Introduction
The role of Buddhist ethics in our society is very necessary and important element. In modern academic work the study of ethics is becoming very popular topic such as among religious concern, science, politics, social and medical context etc. Particularly it classify into a branch of philosophy. Therefore, it is clearly seen that how the role of ethics takes place major position in our human society. Broadly speaking, in everyday of our lives ethics are involved in various ways. Whatever we act or decide to do something, the issue of ethics is to be considered seriously concerning our activities are weather right and wrong or ethical or unethical standard. Therefore is the basic considerable and it comes out to be an essential part of our daily life.
At the same time, the way of the understanding of ethics is discussed widely as a controversy question in different field of modern society with argument or disagreement regarding from different perspective within various societies. In modern day especially in West, Buddhist moral concepts are widely discussed from their point of view pointing out Buddhism has rich ideas to deal with modern ethical interests.
In this study of The Role of Buddhist Ethics in Daily Life, I will mainly emphasize on Buddhist ethics as my subject field, from Buddhist perspective, which plays a very important role regarding as a basic foundation of Buddhist doctrine.
What is ethics?
As Oxford dictionary[1] defines ethics is moral principles that control or influence a person’s behaviour or a system of moral principle or rules of behaviour and the branch of philosophy that deal with moral principles.
Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy[2] gives ethics (Greek, ethos, character) the study of the concepts involved in practical reasoning: good, right, duty, obligation, virtue, freedom, rationality, choice.
Sīla, a Pāli word, from Buddhist perspective, can be used to mean ethics. Pāli Text Society’s Pāli-English Dictionary defines Sīla as nature, character, habit, behaviour, moral practice, Buddhist ethics, and code of morality.
The origin of Buddhist ethics
All tremble at the rod (punishment). All fear death. Comparing others with oneself, one should neither strike nor cause to strike.
(Dhammapada Verse No.129)
All tremble at the rod (punishment), life is dear to all. Comparing others with oneself, one should neither strike nor cause to strike.
(Dhammapada Verse No.130)
Buddhism begins holding doctrine of ethics as important foundation to lead higher development both social and spiritually, here it is noteworthy that Buddhist ethical conduct (Sīla) is based on the universal love (Mettā) and compassion (Karuā) for all living beings. It is not because of divine being and other supernatural force but because men come to men and all beings as relationship with them in human nature so that they can live in harmonious and peaceful condition. It is easy to understand using one’s own common sense and intelligence and accept to practice what produces beneficial results for all beings. In Buddhist ethical teaching, Kamma theory is essentially involved as main important role.
Kamma is a Pāli word, it means action or deed which is may be bad or good but in Buddhism, only volitional or intentional action or deed can be called as Kamma. Because volition is the real one which accomplishes a deed.
"Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of body, speech, & intellect.”[3]
As the Buddha described intention as Kamma, mental volition becomes essential a point of every actions done through physical, verbal and mental. Volition (Cetanā) which is a very important mental factor can arise together with every consciousness or minds. When cetanā associates with moral roots becomes moral volition but when it associates with immoral roots become immoral volition. Any deeds with moral volition are called skillful kamma and with immoral volition are called unskillful kamma.
Here, though, there was as much emphasis on karmas/actions being ritually right as on their being ethically right. In Buddhism, though, the emphasis is strongly on the ethical aspect of action as the relevant factor in causing karmic results.[4]
It should be understood that there is no supernatural lawgiver to decide wrong and right or reward and punishment. Therefore, right and wrong, goodness and badness do not depend on the existence of God and any supernatural force. But human understanding and intelligent are essential needs.
“Rāhula, when you wish to do an action with the body (by speech and mind), you should reflect upon that same bodily action thus: ‘Would this action that I wish to do with the body (by speech and mind) lead to my own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of both? Is it an unwholesome bodily action with painful consequence, with painful result?’ When you reflect, if you know: ‘This action that I wish to do with the body (speech and mind) would lead to my own affliction, or to the affliction of others, or to the affliction of body; it is an unwholesome bodily (verbal and mental) action with painful consequences, with painful results, then you definitely should not do such an action with the body (speech and mind).”[5]
The concept of Buddhist ethical code can clearly be understood here, from above the Buddha’s words, an action is good or right if it is faultless and blameless, that does not cause any harm to anyone and it is beneficial and brings good consequential results to the oneself as well as others. This is the way how our action can be judged whether right and wrong.
The Buddha’s advice provide us how to make moral decisions, engage in moral reasoning, and understand the positions of others in the great moral conflicts as well as help to examine essential moral and ethical questions concerning our actions.
There is one interesting thing to be noted that besides bodily and verbal actions, Buddhism explains a variety of mental actions including thoughts, intention, motivations, emotions, and perspectives. In fact, it is the ethics of mental actions that constitutes the main concern of the teaching of the Buddha. It can be one of very different point of moral principles from Western ethics.
Noble Eightfold Path as a moral or ethical life
In the Noble Eightfold Path, the first stage is Sīla factor: Right Speech (Sammā Vacā), Right Action (Sammā Kammanta) and Right Livelihood (Sammā Ajiva).. Right Speech involves respect for truth and respect for the welfare for others. It deals with refraining from falsehood, slandering, harsh words, and frivolous talks. When someone refrains from these forms of wrong and harmful speech one naturally speaks the truth, uses words that are friendly and benevolent words, speaks without carelessly and right time and place. If one can’t refrain from these falsehood, slandering harsh words and frivolous talks, it is better to keep noble silence. It is said that a harsh word can wound more deeply that weapons, whereas a gentle word can change the heart and mind of the most hardened criminal. The Buddha also said, “Present speech is sweet as honey, truthful speech is beautiful like a flower, and wrong speech is unwholesome like filth”. Therefore, to develop a harmonious society, everyone should cultivate and use speech well and positively.
Right Action entails respect for life, respect for property and respect for personal relationship. It deals with refraining from killing, stealing and unchastity. Because life is dear to all, all tremble at punishment, all are fear death and value life. It aims at promoting moral, honourable and peaceful conduct.
Right Livelihood refers to how we earn our living in society. It deals with the five kinds of trades. They are trading in arms, human being, flesh, intoxicating drinks and poison and they all are wrong trades. This principle show that Buddhism strongly opposed to any king of war. If people follow it there will be on war, no evil trade. All these three factor of Sīla or moral conduct aims at promoting a happy and harmonious life both for individual and society. It is the indispensable foundation for all higher spiritual attainment.
In addition, in Buddhist way of life, the five precepts (called Panca sīla) are very important to be moral life also to lead higher levels of Buddhism. Sīla is the preliminary step towards the progress of spiritual life. It is not only Buddhist but also for everyone in the world. Without observing them to get peace, happiness and live together in harmony with each other is impossible. And then without Sīla, there is no Samadhi (concentration) Panna(wisdom). Therefore, Sīla is the most important for our life. Every Buddhist is expected to observe at lest the Five Precepts of regulated behavior daily. Five precepts are primary requirements for any person to be regarded as a morally good individual because they are concerned with regulating personal and social behaviors and social relationship in general.
Why do we need ethics?
As we are human beings, we live with family, friends, wife and husband etc in society linking each other. So we need our responsibility not to make others harmful, injury etc so that we can stay in harmonious ways. Today we are told that society is full of crime, irresponsibility, and dishonesty but suppose if the entire population had no sense of ethics. The role of ethics in our society is very important because it is the basic beliefs and standards which make everything runs smoothly. Also ethics are involved in all organizations and institutions around us whether political, medical, lawful, religious, or social. Ethics are what give us comfort knowing that we live in a country where we are able to choose. Because we believe our doctors are ethical, we feel certain we can trust their diagnoses. If ethics did not apply to medicine, some doctors may knowingly misdiagnose their patients just for the sake of money rather than for the persons' health and well-being, this is one of example.
Ethics give us comfort that the business deal will not fall through. In today's society, laws and contracts are enforced to make sure that the business deals are fair and that the both people will hold up their end of the deal. Without any application of ethics, our society would be one of dishonesty and uncertainty. Although we do not have a perfect society, the ethics in our country is what makes the society peaceful place to live in. So in order to be better society, one must have high ethical standards.
Not to do any evil deeds. To do good deeds.
To purify the mind, this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
(Dhammapada Verse No-183)
This simple practical method which summarized the whole Buddhist doctrines by putting a simple way to be applied in everyday life and every society for everyone so that the world will be better place to live in. This teaching provides any individual or society a voluntary way of thought and practice based on an analysis of human morality or ethics which promotes human wee being and welfare and aims at the realization of the truth of human life.
In above the massage, the first point “Not to do any evil deeds” tells about morality or ethics so this first step is very important and essential for social development as well as mental development. Buddhism believes that without proper moral or ethical standard, there will not be peaceful, happy and harmonious community or society so we have to be careful our moral actions whatever we act by action, words also in our attitude if we really want to develop our society. It is said that there is no one who does not want to live in peaceful life because we all human beings like to live in peaceful life, family, nation and globe. To have wonderful environment we have to develop our moral standard. Buddhist ethics are towards to not only spiritual values but also social development it brings us together in harmony with others.
Benefits of practicing ethics
With development of ethics followed by people, we can image how that society and country will be peaceful, harmonious, unity etc. There are numerous of discourses which explain the benefits of practicing morality both individual and society. Here, some passages are given from Pali original texts.
“A man established on virtue, wise, Developing the mind and wisdom, A bhikkhu ardent and discreet: He can disentangle the tangle”[6]
This quotation shows virtue or ethics as basic foundation to lead higher spiritual development. The most Buddhist scholar Ven.Buddhaghosa went deeply explanations on this Pali verse, as result, Visuddhamagga was appeared.
A person who develops ethics is blameless and praiseworthy, he possesses the best moral character which is the most valuable possession of a person. Since he avoids doing or causing harm to any living being, he brings peace and happiness to all living beings including himself.
Lead a righteous life; Lead not a wicked life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next.
(Dhammapada Verse No-196)
There are the scents of sandalwood, tagara, lotus and jasmine; but the scent of virtue surpasses all scent.
(Dhammapada Verse No-55)
In Mahaparinibbana Sutta, there are five advantages[7] of ethical life as followings: Gains much wealth, wealth, through diligence; Gets a good reputation; joyful recollection of moral purity; Gets self-confidence in all types of company, without fear of reproach or punishment; Gets easier progress in meditation; dying without anxiety, and Gets rebirth in a heaven world.
It should be realized that the Buddhist ethical and moral conduct aims at promoting a happy and harmonious life both for the individual and for society. This moral conduct is considered as the indispensable foundation for all higher spiritual attainments. No spiritual development is possible without the moral basis.[8]
Conclusion
To make conduction, it can be seen that the system of Buddhist ethics integrates the highest good of the individual with the welfare of society, connects the mental development and exemplary character of the individual devotee with virtuous and harmonious social existence.
Without ethics, our society will become even more crime, violence, corrupt and fall from peaceful environment and secure society. Because ethics help keep things in order and in peace. Because our decisions have such a great influence, it is our responsibility to our society and those around us to live a life of good ethics. In modern world, we have witnessed that how the world is facing serious problems by lack of our moral weakness, ethical undevelopment, uncivilized action etc.
Buddhism believes that ethics is a part of human being, so without necessary part, it will be meaningless. Basically, five precepts as the basic ethical application are required to be undertaken in our daily life so that both individual and the whole society will be better place to live in. Being an ethical life makes us value, honest, good citizens, friendship with our fellow men, we contribute to the good of society as well as to improve ourselves and community. Life based on ethical standard will lead to us higher social level as well as spiritual level. Therefore, the role of ethic is always playing as major concern in daily life.
References
1. Bodhi, Bhikkhu (Translator), The Connected Discourses of the Buddha- Saṃyutta Nikāya, Boston, Wisdom Publications, 2000
2. Bhikkhu, Thanissaro(Translater), AN 6.63, Nibbedhika Sutta: Penetrative, Access to Insight, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part
3. Harvey, Peter, An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2004
4. Nanamoli, Bhikkhu and Bodhi, Bhikkhu( Translators), Majjhima Nikaya- The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Boston, Wisdom Publications, 2005
5. Nyanatiloka, Buddhist Dictionary- Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, Taiwan, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, 2009
6. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, 8th Ed, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2005
7. Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Blackburn Simon, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2008
8. Pāli Text Society’s Pāli-English Dictionary
9. Rahula, Walpola, What the Buddha Taught, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, Taiwan, 2009
10. Sri Dhammananda, K, The Dhammapada, Penang, The Penang Buddhist Association, 2005
11. Walshe, Maurice, (Translator), The Long Discourse of The Buddha- Dīgha Nikāya, Boston, Wisdom Publications, 1995
[1] Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, 8th Ed, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2005, P-520
[2] Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Blackburn Simon, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2008, P-121
[3] Bhikkhu, Thanissaro(Translater), AN 6.63, Nibbedhika Sutta: Penetrative, Access to Insight,
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.063.than.html#part-5 (7-3-2012)
[4] An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics, Harvey, Peter, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2004, P-15
[5] Ambalatthikārāhulovada Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya- The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha Nanamoli, Bhikkhu and
Bodhi, Bhikkhu( Translators), Boston, Wisdom Publications, 2005, P-526
[6] Samytta Nikaya, Bodhi, Bhikkhu,(Translator), Wisdom Publication, Boston, 2000, P-101
[7] Mahaparinibbha Sutta, Walshe, Maurice, (Translator), The Long Discourse of The Buddha- Dīgha Nikāya,
Boston, Wisdom Publications, 1995, P-231
[8] What the Buddha Taught, Rahula, Walpola, Taiwan, 2009 P-47
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