Understanding and Love

Question: What do Buddhists do to have a happy family life?

Buddha taught carefully that Buddhists' duties and especially, responsibilities of each person in the family in the Sutra ‘Sigadovada or Sujata (Seven kinds of wife). These are very basic scriptures which is practical and suitable for both married and single home-Buddhists. In which, Buddha taught clearly that responsibilities and duties of a family member whether they are father, mother, husband or wife, brothers or sisters, all have to be aware of that and apply it to their daily communication life in order to achieve a happy and peaceful family.

 

With Buddhists, who are married, need to understand clearly your responsibilities and duties of their role in family. A husband or a wife should self-criticism and see what their duties are. Has each person in the family accomplished their role for the others according to Buddha's teachings? Is their careness and behavior to surrounding people with the whole heart or not? These are solid pillars to support the roof of a happy family. Without consideration, understanding and good treatment, the foundation of love and happiness will not be there. Therefore, it is said "Understanding and Love".

 

Married Buddhists need to remember the meaningful of married life and love of the person who spend their life with the spouse during difficult times. Don't lose this affinity. There will be difficulty to find it again. It is also said: â€œIf husband and wife respect to each other like in the first days, the rest of their life will not be regretted”.

 

In love, no matter how many moutains, you will climb

No matter how many rivers or hills, the love will do it

 

Beautiful memories of the first days met should always be kept and long-term respect to each other should be made. There is a proverb â€œRespecting to each other like the first days will be happy forever”. Only when you can do that is it called â€œHundred years of happiness”.

 

Avoid the meagreness and sloppiness in thoughts, words and form of daily activity to beloved ones. It can lead to the boredom and the contempt will break the happiness and it will cause the suffering for both and the children later on. 

 

Do everything when it's not in hand.

Ignore when it's already belonged to.

 

Also, for the Buddhists, the happiness of a family is not only in the level of love like an ordinary person in an ordinary world but it also need to skillfully consider and patiently to help each other to look towards to the Buddha and taking refuges in Three Jewels so they can always find the source for true happiness of married life in Buddha Dharma. Help each other to improve in the convent in order to take off all worries and move toward to a peaceful mind to help other families.