Intervention of Vatta and Sīla in Interpersonal Relationships: A Review of Vattakkandhaka within the Theravada Vinaya Piṭaka

Abstract

Although interpersonal relationships are frequently perceived as a modern phenomenon, their roots extend to ancient eras, evolving progressively alongside the development of human interactions. Over the last seven decades, literature on interpersonal relationships within the context of modern contemporary management has developed significantly and added up as a result, with multitudes of ideas, concepts, and theories relating to interpersonal relationships. The Vinaya Piṭaka constitutes one of the tree divisions of the Tripiṭaka detailing the monastic regulations and management by the Buddha approximately 2, 500 years ago, which significantly shaped the social relationships within Buddhist monasteries. Although current Buddhist literature has studied interpersonal relations via the Sutta Piṭaka, it lacks notable studies relating to the Vinaya Piṭaka. This study aims to address the existing gap in understanding interpersonal relationships within the contexts of modern management and modern Buddhist literature by examining the Vatta concept as defined in the Vattakkandhaka, employing a semi-structured review within an inductive thematic approach. The Vatta concept incorporates the guidelines provided by the Buddha to regulate the daily monastic life of monks in order to facilitate the development of Sīla practices. The findings of this study are that concepts of proximity and distance, behavioral traits—wholesome and unwholesome—and the nature of people's setting and achieving of objectives in their relations within the objectives of the society are essential to understanding the overall dynamics of interpersonal relationships in society.

Key Words: Interpersonal Relationships, Proximity and Distance, Sīla, Vatta, Unwholesome Behavioral Trait, Wholesome Behavioral Trait