Relevansi Ajaran Etika Dalam Sutta Pitaka Terhadap Kehidupan Sosial Kontemporer

Abstract

This article aims to examine the relevance of ethical teachings in the Sutta Pitaka to contemporary social life by positioning them as a source of social ethics rather than merely individual spiritual ethics. This study is motivated by a gap in previous research, which has predominantly emphasized Buddhist ethics as personal moral cultivation and internal religious practice, while its social and public dimensions remain underexplored. The research employs a qualitative approach through library research, involving textual analysis of selected suttas within the Sutta Pitaka and recent scholarly literature on Buddhist ethics and contemporary social issues. Data analysis is conducted using descriptive-analytical and interpretative methods to reinterpret Buddhist ethical principles in relation to social peace, interreligious tolerance, and social justice. The findings indicate that ethical principles found in the Sutta Pitaka, such as metta (loving-kindness), karu?a (compassion), ahi?sa (non-violence), and the principle of interdependence (pa?iccasamuppada), are highly relevant as foundations for public ethics and civic ethics in pluralistic and multicultural societies. These teachings demonstrate normative potential to address contemporary social challenges, including social conflict, intolerance, and inequality. This study affirms that the Sutta Pitaka contains ethical values applicable beyond spiritual development, extending into the social sphere. The findings contribute to strengthening the position of Buddhist ethics within modern social ethics discourse and offer a conceptual reference for interreligious studies and value-based social policy formulation.