Abstract

The purposes of this study are threefold: (1) to study Sati and Sampajañña teaching in Theravāda Buddhist scriptures, (2) to study the problem conditions on aircraft of Thai Airways flight attendants, and (3) to study how to apply Sati and Sampajañña to improve problem solving skills of Thai Airways flight attendants.

Document research, descriptive method, and in-depth interview were used for this study. The researcher have searched the information about Sati and Sampajañña teaching in Theravada Buddhist scriptures from Tipiṭaka, commentary, books, and other related researches. For the descriptive method, the in-depth interview was conducted with a selected sample from a purposive population of Thai Airways flight attendants. The samples are five female and five male flight attendants.

      The result shows that the flight attendants who have practiced meditation according to the ‘Mahasatipatthāna Sutta’ are followed the Buddhist teaching and engaged in mind development. The aim of mind development is to be able to release from defilement and desire. The ‘Mahasatipatthāna Sutta’ is the only direct way that leads to liberation. This is done by practicing mindfulness as regards the body, feelings, thoughts, and ideas which are called Kāyānupassanā, Vedanānupassanā, Cittānupassanā, Dhammā-nupassanā respectively.

The result of practicing meditation according to the ‘Mahasatipatthāna Sutta’ shows that the practitioners have gained self development. The comparison between before and after practicing meditation shows that the practitioners have gained self control, be able to compose oneself on task upfront, understand other people, flexible mind set, stable and longer concentration which leads to intellectual development and be able to solve the problems in daily life. The effective result of practicing meditation regularly shows that the practitioners have gained loving-kindness toward others by joining in social work as a volunteer spirit which resulted in positive benefit of happiness including oneself, family, and friends.