Abstract:
Studies and evaluate the consumption's concept of mainstream economics, to study and analyze the development of current consumerism society in the context of social history,and to expand and link Buddhist philosophy to the study of consumption under Buddhist economics framework. The methodology of this thesis is based on documentary researches. Mainstream economics under the Newton-Descartes paradigm has its foundation from utilitarianism which believes that human that human nature generates unlimited wants. Utilitarianism uses utility or preference as an indicator to measure the satisfaction level of consumers. This idea leads to the understanding that the more goods or services are consumed, the greater utility consumers have. Therefore a person try to own and consume more than (s)he need. Today society society is under consumerism because of the growth of modern capitalism. Objects or commodities have not only use value from their nature, but also hidden value or sign. Buddhist philsophy with holistic paradigm illuminate the nature and the law of nature under causal occurrence. Human beings as part of holisstic nature should not aware only their unlimited wants. The consumption under this paradigm is not a self-ending activity but a means that allows human beings to attain true well-being ; it 's a means of practice and development for further potentialities in order to balance and harmonize between humans behavior and society with nature which are mutually supportive. Moderate consumption should consider the true value, ecological limitation and distribution of the rest to other people. Therefore, the consumption under Buddhist philosophy should be an alternative for mankind to prevent the mode of consumption that creates problems or suffering to human beings.