The thesis entitled “Relationship Making in Buddhist Householding of Couples” consisted of 2 objectives. The study aimed: 1) to study concepts about relationship making in householding couples and 2) to propose ways for relationship making in Buddhist householding of couples. This is a qualitative research. The target group of interview was group of 16 people who were in the status of either a husband or wife.

From the study, it was found that society risen from a family consisting of husband and wife, and perhaps with children and relatives that lived together too. The level of happiness, prosperity and stability of a family depended on the relationship making in householding of couples. To strengthen the family life of couple with quality, it must consist of rational love, understanding, the recognition in the values of family life, the support in each other’s work, honesty towards each other, respect to each other’s parents, the consistence in opinions and helping each other to create stability for the family. 

The Dhamma that should be applied in the relationship making in householding of couples was Iddhipāda or the path of accomplishment consisting of intention (chanda), effort (viriya), thoughtfulness (citta) and investigation (vīmaṃsā). This Dhamma was a base to take care, pay attention and help each other, to help to fix each other’s flaws, to keep the family happy, to be jointly responsible for the work, to create a pleasant atmosphere in the family, to pay attention and care close people of the family, and to spend money wisely.

The relationship making of couples according to Iddhipāda that supported family life to live happily, from analyzing iddhipāda that affected the relationship of the couple, the effects were: 1) performing the duty according to one’s role in the household, willing to be responsible for family work and supporting spouse to increase income, 2) giving respect to each other, understanding and paying attention to each other and resolving conflicts and problems in the family, 3) being able to rely on oneself of spouse, earning a living, behaving oneself according to the moral principles and having self-discipline, and 4) social support of spouse, taking part in solving community and social problems, showing goodwill to the people in the community with good interaction and helping community activities with kindness.

Relationship making in couples according to Buddhism was a practice of couples to be the role model that supported benefits and happiness for oneself and the community, therefore, in order to achieve the well-being in householding, the couples should maintain themselves in accordance with the Buddhist relationship principle for true happiness.

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