BuddhismandNonviolence

ProfessorRichardGombric h

Oxford,England

Itistrulyagreathonortohavebeeninvitedtoaddressyou.Iamgoingto

speakaboutBuddhismandnonviolenceinpubliclife.

WeallknowthattheBuddharecommendedthatoneshouldnotsaynothing

[Editor:anything?]unlessitisbothtrueandpleasant,andthatissurelyan

admirableprincipleforprivatelife.Inpubliclife,however,itissometimesnecessary

tosaythingsthatmaynotbewelcome.Weshouldnotanddonotadmirepoliticians

orotherleadersofpublicinstitutionswhotrytoconcealunpleasantfactsfromthe

public.Thisisapublicoccasion,andIhopeyouwillforgivemeifnoteverythingI

sayispleasantandreassuring.

Myfirsttheme,therefore,hastobetherelationbetweenBuddhismandpublic

life.IshallarguethatBuddhismhasaclearandcogentvisionoftherelation

betweenreligionandpolitics,andthattheSanghaandpoliticianshavequitedifferent

partstoplaybutthattosaysimplythatBuddhismmustbekeptoutofpoliticsis

dangerousandabsurd.

Ishallthengoontoarguethatpubliclife,allovertheworld,isindesperate

needoftheBuddhaswisdom.Ibelievethatwhilewewhoareheretodaymustbe

individuallygratefulthatwehavehadthegoodfortunetolearnabouttheBuddhas

teaching,thereisnoroomforselfcongratulation:theimpactofBuddhismonpublic

lifeintheworldasawholeisclosetozero,andthisisascandalandatragedywhich

wemustsetouttoremedy.Ishallthereforeexplainhow,inmyview,Buddhist

principlesofpeaceandlovehavetobeappliedinastatesinternalaffairsontheone

handandinforeignpolicyontheother.

SoIbeginwiththerelationbetweenreligionandpolitics.InancientIndia,even

beforethetimeoftheBuddha,atraditionbecameestablishedconcerningthe

relationsbetweenwhatwewouldnowcallchurchandstate.Anobleruled,and

wieldedtherealpowerbuthewasnotrecognizedasthelegitimaterulerunlesshe

hadbeenconsecratedbyabrahmin.Thebrahminpriestthenbecamethekings

chiefadviser,hisprimeminister.Brahminswerethehereditarybearersand

transmittersofwisdomandlearning.Intheory,atleast,brahminsdidnotbecome

kings,andkingscouldnotbecomebrahmins,Thebrahminandtheking

complementedeachother:thebrahminknew,atleastinprinciple,whatshouldbe

doneandthekingcarrieditout.Althoughthistheorydidnot,ofcourse,always

representwhatactuallyhappened,ithasrepresentedthepubliclyacknowledged

idealinHindukingdomsforperhapsthreethousandyears.

TheBuddhacriticizedthebrahminsandtheirtheoriesinmanyways.The

religiouspracticeofbrahminscenteredonritualandtheyweresocietysmainritual

specialists.TheBuddhasubstitutedethicsforritual.Infact,thecommonestwordfor

ritualinbrahminism,karma,cameinBuddhismtodenoteanyactionwithanethical

value,goodorbad,rightorwrong.Thepathtowardssalvation,nibbana,begannot

withritualsbutwithethicalunderstandingandbehavior.Thosewhocaredmost

abouttheirownspiritualprogressweresupposedtojointheSangha,tobecome

monksornuns.Buddhistmonksandnunsarethusthereligiousspecialistsin

Buddhistsocieties,andinthosesocieties,theyoccupyapositioncloselyanalogous

tothatoccupiedbybrahminsinHindusocieties.Therulerissupposedtoturnto

themforadviceonmattersofprinciple,sinceasbearersoftheBuddhisttradition

theyhavespecialexpertiseinethics.Itisuptotheexpertiseofothersthentoput

thoseethicalprinciplesintopractice.TherulerhasthedutytosupporttheSangha,

sincethatisthefirstpracticalsteptowardssupportingBuddhism.Ontheotherhand,

ifthekingdoeshisdutytowardsBuddhism,theSanghashouldreciprocateby

lendinghimtheiractivesupport.

Asweallknow,theBuddhapreachedwhatisfirstandforemostawayforeach

individualtomakespiritualprogress.Thepathtothegoalofnibbanaconsistsof

ethics,meditationandunderstanding.Whatcountstowardsthisgoalcanonlygoon

intheindividualmind.Moreover,everyadultisfreetodevotetheirlifeexclusivelyto

thisgoal,whichtheyshoulddobybecomingamonkornun.JoiningtheSanghawill

givethemtheopportunitytodevotealltheirtimeandefforttoethics,meditation,and

realizationofthehighesttruth.

ButwealsoknowthattheBuddhaneverenvisagedthateveryone,oreventhe

majority,wouldjointheSangha.Indeed,theSanghacouldnotsurvivephysically

withoutthematerialsupportofthelaity.EverytimetheBuddhalaysdownaVinaya

rule,hesaysthatthisisdoneforreasonswhichprominentlyincludeenlistingthe

supportofthelaity.BuddhistlaityinfacthavethesamedutyasaBuddhistruler,

onlyonthemoremodestscaleappropriatetotheirposition.Theyaretosupportthe

SanghaandtheyaretodotheirbesttofollowtheBuddhistrulesofmorality,which

aresummarizednotonlyinthe fiverulesofselfrestraintwhichtheyaresupposedto

repeateveryday,thepaGcasIla[ed:fiveprecepts],butalsointhepositiveprinciples

ofgenerosityandkindnessdAnaandmetta. ThereisonlyoneBuddhistpath,but

thelaityandtheSanghahavecomplementaryroles,muchlikethebrahminandthe

Hinduking.Itwasnotenvisagedintraditionalvillagesocietythatalaypersonwould

havethechancetodomuchmeditationandthustoacquirethesubtleunderstanding

thatmeditationcouldbring.Ethics,however,applytoall:theyarethevery

foundationoftheBuddhasteaching.

CertainwellknowntextsinthePaliCanonillustratetheabovepoints.Howthe

Buddhist[layperson]istoapplyethics[into]dailylifeisspeltoutinthemostdetailin

theSiBgAlovAdaSutta.Mostrelevantformythemetoday,however,istheadvice

thattheBuddhagivestorulers.Thegeneralethicalprincipleisstatedinthe

Dhammapada:1 Neverinthisworldishostilityappeasedbyhostilityitisappeased

bylackofhostility.IntheKUTadantaSuttathisismemorablyappliedtopolitics.A

greatkingofformertimestellshisbrahminpriestandprimeminister(whoislater

revealedtohavebeenthefutureBuddhainaformerlife)thathewantstoperforma

greatsacrifice.Thiswillrequirehimtoraisetaxes.Hiswiseprimeministerwarns

himthatthecountryisfullofcrime.Hesays:YourMajestymaythinkthathecan

rootoutallcrimebykillingthecriminals,imprisonment,fines,censureorexile.But

thiswillneversucceedcompletely:therewillalwaysbesurvivors,whowillgoon

harassingyourkingdom.Hereistheonlysystemwhichwilleradicatecrime.Your

Majestyshouldsupplyseedandfoddertothosewhoworkinagricultureoranimal

husbandryheshouldsupplycapitaltothosewhoworkincommerceheshould

organizefoodandwagesforthosewhoworkinhisservice.Thenthosepeoplewill

concentrateontheirworkandnotharassthecountryside.YourMajestywillacquire

agreatpile.Thecountrysidewillbesecure,freefrompublicenemies.Peoplewillbe

happy,anddandlingtheirchildrenintheirlapswilllive,Ithink,withopendoors.2

ThosewhoclaimthatBuddhismhasnoplaceinpoliticshaveapparently

forgottenthegreatIndianemperorAsoka,whoruledalmosttheentiresubcontinent

foroverthirtyyearsinthemiddleofthethirdcenturyBC,andwhoseedictsshowthat

hedrewallhisprinciplesfromtheBuddhasteaching.IshallreturntoAsokavery

soon.ButfirstIwanttoansweranyonewhosaysthatAsokaisallverywell,butthat

waslongago,anditistheconditionsofthemodernworldwhichdemandthatreligion

keepoutofpolitics.Letusglance,then,atthemodernwesternworld.Inmany

EuropeanstatesoneofthemainpartiescallsitselfChristianDemocratorChristian

Socialist.Infact,asagreatreactiontoFascismattheendoftheSecondWorldWar

bothGermanyandItalyelectedChristianDemocratgovernmentsinItalythe

ChristianDemocratsheldpower(withvariouscoalitions)for44years,andin

GermanythepresentgovernmentisagainheadedbyaChristianDemocrat.But

perhapsthemostinterestingcaseistheUnitedStates,whichsorigidlyseparates

ChurchandStatethatitsconstitutionforbidsthestatetofavoranyreligionatall.

Thishasmanyradicaleffects,suchasmakingreligiousworshipandreligious

instructionillegalinstateschools.Andyettherearefewcountriesintheworldwhere

Christianvaluesandevendoctrines,someofthemextremelyspecific,playsucha

largepartinpolitics,becausethosearethingsmanypeoplefeeldeeplyabout,anda

democracycannotkeeppeoplefromexpressingtheiropinionsbycampaigningand

votingonwhattheyconsiderimportant.InAmericaabortionisagoodexampleofan

ethicalissuewhichplaysahugepartinpolitics.

Thosewhosaythattheywanttokeepreligionoutofpoliticsoftenmeanthat

theydonotwanttoacceptthemoralvaluesproposedbyareligion,butpreferother

values,suchasthoseofcommunismornationalism.Oneofthemostfamous

sayingsintheliteratureofthewesternworldisthelineofpoetrybytheRomanpoet

Horace,publishedin23BC:Itissweetandfittingtodieforonescountry.3

Politiciansusuallypreferthatsentimenttotheantiwarviewsheldbysomeofthe

greatreligioustraditions.

Letmemakeoneotherpointaboutethics.Thegreatreligioustraditionsall

teachthatpeopleshouldloveeachother,bekindandcompassionate.Bythis,they

meanthatoneshouldloveeverybody,notjustthosewhomitiseasytolove.Loving

someonewhoisalwayskindtoyouisnomorethanmostanimalsdobyinstinct.

Lovebecomesanethicalaccomplishmentwhenitisdirectedtoourenemies,or

otherswhomitishardtolove.

SowhatpartcanBuddhism,whichprofessesnonviolenceandloveforall,play

inpubliclife?Formetomakemymainpoint,Ineedlooknofurtherthanthefirst

precept:nottotakelife.Morethanhalfthecountriesintheworldhaveabolished

capitalpunishment,whichmeansthatthestatedoesnottakelife.Yetinthelistof

thosewhichhavenocapitalpunishmentfigureonlytwoBuddhiststates,Bhutanand

Cambodia.Thisdespitethefactthattherehavebeennumerousstudiesofwhether

capitalpunishmentlowersthecrimeratebyactingasadeterrent,allofwhichhave

concludedthatitdoesnot.Sothereisnotevenapragmaticargumentforretaining

capitalpunishment:itisthereonlytosatisfythedesireforrevenge.

Shouldthatdesireforrevengebesatisfied?Capitalpunishmentusuallyfollows

aterriblecrimesuchasmurder,andsuchcrimesarecertainlydetestable.Thatis

whytreatingthosecriminalshumanelyreallyputstothetestwhetherwearesincere

aboutoutprinciplesofloveandnonviolence.Ofcourse,ifsomeonemurdersa

persondeartome,itistoomuchtoexpectmeevertolovethatmurderer.Thatis

whywehaveajudicialsystem,ratherthanallowingeveryonetotakethelawinto

theirownhands.ButifIamasincereBuddhist,howcanIaskthestatetokillonmy

behalf?Buddhismsaysthatanyonewhohasdoneanevildeedwillhavetosufferfor

it:thatisthelawofkarmaandretribution.Whymultiplytheviolencebymakingjudge

andexecutioneralsocommitmurder?IntheCakkavattiSIhanAdaSuttatheBuddha

describeshowakinghasathiefexecuted,butthisonlybeginsaviciouscircleof

violence.4 Inthe amiyaJAtaka5 theBuddhaisbornasakingsheirapparent.He

istakentohisfatherwhilethelatterisonhisjudgmentseatsentencingcriminalsto

violentpunishments,includingdeath.Thereisnosuggestionthatthesesentences

areimproper:thekingisonlydoingwhatisexpectedofhim.Butthebabyfuture

Buddharemembersthatinaformerlifehetoowasakingwhosentencedpeopleto

death,andthatasaconsequencehehadtoundergotormentinhellforeighty

thousandyears.6

IfweseekamodelofnonviolentBuddhistrule,wehaveonetohandinthe

emperorAsoka.Iwouldlikeeveryschoolsystemineverycountrytoteachitspupils

notonlysomethingabouttheBuddhasteachings,butalsoabouthowAsokaput

manyofthemintopractice.Theinscriptionsheleftrecordedhowmuchhecurtailed

theuseofviolenceagainstbothmenandanimals.Sometimeshislanguageis

difficultforus,andearlyEuropeanscholarsbelievedthatthefourthpillaredict

showedthatheretainedthedeathpenaltybutProfK.R.NormanofCambridge

Universityshowed,somethirtyyearsago,thisisamistake,andthewordwhichhad

beentakentorefertoexecutionrefersonlytoflogging.7 SoAsokaisthefirst

[known]rulerinhistoryrecordedtohaveabolishedthedeathpenalty.

Makenomistake:thestatethatusesthedeathpenaltyistothatextent

corruptingitscitizensandgoingagainsttheBuddhasteaching.

Ifitiswrong,byBuddhiststandards,tokillpeoplewhohavebeenfoundguilty

afteratrial,whatcanonesayofkillingsuspectedcriminalswhohavenotbeen

broughttotrial?Onecontextinwhichthishappens,asweregularlyreadinthe

newspapers,iswhenawholesegmentofthepopulationisatoddswiththe

government.Violenceseemstobethewaytodealwithsuchanuprising.Yetthe

BuddhasadvicewhichIhavealreadyquotedfromtheKUTadantaSuttateachesus

thatthismeetinghostilitywithhostilityisnotonlyunethicalbutlikelytomakematters

worse.Ifwefeelthattherebelsdonotdeserveourkindness,wemayhavetogrit

ourteethinordertoshowselfrestraint,butthatisasmallpricetopayforsavingso

manylivesandsomuchsufferinginthelongerrun.

NotethatIamnotarguingforpacifism.Thisiswherethedifferencebetween

thepublicandtheprivatespherebecomescrucial.Ifsomeoneattacksme,Imay

decidenottorespond,eveninthewordsofJesusChristtoturntheothercheek.

Butifapopulationhaselectedmetolookaftertheirinterests,andtheyareattacked

orthreatenedwithattack,thesituationisdifferent:Ihavearesponsibilitytoprotect

them.Countriesneeddefenseforcestodeterattack,andpotentialaggressorsneed

toknowthatthoseforcesmaybeused.Thereisallthedifferencebetween

aggressionanddefense,betweeninitiatingviolenceandrespondingtoit.Herewe

returntothegreatestBuddhistruler,theemperorAsoka.Inhisthirteenthmajorrock

edicthetoldtheworldhowmuchheregrettedhavingwagedwaronthepeopleof

Kalinga.Hehopednevertohavetodosuchathingagain.Buthealsowarnedhis

neighborsthatwhilehewouldtoleratewhatcouldbetolerated(hiswords),they

shouldnotprovokehim.Thatsurelyistherightwayforagovernmenttominimize

violence.

Thoughthefirstresponsibilityofaruleristowardshisownpeople,thatcannot

excusecallousdisregardforthelivesofothers,letalonepolicieswhichneedlessly

bringdeathtoforeigners.IntheserespectsIfearsomeBuddhistgovernmentshave

disgracedthemselves.Inthelate1950s,forexample,theostentatiouslyBuddhist

governmentofSriLankarefusedtojoininanycriticismofthekillingofmonksand

destructionofmonasteriesinTibet,andSriLankanBuddhistgovernmentshave

continuedtodenysupporttotheDalaiLama,evensuggestingthatheisthewrong

kindofBuddhist,asifthelivesandwelfareofMahayanaBuddhistshadnocallon

theconcernorsympathyofTheravadins.Equallydistressingthingscontinueto

happenevennow.InBritainwehaverecentlyseenforourselvesontheBBCnews

howinMyanmar,notfarfromtheThaiborder,largenumbersofmen,womenand

childrenarebeingkilledandtheirhomesandpropertydestroyedtoclearlandfor

hydroelectricpowerschemesinordertosellcheapelectricitytoThailand.This

murderofinnocentBuddhistcitizensmaywellbegoingonevenasIamtalkingto

you.

ThereisastorythatMahatmaGandhiwasonceaskedwhathethoughtof

Britishcivilization.Hereplied,Ithinkitwouldbeagoodidea.Iventuretosuggest

thatBuddhistnonviolencetoowouldbeagoodidea.Wecannotpretendthatwedo

notknowwhatisgoingonnextdoor.Ifanyoneinthisassemblyhasanyinfluence,

letthemuseit.

RichardGombric h

ReferencestoPalitextsaretotheeditionsofthePaliTextSociety:

1Verse5.

2DIghaNikAyaI,135.

3Dulceetdecorumestpropatriamori.

4DIghaNikAyaIII,678.

5AlsoknownastheMUgapakkhaJAtaka.

6JAtakaVI,34.

7AsokaandCapitalPunishment,JournaloftheRoyalAsiaticSociety1975,

1,pp.1624.