Dasavidha-rājadhamma and Peace-Oriented Leadership in Thai Institutions: The RĀJA-PEACE Model for Fair, Transparent, and Bias-Reduced Governance

Abstract

This article synthesizes the Theravāda Buddhist framework of dasavidha-rājadhamma (the Ten Royal Virtues) as a system-level model for peace-oriented leadership in contemporary Thai institutions. It addresses current governance challenges legitimacy of authority, contested fairness and transparency in decision-making, and the institutional penetration of bias (agati) by employing a documentary research and conceptual synthesis approach. The study prioritizes recent scholarship (2020–2025) while grounding the discussion in the Theravāda tradition that conceptualizes dasavidha-rājadhamma as ten leadership virtues: generosity, morality, self-sacrifice, honesty, gentleness, self-discipline, non-anger, non-violence, forbearance, and uprightness. The synthesis argues that dasavidha-rājadhamma becomes operational in modern administration when translated into three institutional capacities: (1) inner restraint and emotion governance (tapa–akkodha–khanti), (2) accountable integrity and legal-rational consistency (sīla–ājjava–avirodhana), and (3) a non-harming organizational culture that builds trust (dāna–pariccāga–maddava–avihiṃsā). This translation aligns with Buddhist good-governance scholarship that explicitly links the “rule of law” to avirodhana and the “four biases” (agati 4) as safeguards for governing by Dhamma.

The article proposes the RĀJA-PEACE model Restraint, Accountable Integrity, Justice in Service, and Amity & Non-harm together with a three-stage Agati Filter for high-stakes institutional decisions (appointments, procurement, disciplinary actions, and budgeting). Feasibility is supported by Thai empirical studies reporting positive associations between leaders’ royal virtues and organizational effectiveness, particularly the predictive roles of uprightness, patience, and honesty in school effectiveness and personnel management outcomes.