3 research outputs found
World lover, world leaver: the Book of Ecclesiastes and Thai Buddhism
Get PDFThe Book of Ecclesiastes is unique. This suggests that Qohelet's thought is
not, as some scholars have maintained, dependent on other thinkers of his time.
Qohelet interacts with and challenges wisdom tradition and other contemporary beliefs.
His theology is not limited to Israelite religion. His concern is universal and not
confined to the people of Israel. Although Qohelet does not interact directly with the
teachings of the Buddha, this thesis argues that the theological content of Ecclesiastes
can be profitably studied in comparison with Buddhism. Though the Buddha and
Qohelet are separated from each other by time, geography and culture, they share a
common focus on human suffering-dukkha in Pali, hebel in Hebrew. The Buddha
maintains that desire is the primary cause of human suffering; Qohelet sees it as
deriving from various causes, including human limitations, and the unpredictability of
life.The Buddha looks for a way to end human suffering, recognising that if human
beings continue to be reborn in the world, they will continue to suffer. He then
suggests that human beings should break the cycle of rebirth (kamma) and seek
nibbana or the state of emptiness. This state can be reached through strenuous
meditation. Qohelet, on the other hand, believes that God has created this world with a
definite plan; however, humans lack the capacity to understand the present events of the
world and are unable to predict the future. Qohelet advises human beings to enjoy life
on a day-to-day basis, rather than hope for a better future. While admitting that there
are many unpleasant things in this world, Qohelet still loves living in it. He is much
more in and of this world than is the Buddha. Seeing that the pleasant things in this
world are transitory (anicca) and illusory, the Buddha decided to leave the world
behind. Qohelet is the world lover. The Buddha is the world leaver.This thesis has three main parts. Part one discusses the nature of the Book of
Ecclesiastes in detail. Beginning with a general review of scholarly opinion on the
book, the discussion continues with the status of its author, its audiences, its style and
language, its structure and purposes. Though these discussions are not used in the
comparison, they are important for understanding Qohelet's thought. Two chapters
which are essential for the later comparison include a discussion of the key words of
the book and its main teachings. Part two provides the history of Theravada Buddhism
in Thailand and discusses the main concepts of Buddhism, including kamma, anicca,
dukkha, anattd, meditation, arahant and nibbana. Part three compares the two
traditions. A detailed comparison is undertaken in the following areas: Qohelet's
understanding of God and the Law of Kamma, the theological implication of Hebel
and Dukkha, Observation and Meditation as ways of encountering the world, the Sages
and Arahants as interpreters, Work and Merit-making as human activities, and Joy and
Nibbana as responses to what humankind has been given.This thesis aims to help Thai Christians to find some common ground for
dialogue with Thai Buddhists and to open up the much-neglected area of Jewish-Buddhist dialogue
Irish Self-Portraits: The Artist in Curved Mirrors
No full textInternational audienceThough Ireland can pride itself on its national self-portrait collection, housed at the University of Limerick, very little research has been done on self-portrayal in Irish literature and visual arts. This absence of scientific investigation is all the more surprising as, as Marie Bourke observes, “self-portrayal is a complex act. The private nature of the task, and the intensity of self-scrutiny that it entails, has challenged artists through the ages. It’s not just a question of self-examination, but a process recording a likeness, the depiction of a psychological state, or social status, or the representation of abstract ideas” (Marie Bourke, Exploring Art at the National Gallery, Dublin, National Gallery of Ireland, 1997, p. 35). Self-portraiture admittedly is a probing endeavor but cannot be a straightforward representation since it requires the use of a mirror. A dim light, expressive eyes or a focus on the face may be the hallmarks of a confession. But there is much more to a self-portrait than meets the eye –be it the eye of the artist him/herself or the viewer’s or the reader’s: “The conception of the self-portrait as a privileged insight into an authentic truth has, like all interpretation, been opened up to more demanding and nuanced scrutiny,” William Gallagher notes (Introduction to William Gallagher, The National Self-Portrait Collection of Ireland, volume 2 1989-1999, University of Limerick Press, 2006). If “a self-portrait is a purely personal commitment” inviting readers or viewers to “witness an intimate discovery” (Preface to Sarah Finlay, The National Self-Portrait Collection of Ireland, volume 1 1979-1989, University of Limerick Press, 1989, p. 10), such an image is not to be blindly trusted. Artists stage their own identities and persona, playing with fame and the artist’s personableness, showing disrespect, or disregarding conventions and mores. The mirror in which the artist beholds him/herself is therefore often a curved one. This volume of Études Irlandaises (Volume 43.1) seeks to scrutinize the diverging strategies that lie at the core of self-portraiture.Together with an introduction by Fintan Cullen, author of The Irish Face. Redefining the Irish Portrait (London, National Portrait Gallery, 2004), Volume 43.1 includes chapters on Samuel Beckett, Derek Mahon, Paul Durcan, Paul Muldoon, eighteenth-century self-portraiture, Erskine Nicol, Seán Keating, Amanda Coogan and Helena Walsh
การพัฒนาผู้ปฏิบัติงานในธุรกิจอุตสาหกรรมยานยนต์และชิ้นส่วนกลุ่มวิสาหกิจขนาดกลางและขนาดย่อมในยุค 4.0The Workforce Development in the Automotive Industry and Auto Parts in Small and Medium Enterprises in the 4.0 Era
No full textบทความวิจัยนี้ มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษา ความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับการพัฒนาผู้ปฏิบัติงานในธุรกิจอุตสาหกรรมยานยนต์และชิ้นส่วน และ ระดับความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับการพัฒนาผู้ปฏิบัติงานในธุรกิจอุตสาหกรรมยานยนต์และชิ้นส่วนกลุ่มวิสาหกิจขนาดกลางและขนาดย่อมในยุค 4.0 เป็นการวิจัยแบบผสมผสาน เชิงคุณภาพและเชิงปริมาณ โดยการสัมภาษณ์ผู้ประกอบการและใช้แบบสอบถามพนักงานในตำแหน่งหัวหน้างาน สถิติที่ใช้ในการวิเคราะห์ข้อมูล ได้แก่ การวิเคราะห์ค่าร้อยละ ค่าเฉลี่ย ส่วนเบี่ยงเบนมาตรฐาน ผลการวิจัย ความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับการพัฒนาผู้ปฏิบัติงานในธุรกิจอุตสาหกรรมยานยนต์และชิ้นส่วน พบว่า 1) ด้านการคิดอย่างมีระบบ ผู้ปฏิบัติงานสามารถระบุได้ถึงผลกระทบของปัญหาที่จะเกิดขึ้น 2) ด้านความสามารถส่วนบุคคล ผู้ปฏิบัติงานสามารถทำงานให้สำเร็จได้ตามมาตรฐานที่กำหนด 3) ด้านรูปแบบการคิดผู้ปฏิบัติงานหากจะให้องค์กรเจริญเติบโตควรจะมีการรับฟังข้อเสนอแนะและความคิดเห็นจากผู้อื่น 4) ด้านการมีวิสัยทัศน์ร่วม ผู้ปฏิบัติงานมองว่าคนเราจะเรียนรู้ได้ต้องเกิดจากการตระหนักของตนเอง และ 5) ด้านการเรียนรู้ทีมงาน ผู้ปฏิบัติงานเห็นว่าเมื่อมีคนเข้ามาใหม่ท่านจะเป็นผู้เริ่มทักทายทำความรู้จัก สำหรับผลการวิจัยระดับความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับการพัฒนาผู้ปฏิบัติงานในธุรกิจอุตสาหกรรมยานยนต์และชิ้นส่วนโดยภาพรวมอยู่ในระดับมาก เมื่อพิจารณาในแต่ละด้าน พบว่า ด้านความสามารถส่วนบุคคล และด้านการเรียนรู้ทีมงานอยู่ในระดับมากที่สุด ส่วนด้านการคิดอย่างมีระบบ ด้านรูปแบบการคิด และ ด้านการมีวิสัยทัศน์ร่วมอยู่ในระดับมากThe objective of this research paper is to study opinions on the workforce development in the automotive and parts industry, as well as the level of opinions on the development of operators in the automotive and parts industries of small and medium-sized enterprises in the 4.0 era. It is a mixed-methods study, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, involving interviews with entrepreneurs and the distribution of employee questionnaires to supervisory positions. Statistical analysis techniques utilized include percentage analysis, averaging, and standard deviation. In the results, regarding opinions on the development of practitioners in the automotive and parts industry, it was found that systems thinking enables operators to determine the impact of potential problems, personal mastery facilitates meeting required standards, mental models suggest that operators should heed suggestions and opinions from others for organizational thriving, shared vision allows practitioners to perceive learning through self-awareness, and team learning encourages practitioners to warmly welcome and acquaint themselves with new arrivals. Regarding the findings, the overall level of opinion on the development of operators in the automotive and parts industry is notably high. Upon closer examination of each aspect, it was observed that personal mastery and team learning scored highest, while systems thinking, mental models, and shared vision were also rated at a high level
