The Buddha, The Enlightened One, taught Dhamma about 45 years after his enlightenment. He spoke of word that did not have any purpose or benefit. Every Sutta taught by the Buddha focused on the welfare and happiness of all beings.
In the Vyaggapajja Sutta of Anguttara Nikāya, according to Buddhist moral education, the Buddha was requested by Vyaggapajja to teach laymen about achieving welfare and happiness in their lives. And hence, the Buddha taught them, “There are four conditions that lead to welfare and happiness in this very life and in future lives.” These conditions are:
Utthāna Sampadā—The accomplishment of persistent effort
Ārakkha Sampadā—The accomplishment of watchfulness
Kalyānamittatā—Having good friendship Samajivikata—Balanced livelihood
Guidance on prosperity and wealth
The Buddha gave guidance on how to preserve and increase prosperity. He said that man is always in the pursuit of amassing more wealth and power. This unrestrained craving, however, leaves him issatisfied and stifles his inner growth. It creates conflict and disharmony in the society through the resentment of the under privileged who feel themselves exploited by the privileged class. Therefore, the Buddha stresses on the following four essential conditions for attaining spiritual welfare and happiness
Saddha Sampadā—The accomplishment of Faith
Sila Sampadā—The accomplishment of Virtue
Cāga Sampadā—The accomplishment of Charity
Paññā Sampadā—The accomplishment of Wisdom
These four conditions will instill in man a sense of higher values. He will not only pursue his own material concern, but also be aware of his duty towards the society.
The 38 blessings of Mangala Sutta
With regards to the Buddhist social ethics, there are many suttas which were taught by the Buddha in
Tipitaka. Among them, Magala Sutta is a famous text in Buddhism. It is a terse but comprehensive summary of Buddhist ethics—on individual and social levels. The thirty eight blessings
enumerated in it are an unfailing guide
on life’s journey.
The Maha-Mangala Sutta shows that the Buddha’s instructions do not always take negative forms, that they are not always a series of classification and analysis, or concerned exclusively with monastic morality. Here in this Sutta we find family morality expressed in the most elegant verse.we an imagine the happy blissful state household life attained as a result of following these injunctions.
(1) Asevanacabalanam - Non association with uneducated and uncultured people.
(2) Panditanan ca sevana - Association with the wise people.
(3) Puja ca pujaneyanan - Respect those who are worthy of respect.
(4) Patirupa desavasoca - Live in sound environment.
(5) Pubbe ca katapunnata - Done good deeds in previous births.
(6) Attasamma panidhaca - Have the mind under righteous control.
(7) Bahu saccam ca - Be a person who is heard much.
(8) Bahu sippam ca - Being learned in the arts.
(9) Vinayo ca susikkhito - Well-trained in discipline.
(10) Subhasita ca yavaca - Well spoken words.
(11) Matapitu upatthanam - Look after mother and father.
(12) Putta darassa sangaho - Look after children and wife.
(13) Anakulaca kammanta - Engage in peaceful occupation.
(14) Dananca - Practice charity.
(15) Dhammacariyaca - Living in lawful conduct.
(16) Natakanan ca sangaho - Look after relatives.
(17) Anavajjani kammani - Perform faultless work.
(18) Arati papa - Abstaining from evil.
(19) Virati papa - Refraining from sins.
(20) Majjapanaca samyamo - Restraining from intoxicating drinks.
(21) Appamado ca dhammesu - Watchfulness in good arts.
(22) Garavoca - Respect for the respectable.
(23) Nivato ca - Humbleness.
(24) Santutthi ca - Contentment.
(25) Katannuta - Gratitude towards the grateful.
(26) Kalenadhammasavanam -Listening the Dhamma at the proper time.
(27) Khanti ca – Patience.
(28) Sovasassata – Obedience.
(29) Samanananca dassanam - Sight of monks or recluses.
(30) Kalenadhammasakaccha - Discussion on the Dhamma at the proper time.
(31) Tapo ca - Practice of austerity.
(32) Brammacariyaca - Practice of celibacy.
(33) Ariyasaccanadassanam - Seeing the Noble truth.
(34) Nibbanasacchikiriyaca - Realising the Nibbana.
(35) Phutthassalokadhammehi - When affected by worldly condition.
(36) Asokam - Not graft.
(37) Virajam - Detached or free from taint.
(38) Khemam - Safe/security (found concept of Nibbana).
The causes of downfall
After understanding the discourse on Mangala sutta and the Thirty Eight Blessings, one may want to know the causes of downfall for individuals.This could be found in the Parbhava Sutta, delivered by the Buddha. Some of the causes of downfall are briefly explained below:
1 To hate and disobey the ten kinds of good conduct.
2 To dislike the noble persons and dissociate with them.
3 To indulge in excessive sleep, to indulge in companionship, to lack in effort, to be lazy and to get
angered easily.
4 Not to support and attend to old parents although one has the ability to support and attend to them.
5 To deceive monks or others with false speech.
6 To enjoy one’s great fortune only for one’s benefit without sharing it with others.
7 To be proud of one’s birth, wealth and lineage and to despise and disrespect one’s own kinsmen
8 To indulge in womanizing, drinking and to squander whatever one possesses.
9 To indulge in sexual misconduct with courtesans and other’s spouses.
10 To marry a young person in spite of one’s old age.To give authority to a person who indulges excessively in food and dress and who is also a spendthrift.
The Buddhist social aspect is based on righteousness and recognises the need of human society. These social ethics, therefore, lead to welfare and happiness, if followed religiously.
About the author: Ven. Wai Pone La is a research scholar at the School of Buddhist Studies & Civilization, Gautam Buddha University.
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