Temples of Sri Lanka

BUDDHISM FOR SRI LANKA

By Ven Gurugoda Siriwimala B.A

Sri Lankan citizens are currently protesting. The citizens are protesting to desist the abuse, theft, and fraud that has been going on in the country with the influence of its rulers; they protest with the aim to cease a government that is run by a family along with their friendly association. Even at this moment, abuse is unremitting in this country. The rights of the citizens are convoluted. No good omen for our future generation can be seen in this country. Young girls and boys are flocking to leave the country for foreign employment. Scholarly people in the country are nauseated. No medicine for sicknesses. A country where the fuel prices go high while having a fuel shortage.  Amidst all these people are protesting while anticipating a better country. This protest is not something that only exists in Galle face. Even the people living in rural areas support this struggle by continuing it in their households. Therefore, it is not wrong to say that this protest will determine the future of all citizens in this country.

At this moment it is crucial to find out what Buddha has said about territory and politics. To anyone who has studied the Buddha, it is apparent that the Buddha was someone who held up at odds with the social system of his time. Even when he was a prince he always thought about civil liberty. He put effort to correct whatever shortcomings he saw in the social system. He introduced a new philosophy that will help to treat everyone equally despite their caste or if they are poor or wealthy. We, Sri Lankans, are also in the same shade. Therefore, it is not good to ignore the socio-political philosophies mentioned in Buddhism.

The ongoing protests in Sri Lanka started because of the defects in the existing economic pattern. The consequences of withholding human resource management and physical resource management are here now. According to Buddhism’s vision, it is important to have good human resources to create a good country.

Alaso gihi kamabhogi na sadhu – asannato pabbajito na sadhu

Raja na sadhu anisammakari – yo pandito kodhano tam na sadhu.”

 

“The idle sensual layman I detest, the false ascetic is a rogue contest.

A bad king will a case unheard decide, Wrath in the sage can ne’er be justified.”

According to the above-mentioned verses in the ‘Rathalaṭṭhi-jātaka’, four iniquitous people exist. The idle sensual layman I detest, the false ascetic is a rogue contest. A bad king will a case unheard decide, Wrath in the sage can ne’er be justified. The important part about this is the Buddhist notion of the ‘King’. Buddhism conveys that an unheard king is not a good king. There is no need to repeat that the myopic rulers who ruled the country for a long time have put our country in this crisis.

It is the responsibility of a country’s state administration to resolve its economic problems. This is abundantly mentioned in Buddhism. According to ‘Cakkavatti-Sihanada Sutta’, it is a King’s responsibility to develop his land both economically and ethically. It is mentioned in the suttas that a country’s economic problems may cause to harm its ethics. Buddhist economic philosophy can be discussed under two main divisions. One is the personal economic environment. The other is social economic background. While both these methods are important when it comes to economic philosophy, the latter is relevant to the matter we are discussing. Conforming to the socialized economic environment is the responsibility of the state administration.

Solutions to resolve the economic problems of a state are mentioned in the ‘Kūṭadanta Sutta. They can be analyzed as follows.

  • State support for the manufacturing process.
  • Supporting the product delivery process.
  • Streamlining administration by ensuring full employment.

 

Ten practices that should be protected by a king are mentioned in the Cakkavatti Sutta, some of the factors mentioned in there are directly linked to the economy. They are,

 

  • provide righteous protection and security for your people in the mansion.
  • provide righteous protection and security for your armies.
  • provide righteous protection and security for your officers all over the earth.
  • provide righteous protection and security for all the people.
  • provide righteous protection and security for priests.
  • provide righteous protection and security for recluses.
  • provide righteous protection and security for animals and birds.
  • Give money to the poor in the kingdom.
  • Do not let injustice spread in the kingdom.

These facts are known as ‘Cakkavatti vat’.

 

Above mentioned ten facts show how Buddhism reveals the responsibilities of a state. An explanation of government policies is mentioned here. These policies are very well-explained facts on a government’s responsibility in attaining an economy that is favorable to the citizens. Meanwhile, to diminish the iniquity it is important to provide wealth to the poor who have no wealth and make them happy. In order to Prosper and Secure the country and detach from iniquity, providing wealth to the poor is important. The economic pressure caused by the loss of wealth among these poor people increases all the iniquities.

According to Cakkavatti Sutta, due to the economic problems in a country, theft, murder, and every kind of unrighteous activity develop. Therefore, the Buddha’s preaching is that the responsibility of a state is to strengthen the economy of the citizens and solve their economic problems. That way, the country the ethics, and the citizens will be protected.

In that manner, all iniquities start to happen. The Buddha’s Preaching is that it is the state administration’s responsibility to resolve the citizens’ economic problems and strengthen their economy. That way, the country, the ethics, and the citizens will be protected.

Instead of finding the poor and awarding them individual prices, the Buddha’s proposal is that through one good policy, a system should be set up to distribute the state’s wealth equally to all. The development of a state cannot be done without a plan.  The ‘Kūṭadanta Sutta’ of ‘Dīgha Nikāya’ shows the importance of a plan for any kind of development. As mentioned in the same Sutta, when creating an economic development plan, It is important to gather the scholars living in the state and ask their advice and make decisions not based only on the unanimous decision of the king.

Helping the poor people mentioned above does not mean giving them wealth forever. It is important to improve industries by creating jobs to overcome poverty. In the ‘Kūṭadanta Sutta’, the Buddha tells a legend of the past to a Brahmin and explained to him that instead of distributing wages to the people, they should take their labor and contribute to the country’s economy.

The extract from the sutta confirms that he gave seeds and rice to those who were concerned about farming in the country and goods were provided to the traders. This fact is very important when governing poor countries in the modern world. Buddhism does not accept doing non-profit-generating activities.

Problems such as frustration arise when the government neglects poverty, unemployment, and insecurities of a state.  With that, people get messed up and start thieving as well as robbery, they disobey the state and the law and create riots. It should be mentioned that nothing is as dangerous as the economic problems of a state.

According to ‘Kūṭadanta Sutta’, the 8th King of the ‘Dalhanemi’ clan puts the state in a big crisis because of his arbitrary, short-sighted decisions and Acts without regard to human lives. However, king Vijitha mentioned in this Sutta acts with knowledge, the state was secured by providing economic solutions on the first place. For that, he accepted the opinions of the experts and adopted visionary procedures. The facts mentioned in ancient ‘Sihanāda Sutta’ confirm that an unplanned state economic structure creates social problems.

Furthermore, according to ‘Kūṭadanta Sutta’, it is evident that the citizens that live in a just and law-abiding state with a proper plan live a good life.  In an ideal state governance, citizens engage in their services. The citizens do not involve in violence or conflicts within the country. The state treasury is overflowing with wealth. The entire great state becomes an oasis for the people. People happily spend time with their families. It can be understood from this that by solving the economic problems of a country, politically healthy citizens can be produced. The State’s responsibility for that is also confirmed by the Buddha’s ‘Sakvitivath’ and ‘Kūṭadanta Sutta’.

Dhamma should be the foundation of a state when solving economic problems. Only fair policies should be used when solving those problems. For that, the state should be very organized. ‘Kūṭadanta Sutta’ certifies this fact.   Also, in order to have a peaceful atmosphere in a country, there is a need for a healthy economy. As the impoverishment of a state grows, at the same time, that particular state escape for the state from the uneasy atmosphere that comes with it. The above-mentioned plans, i.e. streamlining the production process, encouraging distribution channels, and employment, are emphasized by Buddhist principles.

Collecting taxes from people righteously. The ‘Mahā Sudassana Sutta’ mentions how the state tax policy should be. Also, in the ‘Kūṭadanta Sutta’, collecting taxes in a way that does not burden the people, using taxes for the benefit of the people, not engaging tax in illegal activities, and not collecting taxes in difficult situations of the people are also included in the facts. Moreover, according to Buddhism equality is an important issue when It comes to solving the economic problems of a country. As it is mentioned in the ‘Sathara Sangraha Wasthu’, Buddhism shows that every citizen living in the country should be treated equally and the distribution of wealth should be balanced through this equality. Also, it is the duty of the government to act regardless of caste, religion, differences, and language.

Moreover, Buddhism does not approve of allowing citizens to engage in wealth-producing industries of their choice in order to create economic security for a country. It is the duty of the government to encourage the citizen to not do things that will have a negative impact on the world, or encourage them to do things that will not harm the country and its morals.

Also, the satisfaction of the economy should be created by directing the citizen to spiritual virtues such as being happy with what he has received. Otherwise, it is impossible to prevent the emergence of a group of disaffected people who run after the economy. In the economic management of a country, the state must be righteous. According to the Tripitaka Sutra Dharma, it is important for its leader or the king, or the president to act according to the Dasaraja Dharma.

 

 

© Satipatthana Magazine

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