Abstract

                        The objectives of this research were: (1) to study the concept and problems about household, (2) to study Buddhist ethics for the household, and (3) to study analytically the Buddhist ethics for resolving the problems of household in Thai societies. This was a documentary research with the descriptive analysis.

                        A result of this research study was found that the principles and the concept of the household were seen in many philosophical views: utilitarianism, hedonism, idealism, art appreciation, etc. Human beings could choose and use them properly to reduce a number of various problems in life because Thai societies were full of many problems such as divorce, taking care of the children, leaving parents, and habit-forming drug.

                        The Buddhist ethics was a principle of a person’s real practice to achieve the highest objective. The Buddhist philosophy had three levels of the ethical principles: beginning—morality, middle—ten ways of meritorious making, and the end—Eightfold Noble Path, etc. For the householders, the Buddhist ethics had the practical principles as a way of life: four ways of sympathy for a good householder himself and the others, four virtues for the household life to grow love and harmony in Thai societies, etc. This Buddhist ethics was an important principle to live happily and contact the other peoples. A husband and a wife had to follow six directions with three possible aims: a visible or present benefit, an invisible or future benefit, and the highest or best benefit.     

                        The Buddhist ethics for solving the problems of the household life was four virtues for a good household life: sincere, adjustment, patient, and sacrifice. The Buddhist ethics for solving the problems of the couple separation was four sublime states of mind: loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. The Buddhist ethics for solving the problems of taking care of children was a way to make a friend. The Buddhist ethics for solving the problems of habit-forming drug was the gratitude and bases of sympathy: giving, convincing speech, useful conduct, and equality in impartiality. The Buddhist ethics for solving the problem of leaving the old man was four virtues for a good household life in order to grow good action and happiness in the household as well as to grow the social development with peace and happiness.