Personality Development in the Context of Buddhist Spiritual Well-Being: A Study Based on the Suttas of the Majjhima Nik?ya

Authors

  • Khamra Hun Lecturer, Sihanoukrāja Buddhist University, Cambodia; President of Vipassana Dhura Buddhist Centre of Kep Province, Cambodia.
  • Prof. Ven. Medagampitiye Wijithadhamma Mahathero Senior Professor at Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18533/w1m1mp53

Keywords:

Buddhist spiritual well-being, Majjhima Nikāya, personality development, wholesome attributes, threefold training

Abstract

This study examines the Buddhist framework of personality development and spiritual well-being through a textual analysis of the Majjhima Nik?ya. Unlike conventional secular psychological paradigms, Buddhism integrates ethical training and mental refinement directly into the process of personality transformation. Adopting a qualitative, hermeneutical research design, this study systematically analyzes primary discourses and their corresponding commentaries, structuring the findings around the threefold training framework: ethics (s?la), concentration (sam?dhi), and wisdom (paññ?). The analysis reveals that the deliberate cultivation of wholesome psychological attributes—including faith, mindfulness, energy, wisdom, moral shame, and moral dread—constitutes the foundational basis for psychological equilibrium and profound spiritual well-being. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that personality transformation within Buddhism is not merely a secular therapeutic pursuit but an authentic spiritual practice driven by ethical volition, culminating in individual liberation and social harmony. These findings offer valuable insights for integrating contemplative frameworks into modern mental health and psychological care models.

References

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Published

2026-10-21

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 05 (2026): September

Section

Article

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Khamra Hun, Prof. Ven. Medagampitiye Wijithadhamma Mahathero

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