The Buddhist Management of Human’s Needs

Abstract

This research article aims to investigate human’s needs according to general theories, to study human’s needs through Buddhism, and to analyze management approaches of human’s needs through Buddhism. It is a documentary research by collecting from textbooks, articles, and related research works. Then, these data are performed by content analysis and presented by descriptive writing.

The findings reveal are as follows: 1) for human’s needs according to general theories, human beings require basic physiological needs regarding their basic survival factors, including mental, social, and environmental needs. In addition, it has a management of the needs through adding more need response and reducing the needs. 2) For Buddhism, human’s needs are regarded as good needs called Chanda and bad needs called Taṇhā. Besides, there are neutral needs called Kattukamyatāchanda. The cause of needs can be explained through Paṭiccasamuppāda principle. Avijjā is the cause of Taṇhā. It is happened during the perceptual process and then leads to self-attachment (I and Mine). Furthermore, it pushes human beings to strive for what they want in everywhere and it brings endless suffering. As Chanda, it is the perception of wisdom. It is not considered as self-attachment and cause of suffering. It always brings goodness, happiness, and real benefit into life. 3) The management approaches of human’s needs through Buddhism are as follows: (1) management of needs through middle way of Buddhism; (2) management of needs through human’s nature in balance ways; (3) management of needs through individual needs into others’ one or thing; and (4) management of needs through life goals. The presentation of the body of knowledge from the research is the Buddhist management of human’s needs that can be applied in daily life such as living in sufficient manner in order to be gleeful, enhancing their mind, and focusing on wisdom. Its main purpose is to create individual life balance, live smoothly in modern world, and be happy in Buddhist way into three levels: being full of glee, peace, and freedom.