The Development of Systematic Thinking Based on a Buddhist Approach in the 21st Century

Abstract

The research entitled “The Development of Systematic Thinking Based on a Buddhist Approach in the 21st Century” has three objectives: 1) To study the problems of systematic thinking in the 21st century 2) To study the Buddhist principle for the development of systematic thinking in the 21st century and 3) To study the development of systematic thinking based on a Buddhist approach in the 21st century. This is mixed research implementing the quantitative, qualitative and documentary methods. The quantitative research was focused on the international students from IBSC, MCU who are thirty-eight in total, which the instrument used in this research was questionnaires. The statistics for data analysis were descriptive by using frequency, percentage, mean, assumptions by testing values (t-test) and one-way analysis of variance (One way ANOVA-test). The difference of mean was tested by means of the least significant difference. The qualitative research was conducted by the in-depth interviews with five key informants from five countries. The data which collected from in-debt interviews with key informants will be qualitatively analyzed and synthetized to obtain the effective process coping with the problem desired to know. For the documentary research the materials were collected from primary sources and secondary sources, there was analysis and synthesis of the data collected for a set of body of knowledge to integrate with the development of systems thinking. The research findings reveal that according to the section of “The Problems of Systematic Thinking in the 21st Century” the overall mean was at 4.16. In section on “A Buddhist Approach for the Development of Systematic Thinking in the 21st Century” theoverall mean found at 4.09. Regarding the section on “Systematic Thinking Based on Investigation of Causes and Conditions” the overall mean was at 4.02. In section on “Systematic thinking Based on Advantages, Disadvantages, and the Solution” obtained the overall mean at 4.10. In section on “Systematic thinking Based on the Genuine and Counterfeit Value of Things” found the overall mean at 4.11. In section on “Systematic thinking Based on Inducing Wholesomeness” obtained the overall mean at 4.12. By all of the above Means, the respondents have a level of agreement at “Somewhat agree.” But in the section of “The Buddhist Principle for the Development of Systematic Thinking” the overall mean was at 4.21, this shown that the respondents have a level of agreement at “Strongly agree” Besides, groups of people who strongly agree with “The problems of systematic thinking in the 21st century” were 31-40-year-old females, 51-year-old and over, who are studying for an M.A. degree. There was no difference in opinion on such problems of systematic thinking between gender, age, and educational level. The groups of people who strongly agree with “The Buddhist principle for the development of systematic thinking in the 21st century” were 21-40-year-old females, 51-year-old and over, who studying for an M.A. and Ph.D. There was no difference in opinion on it between gender, age and educational level. The groups of people who strongly agree on “A Buddhist approach for the development of systematic thinking in the 21st century” were females, aged 51 years and over, and studying for an M.A. degree. There was no difference in opinion on it between age and education level. There were gender differences in opinions on “A Buddhist approach for the development of systematic thinking in the 21st century”. Females agreed more than males at a significance level of 0.05.