The Process of Enhancing Goodness and Happiness Skill According to Buddhist Principles

Abstract

The Process of  Enhancing Goodness and Happiness Skill According to Buddhist Principles. The objectives of this study are to analyze the Buddhist doctrines that contribute to the development of competence, virtue, and well-being, and to propose a process for enhancing these skills in accordance with Buddhist principles. This research employed a qualitative approach through descriptive analysis.

The findings revealed that the doctrine contributing to the cultivation of competence is the Four Bases of Accomplishment (Iddhipāda 4). The practice of these principles fosters diligence, effort, and determination in achieving goals. The doctrine contributing to the cultivation of virtue is the Seven Qualities of a Noble Person (Sappurisa-dhamma), which emphasize ethical conduct and moral discernment. The doctrine contributing to the cultivation of well-being is the Four Bases of Social Harmony (Saṅgahavatthu 4), which serve as essential Buddhist principles promoting social cohesion and harmonious relationships within communities.

1. The Process of Enhancing the Skills of Competence, Virtue, and Well-being According to Buddhist Principles

In the Buddha’s time, the mechanisms leading to the development of competence, virtue, and well-being were rooted in his compassionate guidance for all beings, aiming ultimately at liberation (Nibbāna)—the Buddhist way of transcending suffering. The Buddha recognized the diversity of individual dispositions: while some with limited spiritual faculties could not directly realize ultimate truth, he introduced foundational practices such as generosity (dāna), morality (sīla), and meditation (bhāvanā). These practices functioned as progressive steps that individuals could develop according to their capacities.

The Buddha’s pedagogical approach emphasized contextualization—taking into account the characteristics of persons, circumstances, and dispositions. His teachings were delivered with clarity and precision, following ten modes of instruction, which he employed flexibly and interchangeably. The simile of the leaves illustrates this point: what the Buddha realized is vast like all the leaves in a forest, but what he chose to teach was like a handful of leaves—sufficient for the realization of wisdom and the eradication of mental defilements.

Case studies of exemplary lay followers in the Buddha’s era who embodied competence, virtue, and well-being include Anāthapiṇḍika the householder, King Bimbisāra, King Pasenadi Kosala, Jīvaka Komārabhacca the royal physician, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, Visākhā, Queen Sāmāvatī, and Khujjuttarā. These figures demonstrate how the Buddhist way of life provided models of holistic development that integrated material competence, moral excellence, and spiritual well-being.

The model of enhancing competence, virtue, and well-being in the Buddhist tradition is thus grounded in multiple mechanisms derived from the Buddha’s teachings. Its ultimate purpose is the integrated development of both mental and physical dimensions, enabling individuals to live meaningful and fulfilling lives in accordance with the Dhamma.

Keywors: The Process of  Enhancing Goodness and Happiness Skill, Buddhist Principles