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Buddhist Sustainable Development: Inner Happiness as a Direction for Sustainable Development

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Linking Sustainability and Happiness

Part of the book series: Community Quality-of-Life and Well-Being ((CQLWB))

Abstract

Sustainable development has largely been a process focused on external interventions. This chapter explores linking happiness and sustainable development via a new concept “Buddhist Sustainable Development” (BSD), suggesting that sustainable development can be achieved through the process of generating inner happiness. The chapter also discusses BSD in relation to other Western approaches, while highlighting happiness classifications in Buddhism and meanings of happiness, human development and real quality of life. The study provides insight on how inner happiness can be a key contributor to a shift towards sustainability. Ultimately, BSD provides alternative approaches to development from conventional approaches, while striving for higher levels of happiness experienced through inner wisdom.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This term sustainable happiness, based on Buddhist perspective, is defined as happiness from inside (inner liberalization) with no suffering or the opposite to unsustainable happiness which is temporary.

  2. 2.

    This is the three principles in Dhamma teaching in Buddhism.

  3. 3.

    Four foundations of mindfulness is a guide to progress internal development of human beings to reach higher levels of happiness until the highest point of sustainable happiness.

  4. 4.

    This concept of human development is different from the general concept of human development (such as that of UNDP) that only relate to objective well-being but not focus on human internalization as in Buddhist approach.

  5. 5.

    This is the author’s personal interpretation/understanding.

  6. 6.

    This is also the author’s interpretation/understanding.

  7. 7.

    Four foundations of mindfulness are pathways to increase inner happiness in practice, as explained in Kittiprapas’ (2018a, p.109–114) Annex: How to Increase Inner Happiness.

  8. 8.

    Real quality of life based on Buddhist concept refers to real need for life (such as basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, and medicine). Thus, the concept may be different from Western concept of quality of life.

  9. 9.

    This term is mentioned in Payutto (1992).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Research Associate for Happy Societies (IRAH) and Faculty of Economics, Rangsit University, Lak Hok, Thailand

    Sauwalak Kittiprapas

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  1. Sauwalak Kittiprapas
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Correspondence to Sauwalak Kittiprapas .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    Scott Cloutier

  2. School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    Sara El-Sayed

  3. College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Allison Ross

  4. Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Melanie Weaver

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Kittiprapas, S. (2022). Buddhist Sustainable Development: Inner Happiness as a Direction for Sustainable Development. In: Cloutier, S., El-Sayed, S., Ross, A., Weaver, M. (eds) Linking Sustainability and Happiness. Community Quality-of-Life and Well-Being. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89559-4_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89559-4_4

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-89559-4

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