Copied from earlier writings elsewhere
Originally published 4 Apr 2005
The following is from a book by Walpola Rahula called What the Buddha Taught
(New York: Grove Press, 1959, p. 84). In the actual passage, this text
is cited from what is known as the Jataka text and describes the
teaching of the Buddha (6th c. BC) on proper governance by rulers.
It
is a hopeful sign that one ruler in history, Asoka, Buddhist emperor of
India in the 3rd c. BC, applied this teaching during his reign after
publicly repenting at least one of his early conquests (Kalinga) and
then renouncing war itself for the remainder of his reign, which
apparently continued in peace and prosperity for many years, as did
neighboring kingdoms.
Continue reading "Ten Duties of The King" »
Copied from earlier writings elsewhere
Originally published 23 Feb 2006
Discussions of politics, current affairs, etc., require perspectives that touch on many things. Most important, they require a basic model of our civilized world. Here begins a discussion gathered all in sequence.
The essence of Civilization is to
seek benefit for individuals within the group by making the group more
powerful than any individual. I state that premise in just that way to emphasize
- group strength, and
- benefits to individuals
The winner-take-all, survival-of-the-fittest crowd would probably emphasize the opposite:
- individual strength, and
- benefits to the group
In this case, their premise would be to make Individuals more powerful than the group so that the group can stand in the Individual's protective shadow. But is this Civilization, or the Law of the Jungle? It's actually what led to feudalism.
Continue reading "The Basis of Civilization" »
