Buddhist Perspective on the Development of Social Welfare
by Ashin Indacara | 2011 | 61,386 words
This page relates 鈥業ntroduction鈥� of the study on the Buddhist perspective on the development of Social Welfare, employing primarily the concepts of Utthana-sampada (persistent effort) and Arakkha-sampada (watchfulness). Based on the teachings of the Buddha in the Dighajanu Sutta and other canonical texts, this essay emphasizes the importance of effort, knowledge, and good karma in achieving social welfare.
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1. Introduction
After the exposition of the accomplishment of good friendship, the Buddha continued that of balanced livelihood or good livelihood鈥�蝉补尘补箩墨惫颈迟腻. The Buddha emphasized how important balanced livelihood for lay people to develop their social welfare in this very life. The balanced livelihood can be found in the 顿墨驳丑补箩腻峁嘘 Sutta or Bhyaggapajjha Sutta of A峁単uttara Nik膩ya.
In addition that, livelihood is one鈥檚 earning his living in the sense. One鈥檚 earning living is connected with both balanced livelihood (蝉补尘补箩墨惫颈迟腻) and right livelihood (sama-腻箩墨惫补). The balanced and right livelihood takes part in the vital role for the development of welfare in secular life and non-secular life. Here, welfare means health and happiness and in this chapter it especially refers to how people develop happiness regarding balanced and right livelihood.
Balanced livelihood is referred to the way of maintaining and developing wealth. If the wealth is sufficient for one, he is much happier according to worldly point of view. To gain happiness, he must have balanced or developed earning living. Thus it can be said that balanced and right livelihood is connected with social welfare. The Buddha鈥檚 speech pertaining to the accomplishment of balanced livelihood is discussed in this chapter and it is stated in Vyaggapajjha or 顿墨驳丑补箩腻峁嘘 Sutta.[1]