What
Buddhists Believe
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera
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Buddhism and Politics
The Buddha had gone beyond all
worldly affairs, but still gave advice on good government.
The
Buddha came from a warrior caste and was naturally brought into
association with kings, princes and ministers. Despite His origin and
association, He never resorted to the influence of political power to
introduce His teaching, nor allowed His Teaching to be misused for gaining
political power. But today, many politicians try to drag the Buddha's name
into politics by introducing Him as a communist, capitalist, or even an
imperialist. They have forgotten that the new political philosophy as we
know it really developed in the West long after the Buddha's time. Those
who try to make use of the good name of the Buddha for their own personal
advantage must remember that the Buddha was the Supremely Enlightened One
who had gone beyond all worldly concerns.
There is an inherent
problem of trying to intermingle religion with politics. The basis of
religion is morality, purity and faith, while that for politics is power.
In the course of history, religion has often been used to give legitimacy
to those in power and their exercise of that power. Religion was used to
justify wars and conquests, persecutions, atrocities, rebellions,
destruction of works of art and culture.
When religion is used to
pander to political whims, it has to forego its high moral ideals and
become debased by worldly political demands.
The thrust of the Buddha
Dhamma is not directed to the creation of new political institutions and
establishing political arrangements. Basically, it seeks to approach the
problems of society by reforming the individuals constituting that society
and by suggesting some general principles through which the society can be
guided towards greater humanism, improved welfare of its members, and more
equitable sharing of resources.
There is a limit to the
extent to which a political system can safeguard the happiness and
prosperity of its people. No political system, no matter how ideal it may
appear to be, can bring about peace and happiness as long as the people in
the system are dominated by greed, hatred and delusion. In addition, no
matter what political system is adopted, there are certain universal
factors which the members of that society will have to experience: the
effects of good and bad kamma, the lack of real satisfaction or
everlasting happiness in the world characterized by dukkha
(unsatisfactoriness), anicca (impermanence), and anatta
(egolessness). To the Buddhist, nowhere in Samsara is there real
freedom, not even in the heavens or the world of Brahama.
Although a good and just
political system which guarantees basic human rights and contains checks
and balances to the use of power is an important condition for a happy in
society, people should not fritter away their time by endlessly searching
for the ultimate political system where men can be completely free,
because complete freedom cannot be found in any system but only in minds
which are free. To be free, people will have to look within their own
minds and work towards freeing themselves from the chains of ignorance and
craving. Freedom in the truest sense is only possible when a person uses
Dhamma to develop his character through good speech and action and to
train his mind so as to expand his mental potential and achieve his
ultimate aim of enlightenment.
While recognizing the
usefulness of separating religion from politics and the limitations of
political systems in bringing about peace and happiness, there are several
aspects of the Buddha's teaching which have close
correspondence to the political arrangements of the present day. Firstly,
the Buddha spoke about the equality of all human beings long before
Abraham Lincoln, and that classes and castes are artificial barriers
erected by society. The only classification of human beings, according to
the Buddha, is based on the quality of their moral conduct. Secondly, the
Buddha encouraged the spirit of social -co-operation and active
participation in society. This spirit is actively promoted in the
political process of modern societies. Thirdly, since no one was appointed
as the Buddha's successor, the members of the Order were to be guided by
the Dhamma and Vinaya, or in short, the Rule of Law. Until today very
member of the Sangha is to abide by the Rule of Law which governs and
guides their conduct.
Fourthly, the
Buddha encouraged the spirit of consultation and the democratic process.
This is shown within the community of the Order in which all members have
the right to decide on matters of general concern. When a serious question
arose demanding attention, the issues were put before the monks and
discussed in a manner similar to the democratic parliamentary system used
today. This self-governing procedure may come as a surprise to many to
learn that in the assemblies of Buddhists in India 2,500 years and more
ago are to be found the rudiments of the parliamentary practice of the
present day. A special officer similar to 'Mr. Speaker' was appointed to
preserve the dignity of the Parliamentary Chief Whip, was also appointed
to see if the quorum was secured. Matters were put forward in the form of
a motion which was open to discussion. In some cases it was done once, in
others three times, thus anticipating the practice of Parliament in
requiring that a bill be read a third time before it becomes law. If the
discussion showed a difference of opinion, it was to be settled by the
vote of the majority through balloting.
The Buddhist
approach to political power is the moralization and the responsible use of
public power. The Buddha preached non-violence and peace as a universal
message. He did not approve of violence or the destruction of life, and
declared that there is no such thing as a 'just' war. He taught: 'The
victor breeds hatred, the defeated lives in misery. He who renounces both
victory and defeat is happy and peaceful.' Not only did the Buddha teach
non-violence and peace, He was perhaps the first and only religious
teacher who went to the battlefield personally to prevent the outbreak of
a war. He diffused tension between the Sakyas and the Koliyas who were
about to wage war over the waters of Rohini. He also dissuaded King
Ajatasattu from attacking the Kingdom of the Vajjis.
The Buddha discussed the
importance and the prerequisites of a good government. He showed how the
country could become corrupt, degenerate and unhappy when the head of the
government becomes corrupt and unjust. He spoke against corruption and how
a government should act based on humanitarian principles.
The Buddha once
said, 'When the ruler of a country is just and good, the ministers become
just and good; when the ministers are just and good, the higher officials
become just and good; when the higher officials are just and good, the
rank and file become just and good; when the rank and file become just and
good, the people become just and good.'(Anguttara Nikaya)
In the Cakkavatti
Sihananda Sutta, the Buddha said that immorality and crime, such as
theft, falsehood, violence, hatred, cruelty, could arise from poverty.
Kings and governments may try to suppress crime through punishment, but it
is futile to eradicate crimes through force.
In the Kutadanta
Sutta, the Buddha suggested economic development instead of force to
reduce crime. The government should use the country's resources to improve
the economic conditions of the country. It could embark on agricultural
and rural development, provide financial support to entrepreneurs and
business, provide adequate wages for workers to maintain a decent life
with human dignity.
In the Jataka,
the Buddha had given to rules for Good Government, known as 'Dasa Raja
Dharma'. These ten rules can be applied even today by
any government which wishes to rule the country peacefully. The rules are
as follows:
1) be liberal and avoid
selfishness,
2) maintain a high moral character,
3) be prepared to sacrifice one's own pleasure for the
well-being of the subjects,
4) be honest and maintain absolute integrity,
5) be kind and gentle,
6) lead a simple life for the subjects to emulate,
7) be free from hatred of any kind,
8) exercise non-violence,
9) practise patience, and
10) respect public opinion to promote peace and harmony.
Regarding the behavior of
rulers, He further advised:
- A good ruler should
act impartially and should not be biased and discriminate between one
particular group of subjects against another.
- A good ruler should
not harbor any form of hatred against any of his subjects.
- A good ruler should
show no fear whatsoever in the enforcement of the law, if it is
justifiable.
- A good ruler must
possess a clear understanding of the law to be enforced. It should not
be enforced just because the ruler has the authority to enforce the law.
It must be done in a reasonable manner and with common sense. -- (Cakkavatti
Sihananda Sutta)
In the Milinda
Panha,it is stated: 'If a man, who is unfit, incompetent, immoral,
improper, unable and unworthy of kingship, has enthroned himself a king or
a ruler with great authority, he is subject to be tortured‚ to be
subject to a variety of punishment by the people, because, being unfit and
unworthy, he has placed himself unrighteously in the seat of sovereignty.
The ruler, like others who violate and transgress moral codes and basic
rules of all social laws of mankind, is equally subject to punishment; and
moreover, to be censured is the ruler who conducts himself as a robber of
the public.' In a Jataka story, it is mentioned that a ruler who punishes
innocent people and does not punish the culprit is not suitable to rule a
country.
The king always
improves himself and carefully examines his own conduct in deeds, words
and thoughts, trying to discover and listen to public opinion as to
whether or not he had been guilty of any faults and mistakes in ruling the
kingdom. If it is found that he rules unrighteously, the public will
complain that they are ruined by the wicked ruler with unjust treatment,
punishment, taxation, or other oppressions including corruption of any
kind, and they will react against him in one way or another. On the
contrary, if he rules righteously they will bless him: 'Long live His
Majesty.' (Majjhima Nikaya)
The Buddha'semphasis
on the moral duty of a ruler to use public power to improve the welfare of
the people had inspired Emperor Asoka in the Third Century B.C. to do
likewise. Emperor Asoka, a sparkling example of this principle, resolved
to live according to and preach the Dhamma and to serve his subjects and
all humanity. He declared his non-aggressive intentions to his neighbors,
assuring them of his goodwill and sending envoys to distant kings bearing
his message of peace and non-aggression. He promoted the energetic
practice of the socio-moral virtues of honesty, truthfulness, compassion,
benevolence, non-violence, considerate behavior towards all,
non-extravagance, non-acquisitiveness, and non-injury to animals. He
encouraged religious freedom and mutual respect for each other's creed. He
went on periodic tours preaching the Dhamma to the rural people. He
undertook works of public utility, such as founding of hospitals for men
and animals, supplying of medicine, planting of roadside trees and groves,
digging of wells, and construction of watering sheds and rest houses. He
expressly forbade cruelty to animals.
Sometimes the Buddha is
said to be a social reformer. Among other things, He condemned the caste
system, recognized the equality of people, spoke on the need to improve
socio-economic conditions, recognized the importance of a more equitable
distribution of wealth among the rich and the poor, raised the status of
women, recommended the incorporation of humanism in government and
administration, and taught that a society should not be run by greed but
with consideration and compassion for the people. Despite all these, His
contribution to mankind is much greater because He took off at a point
which no other social reformer before or ever since had done, that is, by
going to the deepest roots of human ill which are found in the human mind.
It is only in the human mind that true reform can be effected. Reforms
imposed by force upon the external world have a very short life because
they have no roots. But those reforms which spring as a result of the
transformation of man's inner consciousness remain rooted.
While their branches spread outwards, they draw their nourishment from an
unfailing source -- the subconscious imperatives of the life-stream
itself. So reforms come about when men's minds have
prepared the way for them, and they live as long as men revitalize them
out of their own love of truth, justice and their fellow men.
The doctrine preached by
the Buddha is not one based on 'Political Philosophy'. Nor is it a
doctrine that encourages men to worldly pleasures. It sets out a way to
attain Nibbana. In other words, its ultimate aim is to put an end to
craving (Tanha) that keeps them in bondage to this world. A stanza
from the Dhammapada best summarizes this statement: 'The path
that leads to worldly gain is one, and the path that leads to Nibbana(by
leading a religious life)is another.'
However, this does not
mean that Buddhists cannot or should not get involved in the political
process, which is a social reality. The lives of the members of a society
are shaped by laws and regulations, economic arrangements allowed within a
country, institutional arrangements, which are influenced by the political
arrangements of that society. Nevertheless, if a Buddhist wishes to be
involved in politics, he should not misuse religion to gain political
powers, nor is it advisable for those who have renounced the worldly life
to lead a pure, religious life to be actively involved in politics.
-ooOoo-
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Source: Buddhist
Study and Practice Group, http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/
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Layout: Chan Duc - Nguyen Thao
Update : 01-11-2002
