SOCIAL ETHICS OF BUDDHISM (Reciprocal Duties, For The Entire World)

Ethics is a branch of study dealing with the evaluation of human conduct, behavior and ways of life and the standards of identifying good and bad conduct (also called standers of moral evaluation). Social Ethics of Buddhism are ethical norms applicable particularly ta lay Buddhists drawn from the exhortations of the Buddha. Principally, these exhortations would, either,

(a) Prescribe guidelines for the mundane welfare of human beings,

or

(b) identify the causes of personal, social or economic ruination of human beings caution them to steer clear of them,

or

(c) prescribe the moral duties and obligations of persons mutually bound to each other by social relationships so as to ensure their harmonious co-existence.

Buddhism accepts that lay persons leading family lives are engaged in productive activity and are free to enjoy pleasures and comforts of worldly life. The prefect Holy Life (brahmacariya) is not meant for them. They can however lead morally pure lives and yet enjoy the pleasures of life righteously. Though the main thrust of the Buddha was to show mankind a way to a spiritual goal Buddha paid due attention to man’s mundane welfare. Buddha treated worldly prosperity more as a support than a hindrance to spiritual progress. Buddha not merely encouraged humans but also showed them the way to earn wealth but righteously and advised them to use enjoy such wealth equitably and dutifully.

In the Sigalovada Sutta (Diga Nikaya) Buddha identified the mutual duties and obligations of each party in six pairs of persons socially related to each other and declared that their due performance by the parties would conduce to their benefit in the present life and thereafter. The Background of the Sutta was an episode in which Buddha observed a householder worshiping the six directions after bathing in the river. On being questioned the householder replied that he was fulfilling his father’s death-bed admonition to worship the Six directions.

Worship of Six Directions

Buddha explained to him that the ‘Worship of Six Directions’ for the Noble Disciple was a totally different concept. Buddha clarified further that East was represented by Parents, South by Teachers, West by Wife and Children, North by Friends, Ground below by servants and Direction overhead by Religious Priests and ‘worshipping’ was the  due performance of duties owes to them by their correlatives namely, children, pupils husbands, friends, masters and Devotees respectively. Buddha identified a cluster of five reciprocal duties owed by each correlative to the other in the pair. They were as indicated below.

Duties of Children towards parents

1. To feed and maintain parents
2. To attend to their activities.
3. To preserve the purity of the clan
4. To take good care of the patrimony.
5. To confer merit on deceased parents.

Reciprocal duties of parents

1. To dissuade children from evil acts.
2. To establish them in virtue.
3. To educate them in arts and crafts.
4. To get children married at proper age.
5. To give dowry and patrimony at proper age.

Duties of pupils towards teachers

1. To get up from seat in the presence of teachers.
2. To attend on the teachers.
3. To listen attentively to the teaching
4. To render services to the teachers
5. To learn diligently

Reciprocal duties of teachers

1. To discipline the pupils correctly
2. To teach properly
3. To reach all technical skills and philosophies
4. To introduce the pupils to distinguished friends
5. To provide security

Duties of the husband towards the wife

1. To hold the wife in esteem.
2. To avoid demeaning the wife.
3. To uphold fidelity with the wife.
4. To hand over earnings and property.
5. To provide jewelry and elegant clothing

Reciprocal duties of the Wife

1. To properly organize household activities.
2. To entertain husband’s friends and associates cordially.
3. To uphold fidelity with the husband.
4. To take good care of husband’s earnings.
5. To attend to activities of the husband diligently.

Duties of the householder towards friends

1. To be charitable to friends.
2. To be affable to friends.
3. To promote their welfare.
4. To associate on a level of equality.
5. To refrain from deceiving.

Reciprocal duties of friends

1. To take care when in distress by negligence.
2. To safeguard their property.
3. Give protection when in fear.
4. Not to desert in time of distress.
5. To help their children in life

Duties of the Master towards servants

1. To properly organize the industry.
2. To pay sufficient wage.
3. To provide assistance in time of illness.
4. To give their portion of extra delicious food.
5. To offer gratuities (bonuses) at proper time.

Reciprocal duties of the servant.

1. To awake before the Master.
2. To go to sleep after the Master.
3. To take only what is given. (not to steal)
4. To perform the duties appropriately.
5. To always speak well of the Master

Duties of the householder towards Sramanas and Brahmans (Religious priests)

1. To perform physical acts of loving kindness
2. To speak words of loving kindness.
3. To direct thoughts of loving kindness.
4. To keep open house for entertaining religious priests.
5. To donate material gifts such as alms robes.

Reciprocal duties of religious priests

1. To dissuade householders from evil acts.
2. To establish them in virtue.
3. To bless them with a generous heart
4. To educate them with facts not already known and amplify facts already known
5. To show them the way to birth in heaven.

By this sutta the Buddha sought to instill in the minds of individuals in society a feeling of commitment to their Moral duties the due performance of which alone would ensure harmony in society. Reciprocal duties of the husband and wife and also parents and children were emphasized family harmony is the bedrock of stability in society. Harmonious relations between employers and employees are a requisite for industrial peace and economic progress. Dedication of teachers and pupils to their respective roles is necessary for the progress of education. The Social ethics set forth in this Sutta are valid for all time.    

Post by Admin : from 'Guide to the study of Theravada Buddhism'