking after one's extended family 
205 
IS. Blameless Work 
213 
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BLESSING GROUP VI.: PREPARATION OF MIND 
19. Abstaining from Unwholesomeness 
20. Restraint from Drinking Intoxicants 
21. Non-recklessness in the Dhamma 
BLESSING GROUP VII.: INSTILLING ONESELF WITH BASIC VIRTUES 
225 
233 
243 
223 
251 
22. Respect 
253 
23. Humility 
261 
24. Contentment 
269 
25. Gratitude 
281 
26. Listening Regularly to Dhamma Teachings 
291 
BLESSING GROUP VIIL: INSTILLING ONESELF WITH HIGHER VIRTUES 
.301 
27. Patience 
303 
28. Openness to Criticism 
311 
29. The Sight of a True Monk 
321 
30. Regular Discussion of the Dhamma 
331 
BLESSING GROUP IX.: PRACTICE FOR THE ERADICATION OF DEFILEMENTS 
.345 
31. The Practice of Austerities 
347 
32. Practising the Brahma-Faring 
357 
33. Seeing the Four Noble Truths 
371 
34. The Attainment of Nirvana 
385 
BLESSING GROUP X.: THE FRUITS OF HAVING PRACTISED UNTIL REACHING AN END OF 
35. A Mind Invulnerable to Worldly Wa litag NTS 
393 
395 
36. Sorrowlessness 
403 
37. Freedom from Subtle Defilements 
411 
38. The Blissful Mind  
421 
INDICES 
I. General Index 
425 
II. Pali Index 
449 
III. Index of Similes 
454 
IV. Index of Illustrated Examples 
456 
EFTA00286481

Preface to the First Edition 
How this book should be used 
I 
Doing that virtue so regularly that it becomes our 
Most problems in the world can be traced back to the habit 
habits of the people inhabiting the world — the things 2 
train up the people around you to practise the 
we do, say and think until having become used to it. thirty-eight blessings as their habits. The important 
These habits can either be good or bad. Supposing you conclusion we get from this three-stage process of 
have good habits, the sort of things which you do, say acquiring the thirty-eight blessings of life is that we 
and think again and again will be the things that bring need to look deeply at ourselves to see how many of 
you happiness in life — especially the habit of being the virtues we have accrued for ourselves first. We 
responsible for human dignity on a personal level, should regard ourselves as still in our infancy as far as 
human dignity of others in society and responsibility for the spiritual teachings go, and make the appropriate 
fair economics. All the thirty-eight virtues discussed in adjustments. Only when we've mastered ourselves can 
this Manual of Peace need to become our habits if they we have something to offer to the world, to reach out to 
are to be of any use to us — simply to know `about' the others as a good friend to build up a network of virtue 
virtues is of no use to us. The aim in studying this 
Manual for students of all levels should be to in society.
incorporate the virtues as their habits following the Sources used for this book 
following four stage plan: 
This book draws primarily on translated transcripts of 
eighty hours of lectures entitled Monkol Jivit given by 
in the short term to learn rules and regulations thaihe Most Ven. Phrabhavanaviriyakhun (Luang Phaw 
protect us from behaviours contrary to the virtues of the 
Dattajeevo), acting abbot of Dhammakaya Temple in 
blessings; 
Thailand in the mid-seventies to those of undergraduate 
2 
in the medium term to educate ourselves accordinggte The beauty of this lecture series was abundant use 
the information on each blessing in the text to get answers Br examples from the Buddhist scriptures and also from 
three questions about the virtue, namely: 
his own life experiences. A second major source used 
for this book, which was supposed to summarize 
materials from the first source into a short book 
• 
`what' they are (concept and definition); 
• 
`why' the Buddha taught them (why a particalignated for schoolchildren to do revision for their 
Path of Progress Ethics Quiz Contest was Ven. Maha 
behaviour was either prohibited or advocated) and; 
• 
in eve
`how' they can be put into practice 
. Somchai Thanavuddho's Monkol Jivit: Path of 
ry 
life 
Progress edition (1982). This latter gives no exam-
EFTA00286482

pies, but offers a more structured version of the 
Mangala Sutta materials, simplified in a way Asian 
people can understand. 
This text misses nothing of the core content of either 
these two sources. However, after teaching these 
materials to a group of western Buddhist newcomers in 
Belgium, there were still many questions in the 
audience's minds left unresolved. Things like respect 
and gratitude don't come as second nature to 
westerners. Not drinking alcohol requires more than a 
fleeting explanation in a western culture. The long lists 
of meritorious fruits of various virtues had to be 
replaced as far as possible by `why' rationale and where 
possible examples of the damage which can happen 
when certain virtues are neglected. The Most Ven. 
Phrabhavanaviriyakhun's Kamphi Gu Wikrit Chart 
(2000) helped to illustrate many social ills from the 
neglect of the Six Directions in this respect. Ven. Maha 
Dr. Somchai Thanavuddho's Nippon hen atta rear 
anatta 
(1999) 
almost 
completely 
replaces 
the 
explanation of Nirvana originally given in Blessing 
Thirty-four. Also some of the illustrative examples have 
been 
replaced 
if 
repeated. 
Some 
have 
been 
supplemented by western anecdotes. Where sets of 
Dhamma headings are repeated, they are usually 
described in MI at the first appearance and 
cross-referenced in subsequent appearances. Finally, 
wherever possible, illustrative examples and Dhamma 
headings have been traced back to their scriptural 
reference in the PTS Pali Buddhist Scriptures to allow 
students to cross-reference to other mainstream and 
academic Buddhist works. In finding the references and 
fuller illustrative examples, heavy use was made of 
Ven. Paiboon Dhammavipulo's Dachanee Thamm 
Chabab Monkola Soot (1997, 2000, 2002). The 
resulting version of the Manual of Peace, dubbed the 
theatsheet version' in its homepage form has been 
better received by western audiences, has had a good 
web readership and is currently being translated into 
other western languages 
Who should use this book 
This book discusses key practical virtues in a sequential 
path of Buddhist practice. As such it offers more than 
just a dry, theoretical approach to Buddhist study, but 
can actually form the basis of 
subjective practice by students. The level of difficulty 
of this book is designed for: 
• students of Buddhist studies in the upper secondary. 
In the U.K. curriculum this book would be suitable for 
students studying at Key Stages 4 
+ 5. In Scotland, for Scottish Levels SG + HS. Al-
though study of Buddhism at Key Stage 4 is 
time-limited, use of the index can help students to 
look in depth on selected aspects of the agreed sylla-
bus. At Key Stage 5, the text can be used for re-
search on project work. 
students of Buddhist Studies or Comparative 
Religion at Bachelors' or Masters' level of university. 
• 
• This book is useful supplementary reading for the 
GB102 course of the Dhammakaya Open University. 
• overseas students of the Path of Progress Ethics Quiz 
Contest 
• 
Buddhists or those interested in Buddhism 
wishing to supplement or consolidate their knowledge 
of lifestyle-related Buddhist teachings 
What does it offer to lecturers teaching these courses? 
Lecturers will find this book has a good range of 
illustrative examples and metaphors to support their 
teachings or assemblies. Scriptural references are given 
for nearly every example. 
Student learning features 
In each chapter: 
Definitions 
Links to other chapters 
References At the end of 
each chapter: 
Metaphors 
Illustrative 
Examples At 
the end of the 
buofteral index 
Pali index 
index of similes 
index of illustrative examples 
EFTA00286483

Acknowledgements 
The publication of this book was made possible only by 
the special efforts of many staff and volunteers at the 
Dhammakaya Foundation in Thailand. This includes 
most importantly the source works in the Thai language 
already mentioned by the Most Ven. 
Phrabhavanaviriyakhun, Phra Maha Dr. Somchai 
Thanavuddho and Phra Paiboon Dhammavipulo. 
Thanks also to Phra Nicholas Thanissaro who has 
translated, compiled and field tested this version of the 
text in English. That 
to Phra Jessadah Kittithano for help in tracking down 
references, to Lalita Prasertnopakhun, Peungpit 
Poopornanake & Chalom Srijarus (administrative 
assistance), Anant Kittitawesin (cover design), the 
Dhammakaya Foundation's still photography volunteers 
(colour photography), Tassin-
Sipang-Pangbaramee-Pangboon Boontang, 
Manop-Vararat-Dhitinand Kawmark, Suwachara 
S.-Thanachapom Nishiyama & Sukultra-Sabrina Cants 
(cover shoot). 
EFTA00286484

The Manual of Peace in 
Action 
Education on inner peace in the style laid before us in this 
Manual of Peace, is a must for humanity today. Modem day 
education has many shortcomings as illustrated ironically by 
the fact that the majority of today's disasters, come from 
supposedly the best educated being on this planet — namely 
the human being. The trouble with much of the curriculum 
materials taught in schools nowadays is that they ignore the 
concept of peace completely. The higher one goes in 
education, the narrower one's knowledge becomes and the 
further it becomes estranged from the concepts fundemental to 
peace. Many of the violent acts committed in the world are 
perpetrated by highly educated persons and often the victims 
are those who have received little education. 
Education for peace needs to start by imparting 
awareness of the consequences of one's own actions to 
young people — because every action, whether good or 
bad, has an effect on the doer's life and others' lives as 
well. One cannot afford to be complacent or 
irresponsible about one's actions. This is why any form 
of education which advocates certain actions by a 
student has to have considerations of the peacefulness of 
those actions built into it, in order to prevent the sort of 
misdeeds done intentionally or unintentionally that upset 
society. 
The sort of education that provides awareness of peace 
issues is known as `Inner Peace Education' (IPE). It is a 
form of education that helps us know 
ourselves better and know how to manage life properly. 
As a result, it is the key success factor behind the world 
peace that we are striving for. 
Provision of IPE is not as straightforward as 
conventional 
curriculum 
content. 
However, 
as 
compared with usual spiritual provisions in school, it 
has the advantage of not being based on belief or faith 
— but rather experience and evidence. It is based on 
practical knowledge. It's applied knowledge that offers 
each person an individual approach to true happiness 
regardless of race, nationality, religion, culture or 
occupation. It is knowledge that can form a firm 
foundation to any other form of academic knowledge to 
guarantee that the applications of that knowledge are for 
peace. It is self-education that you can start upon 
anytime, anywhere (for as long as you are still a human 
being!) — and can be practised throughout the day 
alongside our regular daily activities in order to increase 
our efficiency and effectiveness. It maximises the 
efficiency of our time management, rather than being a 
burden on our time — if a certain period of time each 
day is allocated to it. It needs no formal classroom, and 
demands no tuition fees either! 
However, more than conventional education, it 
demands time, concentration, perseverance, tolerance 
and goodwill. These are qualities which are too easily 
eroded away by materialism. It is only students who are 
determined and motivated who can succeed in their 
studies of IPE. IPE is not yet 
EFTA00286485

of it are not 
it is evaluated 
icult to 
for pioneering 
of expertise in 
pie who realize 
.e and who are 
)
2 obstacles that 
e of peace and 
bias which are 
tnd religion —
can really start 
Thus although 
:mphasizes key 
iffercnces. It is 
every child's 
idea of IPE is 
be erased by 
ild's character, 
han emotional 
a 
sense of 
rogress% Teachers =tot and dearest, 
Teachers' round of the 'Path of P 
become familiar with IPE materials & Issues before beingnment. To be 
able to communicate peace values before being able 10:d into learning 
communicate them effectively to their students. 
715padailafast-have made no small contribution to peace in the world community — I 
activities urviractict tit pacer. Dying tomtits
children too &MI 
pil sApet &te  sisal 
apt?
micistaxithentaiiyndfaifehmenhe vibitalogrebtalfrigaiiiiceneoccs, celebratin 
similarities an 
omsysghualt 
c cact roatjnrcisr pfiarisis c in life. become familiar with IPE materials ee issues before being able 
ei 
' 
co communicate peace values before being abk to communicate 
them effectively to their students. 
Youngsters, parents and teachers alike like to participate 
actively in peace education projects as participants and 
organizers and also form an active network of peace 
volunteers throughout Thailand down to the present 
day, generation by generation through word-of-mouth. 
It is important that before becoming organizers and 
teachers of such programs that they first understand 
peace and means of nonviolent conflict resolution 
themselves — under this proviso, the organizers can 
even be older children organizing activities for their 
younger fellows. 
During the history of the 'Path of Progress' Ethics Quiz 
Contest, the scale of participation has grown from one 
person to a small team then a larger and larger one. 
Over the last thirty years, the lives of total of over 
twenty million young people in 
Thailand have been touched by the IPE curriculum 
PATH OF PROGRESS ETHICS QUIZ CONTEST 
The main learning activity for implementing IPE 
amongst young people is the so-called 'Path of 
Progress' Ethics Quiz Contest which has been held 
nationwide every year in Thailand since 1982. The aim 
of the project is to bring children's ethical development 
to higher levels resulting in positive behavioral changes 
in a way that is relevant to those 
EFTA00286486

Interreligious participation in the 'Path of Progress'. 
Christians, Buddhists tt Moslems take the teachers round of 
the 'Path of Progress' so that they can accurately pass on the 
IPE concepts to their schoolchildren. 
Interreligious participation in the 'Path of Progress'. 
Christians, Buddhists & Moslems take the teachers' round of 
the 'Path of Progress' so that they can accurately pass on the 
IPE concepts to their schoolchildren. 
of all nationalities, races and religions. The 'Path of 
Progress' shares the same curriculum of the 
Thirty-Eight Blessings of Life described in this Manual 
of Peace. The number of participants started with 382 in 
1982 and rose in 2002 to four million from 13,000 
educational institutes — ranging from kindergartens, 
universities, police and military colleges — students and 
teachers alike from all over Thailand. The winners of the 
contest receive plaques of distinction from H.M. the King 
of Thailand and representatives of many international 
organizations. Besides honorary plaques, winners are 
granted scholarships and certificates for their success in 
each category. 
Case Histories of Schools Participating in the Path 
of Progress IPE Scheme 
Suteetorn Kindergarten, Nakorn Prathom, Thailand. 
"We find that the teachings of the 'Path of 
Progress' programme eminently suitable to the 
curriculum at our school. The 'Path of Progress' 
program helps students realize the value of 
morality. Students can also adapt these morals to 
practice in their daily lives. The Home of Peace 
program (see p.16) focuses more on the practices of 
the learners, so students can really practice 
what they have learned. This is the reason why 
both programs are so beneficial for our school. At 
the beginning, we taught the Manual of Peace to small 
groups of students. As years went by, more students got 
interested, so we had to change the workshop format into 
assemblies. We had such an assembly each day for the 
students from first to sixth grade. Furthermore, our 
school has many activities that are involved with morals 
and ethics. For example, the school will let the students 
meditate along to an audio cassette of meditation 
instruction. The students usually attend Buddhist 
services and practise meditation afterwards. Later, the 
students have their own group discussions to analyze and 
comment about how they can improve their virtues. 
Kindergarten infants, do not join the assembly, but 
they will have a homeroom teacher. Most of the time, 
the teacher focuses on meditation practice. The 
teaching for them makes heavier use of illustrations to 
overcome their reading difficulties. Also, they seem 
to enjoy looking at the pictures too. We once had a 
boy named Pruchya. He had received an 'Olympic' 
gold medal for winning a math contest. In all his 
interviews, Pruchya said that he always wishes to be a 
virtuous person rather than being merely a smart one. 
From listening to his interview, it made us really 
proud to see that he had lived up to our ideals of a 
good student. In my opinion too, to be a virtuous 
child is more important than to be an intelligent 
one because at least virtuous people can co-exist 
peacefully in the world. If a person is endowed 
with self-discipline, they have the potential to 
develop intelligence and have a successful future. 
When the youth have morality in their hearts, they 
can differentiate what is right or wrong. They have 
awareness of the consequences of every action they 
do. Therefore they perform good deeds for the 
benefit of themselves, society and the world." 
Headmistress 
EFTA00286487

School Track Record: 
to Grade 6 have• 
3,800 high school students from Grade 7-12 
Contest every yejoining the `Path of Progress' Ethics Quiz Contest every 
year from 1983 to present; 
school category for 
first prize in the team category for seven years 
running from 1993-9; 
earn category for 
first prize in the individual and team categories 
for the 19th contest. 
of Education as • 
first prize in the secondary school team 
dents' 
category in 2002. 
Thailand 
`Path of 
valuate the 
'ng the 
our students 
ver, when I 
, the Manual 
y with 
ter teaching 
uddha's 
teachings. I felt that 1 had become a better person 
morally as well as spiritually. ' I think one of the 
reasons has to do with the fact that I am teaching 
Manual of Peace to the students. I mean, can you 
imagine a person managing to teach Manual of Peace 
without understanding moral or ethics themselves? I 
couldn't be like that. So I felt like my attitude towards 
life has completely changed because of this book. The 
most rewarding thing I have witnessed is to be able to 
transfer my knowledge about how to conduct good 
deeds to my students. I try to put the basic teaching 
from Manual of Peace into all of my mainstream 
lessons." One single teacher's effort, inspired senior 
students to organize a tutorial activity of peace for their 
juniors. Finally it became the most popular club 
amongst ow students." 
Sompong Hunsadee: Coordinating Teacher 
Recovery of a former drug-addict 
"Ever since I was born, the person I remembered 
seeing the most is my mother. She always taught me 
to be a good person and to do good things to others 
as well. Well, you may think I would probably turn 
out to be just like 
Qualified teachers instruct their students. Teachers need to 
be role models of IPP.. and knowledgable of its concepts to 
instil virtuous habits in their students. 
EFTA00286488

Student 'Path of Progress' Examinations take place throughout Thailand. Each year more than four million students 
throughout 'Thailand participate in the qualifying round of the 'Path of Progress' Ethics Quiz Contest at countless provincial 
centres supeniscd by I BS volunteers. 
other kids but it's not so. 
It started when I was in high school. I had a big 
argument with my teacher and therefore, I decided to 
drop-out. I thought school was not necessary any 
more. Instead of helping my mother, I started to go 
out every night with my friends. I knew my mother 
worried about me but I thought I could take care of 
myself. 
One night when I went to a friend 's house, one 
night, he showed me a small pill that looked like a 
painkiller. Curious and ignorant as I was, I decided 
to have my first contact with drugs. After that, I 
became addicted to drugs and had to steal money in 
order to buy them daily. At last, I became the drug 
dealer myself. At that time, I had no choice. 
However, I was caught by police and was sent to a 
juvenile court. My mother then bailed me out from 
the juvenile prison. The first thing I 
asked her was, "Why did you help me, Mom?" My 
mother did not say much. Just the sight of tears in 
her eyes had already killed me. All she said was, "I 
love you. I can forgive and will always do so, son." 
After that day, I decided to stop doing all the bad 
things and avoided getting back into the vicious 
circle again. 
I decided to go back to school in order to avoid 
probation. Though I knew that I didn't want to hurt 
my mother's feelings any more, my subconscious 
still tempted me to sell drugs to my classmates. 
There was a big fight in my mind between the good 
and bad sides. I did not know what to do. 
Fortunately, when I was at the point of relapse, my 
teacher persuaded me to join ethics quiz contest 
called 'The Path of Progress'. At first, I saw no 
point in participating in such a program. Then she 
gave me a reference book 
EFTA00286489

I
-. 
- 
yself for a 
s!`A- 
. 
)ugh it. 
mr 
re 
content the 
; point of my 
, my teachers, 
ve way. I was 
;. to choose 
'self in and to 
,ople. 
attempted to 
ad things. I 
my mother in 
other and I 
at school and 
in the various 
t you' to the 
ny life. They 
. I will try to 
L 
:epic in my 
pie who are 
Interreligious participation in the 'Path of Progress'rot know how 
Christians, Buddhists & Moslems take the teachers' round of 
the 'Path of Progress' so that they can accurately pass on tete light at the 
In concepts to their schoolchildren. 
I ho ilia% day, the IBS is an umbrella organization of university students all over 1 
who sacrifice thihetketil!WafiaatihteilticliVANVINATIor youth.IlibeictigurasvialicipsotheofrthhcdalirtatitArcImmialeork and devotion o 
all-volunteer staff, many of whom are former participants in IBS activitia19104.1S ihttltnitraft Mo:tihalerltilitttlititSelSetiftirrgttft4O19. 5,000 activt 
members in 2003. Most IBS activities are based on the concept of promagiathRfecaUeheloikEcY can accurately pass on the 
Mr. Visarut Komkaew Bang 
wirconcepts to their schoolchildren. 
Luang Vithaya High School 
Dhammakaya Foundation — a United 
Nakorn Pathom, Thailand 
Nations-accredited Non-Governmental Organization 
This is the true testimony written by one participant of 
the Path of Progress Ethics Quiz Contest. After 
receiving this letter in 2000, the IBS interviewed him 
when he was in Grade 12 and had been elected as 
president of the student committee. 
THE INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST SOCIETY 
The main coordinator of IPE in Thailand is the 
International Buddhist Society (IBS). IBS was 
established by a 1960 Alumni of Kasetsart University, 
Bangkok. After graduation, he took ordination as a 
Buddhist monk. At present, he is the Most Venerable 
Phrarajabhavanavisudh (Chaiboon Dhammajayo), 
President of the 
(NGO) associated with the Department of Public 
Information (DPI). The founder's compassionate 
mission in setting up the IBS was to further public 
awareness of ethical issues, particularly in the youth. 
EFTA00286490

Thai royalty a International organizations award 
plaques. Whiners of 'Path of Progress' championships in 
the various categories receive plaques and scholarships from 
the King of Thailand and numerous international 
organizations. 
IBS has become 
through a variety of peace education programs in Thai society. 
IBS ACTIVITIES 
IBS activities are divided into two major levels — the 
elementary and the advanced. 
On the elementary level, it aims to instill the normal inner 
peace core values in a child's mind. In order to prepare them 
for more advanced levels of study when they grow up. Such 
standards will translate into a child's behaviours and become 
his own second nature. It's a self- generated rather than an 
imposed discipline. That's why IPE has long tenn beneficial 
effects on its students. On the advanced level, meditation by 
students consolidates the process of IPE in the long run. 
Meditation is a good catalyst, because it helps youth see and 
understand themselves better, know their own needs and serve 
those needs in a more productive way. The IBS see IPE as 
lifelong education. 
The main learning activities at the elementary level, 
used by the IBS is the 'Path of Progress' Ethics Quiz 
Contest' and the Home of Peace' (HOP). 
These two projects have about 4 million students 
participating annually throughout Thailand and receive 
cooperation from 13,000 schools and educational 
institutions. 
The 'Path of Progress' provides students with a peace manual 
for students to study as an extracurricular activity and an 
annual contest to compete in. Winners in each category 
receive honorific plaques, certificates and scholarships to 
motivate and stimulate their interest. By reading the Manual 
of Peace different topics will capture each student's 
imagination according to their disposition. It will guide them 
to see the good and bad sides of their own character and 
motivate them to want to improve themselves become more 
productive. They transform by means of internally derived 
discipline, rather than discipline needing to be imposed from 
94iler ThsfrFilmitvytiiilfi EffeelbiblifflitsalAciffenitile in promoting 
more responsible person. 
The 'Path of Progress' is complemented by a second 
project called the 'Home of Peace' — especially to 
supplement younger childrens' understanding of peace 
— to see if they differentiate peace and non-peace in 
their daily lives. The project provides a 'diary of peace' 
for the children to write down their own good deeds and 
good deeds done toward their parents, teachers and 
extended family. Since any deeds done every day can 
become habits, the IBS seeks to value to overlook a 
child's seemingly insignificant good deeds because 
these might be the root cause of their success in the 
future. Every child tends to have his or her own hero. If 
their hero is a worthy role model, it will inspire them to 
become a virtuous global citizen. On the contrary, with a 
negative role model, they can become public enemy 
no. 1. In this respect, adults play an important role in 
presenting a model of peace to the young people around 
them. By reading, writing and practising peace every 
day, with the co-operation of parents and school, IPE 
will eventually become a child's second nature allowing 
them to respond to every situation by peaceful means. 
For young people who show their readiness to 
EFTA00286491

learn at the advanced level, there are a father three 
study and practice spiritual values incorporated into their 
projects: 
daily routine to make sure that improved habits are 
• 
Leadership Training Program: this scheme attracts properly instilled and that those habits will survive the 
young people by providing advanced IPE training in 
transfer back to daily life when they return to their 
personality enhancement, public speaking, meditation and 
everyday life. 
social affirmation — and it is these young people who go on 
to become `supervisor' volunteers who organize the 'Path of Ladies, Dhammadayada Training Scheme: the 
Progress' throughout Thailand annually. 
Ladies version of the Dhammadayada training is as 
• 
Dhammadayada Ordination Scheme: During theintensive in IPE concepts as that of the gentlement, but 
Ordination Scheme, the IPE used includes Buddhist teachiM  'riciparits are not required to ordain as nuns. 
made relevant to the needs of young men in Thai society. This 
activity is rooted in the Thai tradition that when a man reaches 
the age of twenty he should take temporary ordination as aAt the advanced level, IPE projects seek to train 
Buddhist monk for a period to learn spiritual values first heersitY students who can act as organizers of IPE 
This course comprises two months of intense study of IPE Project managers themselves. It is because of the 
Participants 
trainees of these sort of courses that the IBS has 
managed to run activities such as the 'Path of Progress' 
continuously now for more than twenty years. The 
unifying feature of the advanced projects for IPE is an 
increased emphasis on meditation. 
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Abbreviations 
A. Alguttara NikAya (PTS Edition) AA. ManorathaptraAE Alguttara NikAya 
Commentary (PTS Edition) Ap. ApadAna (PTS Edition) 
D. DEgha NikAya (PTS Edition) DA. Sumaigala VilAsinE - DEgha NikAya 
Commentary (PTS Edition) Dh. Dhammapada (PTS Edition) DhA. Dhammapada 
Commentary (PTS Edition) DhSA. AtthasAlinE DhammasalgaAE Commentary (PTS 
Edition) It. Itivuttaka (PTS Edition) 
J. JAtaka (PTS Edition) KhpA. KhuddakapAEha Commentary 
(PTS Edition) 
M. Majjhima NikAya (PTS Edition) MA. Papatica StdanE - Majjhima NikAya 
Commentary (PTS Edition) MT. MahAvaOsa-TEkA 
Milindapailha (PTS Edition) 
MNidA. MahA Niddesa Commentary (PTS Edition) Nd 
MahA Niddesa (PTS Edition) 
2 
[gala Niddesa (PTS Edition) 
Nd'A. CEla Niddesa Commentary (PTS Edition) 
PsA. PaEisambhidAmagga Commentary (PTS Edition) 
PTS Pali Text Society of London 
S. SaOyutta NikAya (PTS Edition) SA. SAratthappakAsinE - SaOyutta NikAya 
Commentary (PTS Edition) SadS. Saddhammasalgaha (P.T.S. Journal 1890) SN. Sutta 
NipAta (PTS Edition) SNA. Sutta NipAta Commentary (PTS Edition) ThagA. 
TherAgathA Commentary (PTS Edition) Ud. UdAna (PTS Edition) Vbh. Vibhanga (PTS 
Edition) Vin. Vinaya (PTS Edition) Vism. Visuddhimagga (PTS Edition) Vv. 
VimAnavatthu (PTS Edition) VvA. VimAnavatthu Commentary (PTS Edition) 
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Orientation 
A. INTRODUCTION 
Welcome to the Manual of Peace. This orientation 
deals with the principles of ethical study and the value 
of the Thirty-Eight Blessings contained in this manual. 
The Manual of Peace contains subject matter which is 
not difficult — indeed it is very popular in Thailand 
especially amongst school children where over 
4,000,000 annually take examinations in it. In schools 
where vocational subjects rob the curriculum of more 
and more time previously dedicated for spiritual 
studies, the Thirty-Eight Blessings have been forming 
an extra-curricular recompense in spiritual studies for 
children in Thailand since 1982. 
A.1 Why mud). spiritual knowledge ? 
The first question that comes to mind for many people 
studying this book is to ask why academic or material 
knowledge is not sufficient to get by in the world. If a 
full stomach and a place to sleep were enough to keep 
the human happy then we wouldn't have to go to the 
trouble of studying about ethics or about spirituality. 
However, for every human being, there is something 
deeper inside us which is always searching for the 
answers to questions on a deeper level — something 
which seeks for purpose and meaning in the life we live 
and the world around us. If supporting yourself were all 
there was to life then certainly millionnaires would be 
the happiest people on earth. Unfortunately wealth can 
only buy physical comfort — money cannot buy 
the means to nurture or nourish the mind. For all our 
qualifications and diplomas we might have, none of 
them can guarantee us against hunger of the mind. On 
the contrary, the irresponsible people may use their 
cunning to do more heinous crimes than they would do 
if they weren't educated. Thus worldly education 
cannot guarantee us a happy life or guarantee that we 
will not end up in jail. This is why we make the 
distinction between worldly and spiritual knowledge —
because spiritual knowledge properly studied can 
guarantee that we will not be put in jail — it is not only 
something to fill up our brains — it has transformative 
power to upgrade the way we think, speak and act. 
In the ideal world, our system of education would give 
us the answers we need to the questions inside 
ourselves, but in practice, the secular education doesn't 
manage to fill this gap — and maybe, even if it were to 
try, it could not — because in some way the personal 
quest 
is 
part of the 
process of acquiring 
knowledge.Thus we are forced to look for the answers 
from alternative sources. 
A.2 Fashion and Universal Values 
Many things can affect our spiritual progress. Some-
times it can be people, objects, attitudes, situations or 
experiences we come across in the world. However, for 
most things, the worth or uselessness of an experience 
is just a matter of opinion. Are there things then that 
have a universally uplifting effect on people's lives —
that are more than just a mat-
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ter of opinion? 
Take present day trademarks which are accepted as status 
symbols by everyone as an example — Mercedes, Adidas —
really such companies should pay us to advertise their products, 
but on the contrary we pay more for a T-shirt with the trademark 
for the privilege of associating ourselves with the trademark. Why 
should this be? We feel that associating ourselves with such a 
symbol somehow improves our own worth. Sometimes we feel 
that the worth of these things is unchanging, but in fact from age 
to age these values change according to fashion. In times gone by, 
people thought in the same way. but they didn't call these things 
'brand marketing'. or 'trademarks, they called them 'lucky 
charms' — but again they liked to associate with them as a way 
of improving their worth or fostering progress in their lives. We 
still have lucky charms in the present day — things like lucky 
horseshoes or four-leaf clovers, but their role is diminished if 
compared to olden times. In olden times the role of charms was 
much more significant. 
Systems of spiritual knowledge are attempts by men to 
model the values of the world in a way according to 
unchanging universal values — ways to recognize the 
things that improve our worth in ways that are eternal 
and don't differ from person to person. Many bodies of 
knowledge exist in the world to help us in this respect. 
They differ in their degree of comprehensiveness. The 
ideal body of knowledge for us to leant from would 
perhaps be one with the following characteristics: 
Facilitating Practical Outlook giving a clear place 
to start with problems — not just theory or philosophy; 
• 
Transcending Values allowing us to rise above 
mundane and petty values; 
• 
Highlighting Opposites giving us clear "curses" to 
avoid as well as positive things to aim for. 
There are many systems of spiritual values which fall 
short of these criteria. Some systems lead to spiritual 
exclusivity and even wars against those of other beliefs 
which are values no longer suitable for an age of 
globalization and tolerance. Some systems lead their 
practitioner to shut themselves away from the world and 
to ignore social problems. Some systems confine 
themselves to their own culture or language. 
B. THE MANUAL OF PEACE 
B.1 Historical Origins of the Manual of Peace 
The Blessings of Life which make up the Manual of 
Peace are interesting because they seem to answer to all 
the characteristics specified above. They grew up in 
response to just the same type of debate over universal 
values mentioned in the introduction. In fact, even from 
ancient times, men had values — but at a certain time in 
the past 2,500 years ago in India a group of people 
started to wonder whether there was anything deeper 
behind the fashions — were there symbols of worth that 
transcended fashion? What sort of charms could 
possibly allow one to live without obstacles'. 
Supposing one wanted wealth, honour, praise and 
happiness, how could one ensure that one received just 
Progressive & Sequential something which leadsthat? There was such a debate ensuing from this 
you step by step from simple to more complex; 
question, over which everybody seemed to have a 
Self-Catalysing creating its own motivation and different point of view. To generalize the debators 
enthusiasm to pursue it as you go along; 
divided themselves into three main camps: 
• 
Exhaustive being applicable to all aspects of life; 
• 
Holistic perhaps dealing with problems not just by 
symptoms but in their entirety; 
• 
Multi-level working on personal, interpersonal, 
family, social and global levels equally well; 
• 
Non-discriminatory being equally applicable to 
those of all cultures; 
• 
Multi-Factorial being able to deal not just with 
simple problems but with those with many contributing 
factors; 
The first group believed that the thing to make one's life 
a blessing was to see something that was `pleasing'. 
2. 
The second group believed that the thing to make one's 
life a blessing was to hear something that was 'pleasing'. 
3. 
The third group believed that the thing to make one's life 
a blessing was the mood in the mind 
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