The Practice of Adhering to Buddhist Teachings and Its Impact on Happiness in Life

Abstract

Background and Aims: Living in accordance with the teachings of Buddhism provides
a path that helps individuals better understand themselves and others. These teachings promote inner peace, reduce suffering, and foster sustainable happiness in daily life. The objectives of this research are: 1) To study personal factors, the practice of Buddhist teachings, and the happiness in life among those who engage in such practices; 2) To compare the levels of happiness in life among practitioners based on personal factors; and 3) To examine the practice of Buddhist teachings that influences happiness in life.

Methodology: This research is quantitative in nature. The sample group consisted of 400 individuals who practiced Buddhist teachings at Wat Khao Somphot, Bua Chum Subdistrict, Chaibadan District, Lopburi Province. The sample size was determined using Cochran’s formula for cases where the exact population size is unknown. The research instrument used was a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, as well as inferential statistics, including F-test and multiple regression analysis.

Results: The survey found that the majority of respondents were female (67.5%), aged 20–30 years (56.3%), held a bachelor’s degree (51.2%), were self‑employed (44.3%), had an average monthly income of 30,001–40,000 baht (21.8%), and were married (60.3%). Overall, the sample showed the highest adherence to Buddhist teachings (Mean = 4.48, SD = 0.62) and an overall happiness level classified as “happy” (67.32%). The factor that contributed most to happiness was a good family life (73.34%).

1) Personal factors - including gender, age, education level, occupation, monthly income, and marital status - significantly affected life satisfaction at the 0.05 significance level. 2) Adherence to Buddhist teachings significantly influenced overall well‑being at the 0.05 significance level. Two main predictors were attending temple services/listening to sermons and participating in important Buddhist religious events. Together these variables had a multiple correlation coefficient (R) of 0.526 and explained 27.7% of the variance in well‑being. 3) Adherence to Buddhist teachings significantly impacted practitioners’ well‑being at the 0.05 significance level. Two aspects of practice had particularly strong positive effects: participation in important Buddhist holidays and attending temple services to listen to sermons or religious teachings. Participation in important Buddhist holidays had a significantly greater impact on lay followers’ well‑being than attending temple services to listen to sermons, at the 0.05 significance level.

Conclusion: The practice of Buddhist teachings, especially participation in important religious activities, clearly contributes to greater happiness in life. This new body of knowledge highlights the value of religious engagement at both individual and societal levels. It can be practically applied to enhance quality of life and support mental and spiritual development in the future.