Buddhist Monk, Buddhist Layman: A Study of Urban Monastic Organization in Central Thailand

The book begins with an introduction to the Thai social system and then develops a detailed analysis of the monk’s role, monastic discipline, ordination, status, and everyday practice. It proceeds to examine the lay community, the organization of the wat, and the social matrix connecting temples, monks, lay patrons, ritual obligations, and merit-making ceremonies. Later chapters focus on the role of the Buddhist layman and the broader urban religious structure, including the economic and social functions of temples, patterns of support, ceremonial exchanges, and the relationship between institutional Buddhism and local community life. The appendices provide case histories, survey results, monastic qualifications, examination results, income and expenditure data, and statistics on selected monasteries in Ayutthaya.