An Investigative Study on the Utility of Buddhist Hygiene Reflected in Buddhist Teachings (Special Reference Vattūpama and Sallekha Sutta)

Abstract

In Buddhist teachings, all functions of the mind have been critically explored to gain proper knowledge of how they affect the person, including all aspects of the human body. Buddhism emphasizes the specific relationship between mind and body, which exists until the last breath of the human being. According to Buddhist philosophy, the mind plays a major role in all human bodily functions. If the mind was impure with defilements, the body might produce negative results. Having considered that process by Buddhism, leads to methods to prevent impureness of mind. The research problem of this study is how Buddhism investigates mental hygiene and whether it is a specialty. The qualitative method is used here as research methodology there in, primary, and secondary sources and discussions with prominent scholars are also used. The term ‘mental hygiene’ is described in an encyclopedia as maintaining mental health and preventing psychoses. When this interpretation is compared with Buddhist teachings, a specific process that leads to maintaining mental health as well as preventing psychosis can be identified. External objects that take from the sense organs, as well as attachment to these things, are thought to be the cause of mental illness. Buddhism identifies many reasons for generating psychosis or mental illnesses. The impurities that arise in the mind are called kilesa. According to Vattūpama sutta, 16 types of reasons or volitions that are subject to illnesses of the mind. It also outlines five methods for avoiding and treating such mental illnesses. Sallekha Sutta also distinguishes a particular method of avoiding misbehavior that leads to producing mental disturbances. The fundamental specialty in Buddhist mental hygiene is the identification of mental illness along with the reason and its conditions, as well as the application of appropriate and fruitful methods. All in all, it’s clear that a person can get a clear knowledge of mental illnesses and also can be removed such types of reason by following paths depicted in Buddhism.