Economic ethics for rulers
The Cakkavatti-sīhanāda Sutta describes a line of mythical universal emperors(Cakkavattis) of the past. Each is seen as having been a compassionate ruler, who counsels his son on how to rule, like him, according to Dhamma,in the sense of justice or righteousness. In one case, the son does all that his father advises, except giving to the needy. As a result of this failing, poverty arises for the first time for ages. Consequently, stealing arises. When a thief is caught and is brought before the emperor, he explains that he stole as he was poor: so the emperor gives him some goods with which support himself and his family, carry on a business, and make gifts to renunciants and brahmins. When others hear of this, though, stealing only increases. The emperor therefore makes an example of the next thief by executing him. This then leads to thieves arming themselves and killing those whom they rob, so that there are no witnesses(D.III.64-8). The Buddha sums this up as follows:
Thus, from the not giving of property to the needy, poverty became rife. from the growth of poverty, the taking of what was not given increased, from the increase of theft, the use of weapons increased, from the increased use of weapons, the taking of life increased-and from the taking of life, people's life-span decreased, their beauty decreased.(D.III.68).
Thus, a ruler who allows poverty to develop is sowing the seeds of crime and social conflict. Systemic poverty threatens law and order and thus inhibits both social and cohesion and personal morality(Fenn, 1996:107)
A related message is given in the Kūṭadanta Sutta, D.I.134. Here the Buddha tells of a rich and powerful king of the past who wanted to offer a lavish sacrifice to secure his future welfare, in accordance with the practices of pre-Buddhist Brahmmanical religion. He therefore asks his brahmin adviser, in the Buddha in , how to go about this. In reply, the brahmin points out that the kingdom is being ravaged by thieves and brigands. This situation will not be solved by executions, imprisonments or other repressive measures, for those who survive such measures will continue to cause problems(as often happens in anti-guerrilla measures today). He then gives an alternative plan to ' completely eliminate the plague', which involves granting grain and fodder to those who cultivate crops and keep cattle; granting capital to traders; and giving proper living wages to those in government service:
Then those people, being intent on their own occupations, will not harm the kingdom. Your majesty's revenues will be great, the land will be tranquil and not beset by thieves, and the people, with in their hearts, will play with their children and dwell in open houses.(D.I.I.36)
The king then carries out this advice and , in line with further counsel, conducts a great sacrifice, but one in which only such things as butter and oil are offered, not the lives of animals, no trees are cut down, and no one is forced to help(D.I.I4I). While Gombrich(1988:83) comments that this passage was meant mainly as a critique of Brahmanical sacrifice, and that he knows of no Indian king who did such things as grant capital to businessmen, the spirit of the passage still expresses a Buddhist ideal-and one which has often been cited by a number of twentieth-century Buddhists.
(To be continued)
Source: Introduction to Buddhist ethics : Foundations, Values and Issues by PETER HARVEY, University of Sunderland
Then those people, being intent on their own occupations, will not harm the kingdom. Your majesty's revenues will be great, the land will be tranquil and not beset by thieves, and the people, with in their hearts, will play with their children and dwell in open houses.(D.I.I.36)
The king then carries out this advice and , in line with further counsel, conducts a great sacrifice, but one in which only such things as butter and oil are offered, not the lives of animals, no trees are cut down, and no one is forced to help(D.I.I4I). While Gombrich(1988:83) comments that this passage was meant mainly as a critique of Brahmanical sacrifice, and that he knows of no Indian king who did such things as grant capital to businessmen, the spirit of the passage still expresses a Buddhist ideal-and one which has often been cited by a number of twentieth-century Buddhists.
(To be continued)
Source: Introduction to Buddhist ethics : Foundations, Values and Issues by PETER HARVEY, University of Sunderland
