Buddhist ethics (discipline)

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Buddhist ethics as an academic discipline is relatively new, blossoming in the mid-1990s. [1] Much like Critical Buddhism and Buddhist modernism, it is a result of recent exchanges of Eastern and Western thought. While generally thought of as a sub-field of Buddhist studies, the discipline of Buddhist ethics draws together history, philosophy, religious studies, anthropology, and more in an attempt to understand what may be the fundamental question of Buddhism: how ought man live? [2]

Contents

Specific work has been produced on Buddhist ethics dating back to the 1920s. Early descriptive accounts of Buddhist ethics include Tachibana's Ethics of Buddhism (1926), focused on Theravādin ethics, and Poussin's La Morale Bouddhique (1927), based on Mahāyāna texts. Other early authors that expressed interest in Buddhist ethics include Caroline Augusta Foley Rhys Davids and Isaline Blew Horner. In 1979 the Journal of Religious Ethics featured a section devoted to the study of Theravādin ethics. featuring four prominent scholars in Buddhist studies. [3]

History

Buddhist ethics emerged as an academic discipline in 1992, with the publication of Damien Keown's book The Nature of Buddhist Ethics. His subsequent co-founding of the Journal of Buddhist Ethics in 1994 further solidified the birth of a new field in the discipline of Buddhist studies. Prior to Keown's book, only a handful of books and articles existed that attempted to delve into the questions of a specifically Buddhist ethic. Even more daunting, however, has been the separation of 'ethics' from the rest of Buddhism. It has also been argued, by Keown and others, that the very question the Buddha sought to answer was a purely ethical one, namely, "the perennial problem of the best kind of life for man to lead." [4]

Aristotle / virtue

In Buddhist Ethics as Virtue Ethics, Nick Gier compares Buddha's ethical teachings to Aristotle's, "Like Greek virtue ethics, Buddhist ethics is also humanistic and thoroughly personalist." [5]

Damien Keown devotes a great deal of his work to debunking claims that Buddhism is utilitarian in nature. His work then goes on to examine the structure of Buddhist ethics, focusing specifically on morality (Pali: siila). His conclusion is that Buddhist ethics most closely resembles the ancient Greek virtue ethics found in Aristotle.[ citation needed ]

James Whitehill, in Buddhist Ethics in Western Context: The Virtues Approach, says, "Buddhism's legitimation in the West can be partially met by demonstrating that Buddhist morality is a virtue-oriented, character-based, community-focused ethics, commensurate with the Western 'ethics of virtue' tradition." [6]

Bentham/Mill - utilitarian

Mark Siderits suggests that the doctrine of anatta provides the grounding for an "aretaic consequentialism" [7] in which the goal is the alleviation of suffering for all beings (realizing that there is no "self" to be freed apart from others). He follows a long line of thinkers in Buddhist ethics.[ citation needed ]

Philosopher David Pearce compares Buddhist ethics and utilitarianism and suggests that although both have the abolition of suffering as a common aim, in practice these two ethical systems often disagree about means. Specifically, Pearce writes that “[m]ost Buddhists would challenge the idea that technology offers an escape-route from the pain of earthly existence.” [8] Pearce also questions the Buddhist idea that desire always leads to suffering, giving melancholia and anhedonia and hyperthymia as counter-examples. [9] [10]

Traditional Buddhist ethics

Two key teachers of traditional Buddhist ethics are Hammalawa Saddhatissa and Padmasiri De Silva. Saddhatissa was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who wrote Buddhist Ethics in 1970 (reprinted in 1987, 1997 & 2003). De Silva has a similar work, Buddhism, Ethics and Society: The Conflicts and Dilemmas of Our Times (2002). A third, and less notable work is The Way to Social Harmony (1989, available online) by Venerable U Pyinnyathiha. [11]

These works can be invaluable as an introduction into key Buddhist canonical texts such as the Sigalovada Sutta. [12]

Further reading

Related Research Articles

Buddhist philosophy Elaboration and explanation of the delivered teachings of the Buddha

Buddhist philosophy refers to the philosophical investigations and systems of inquiry that developed among various Buddhist schools in India following the parinirvana of the Buddha and later spread throughout Asia. The Buddhist path combines both philosophical reasoning and meditation. The Buddhist traditions present a multitude of Buddhist paths to liberation, and Buddhist thinkers in India and subsequently in East Asia have covered topics as varied as phenomenology, ethics, ontology, epistemology, logic and philosophy of time in their analysis of these paths.

Duḥkha is an important concept in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism, commonly translated as "suffering", "unhappiness", "pain", "unsatisfactoriness" or "stress". It refers to the habitual experience of mundane life as fundamentally unsatisfactory and painful. It is the first of the Four Noble Truths and it is one of the three marks of existence. The term also appears in scriptures of Hinduism, such as the Upanishads, in discussions of moksha.

Noble Eightfold Path Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara

The Noble Eightfold Path is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana.

Five precepts Basic code of ethics for Buddhist lay people

The Five precepts or five rules of training is the most important system of morality for Buddhist lay people. They constitute the basic code of ethics to be respected by lay followers of Buddhism. The precepts are commitments to abstain from killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication. Within the Buddhist doctrine, they are meant to develop mind and character to make progress on the path to enlightenment. They are sometimes referred to as the Śrāvakayāna precepts in the Mahāyāna tradition, contrasting them with the bodhisattva precepts. The five precepts form the basis of several parts of Buddhist doctrine, both lay and monastic. With regard to their fundamental role in Buddhist ethics, they have been compared with the ten commandments in Abrahamic religions or the ethical codes of Confucianism. The precepts have been connected with utilitarianist, deontological and virtue approaches to ethics, though by 2017, such categorization by western terminology had mostly been abandoned by scholars. The precepts have been compared with human rights because of their universal nature, and some scholars argue they can complement the concept of human rights.

Theravāda is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed Theravādins, have preserved their version of Gautama Buddha's teaching or Buddha Dhamma in the Pāli Canon for over a millennium.

<i>Saṃsāra</i> Cyclicality of all life, matter, existence

Saṃsāra is a Sanskrit/Pali word that means "world". It is also the concept of rebirth and "cyclicality of all life, matter, existence", a fundamental belief of most Indian religions. Popularly, it is the cycle of death and rebirth. Saṃsāra is sometimes referred to with terms or phrases such as transmigration, karmic cycle, reincarnation or Punarjanman, and "cycle of aimless drifting, wandering or mundane existence".

Ethics involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. A central aspect of ethics is "the good life", the life worth living or life that is simply satisfying, which is held by many philosophers to be more important than traditional moral conduct.

Rebirth in Buddhism refers to the teaching that the actions of a person lead to a new existence after death, in an endless cycle called saṃsāra. This cycle is considered to be dukkha, unsatisfactory and painful. The cycle stops only if moksha (liberation) is achieved by insight and the extinguishing of craving. Rebirth is one of the foundational doctrines of Buddhism, along with karma, Nirvana and moksha.

Dīgha Nikāya Buddhist scripture, "Collection of Long Discourses"

The Digha Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the first of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka of (Theravada) Buddhism. Some of the most commonly referenced suttas from the Digha Nikaya include the Maha-parinibbana Sutta, which described the final days and death of the Buddha, the Sigalovada Sutta in which the Buddha discusses ethics and practices for lay followers, and the Samaññaphala, Brahmajala Sutta which describes and compares the point of view of Buddha and other ascetics in India about the universe and time ; and the Poṭṭhapāda Suttas, which describe the benefits and practice of samatha meditation.

Upāsaka Lay followers of Buddhism, not monks or nuns

Upāsaka (masculine) or Upāsikā (feminine) are from the Sanskrit and Pāli words for "attendant". This is the title of followers of Buddhism who are not monks, nuns, or novice monastics in a Buddhist order, and who undertake certain vows. In modern times they have a connotation of dedicated piety that is best suggested by terms such as "lay devotee" or "devout lay follower".

Buddhism Religion and philosophy based on Buddhas teachings

Buddhism, also known as Dharmavinaya — "doctrines and disciplines" — and Buddha Dharma, is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on a series of original teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha. It originated in ancient India as a Sramana tradition sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, spreading through much of Asia. It is the world's fourth-largest religion with over 520 million followers, or over 7% of the global population, known as Buddhists. Buddhism encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on the Buddha's teachings and resulting interpreted philosophies.

Buddhist ethics Ethics in Buddhism

Buddhist ethics are traditionally based on what Buddhists view as the enlightened perspective of the Buddha. The term for ethics or morality used in Buddhism is Śīla or sīla (Pāli). Śīla in Buddhism is one of three sections of the Noble Eightfold Path, and is a code of conduct that embraces a commitment to harmony and self-restraint with the principal motivation being nonviolence, or freedom from causing harm. It has been variously described as virtue, moral discipline and precept.

In Buddhism, Jāti (Sanskrit/Pāli), "birth", refers to physical birth; to rebirth, the arising of a new living entity within saṃsāra ; and to the arising of mental phenomena.

Saṃsāra (Buddhism) Cycle of repeated birth, mundane existence and dying again

Saṃsāra in Buddhism and Hinduism is the beginningless cycle of repeated birth, mundane existence and dying again. Samsara is considered to be dukkha, suffering, and in general unsatisfactory and painful, perpetuated by desire and avidya (ignorance), and the resulting karma.

In Buddhism, the eight precepts is a list of precepts that are observed by lay devotees on observance days and festivals. They include general precepts such as refraining from killing, but also more specific ones, such as abstaining from cosmetics. Based on pre-Buddhist sāmaṇa practices, the eight precepts are often upheld on the Buddhist observance days, and in such context called the uposatha vows or one-day precepts. They are considered to support meditation practice, and are often observed when staying in monasteries and temples. In some periods and places the precepts were widely observed, such as in 7th–10th-century China by government officials. In modern times, there have been revival movements and important political figures that have observed them continuously.

Brahmā (Buddhism) Dharma protector and deity in Buddhism

Brahmā is a leading god (deva) and heavenly king in Buddhism. He is considered as a protector of teachings (dharmapala), and he is never depicted in early Buddhist texts as a creator god. In Buddhist tradition, it was the deity Brahma Sahampati who appeared before the Buddha and invited him to teach, once the Buddha attained enlightenment.

The Dighajanu Sutta, also known as the Byagghapajja Sutta or Vyagghapajja Sutta, is part of the Anguttara Nikaya. For Theravadin scholars, this discourse of the Pāli Canon is one of several considered key to understanding Buddhist lay ethics. In this discourse, the Buddha instructs a householder named Dīghajāṇu Vyagghapajja, a Koliyan householder, on eight personality traits or conditions that lead to happiness and well-being in this and future lives.

In contrast with many Indian religious traditions, Buddhism does not regard the body and the mind or spirit as being two entirely separate entities - there is no sense in Buddhism that the body is a "vessel" that is guided or inhabited by the mind or spirit. Rather, the body and mind combine and interact in a complex way to constitute an individual. Buddhist attitudes towards the body itself are complex, combining the distaste for sensual pleasure that characterizes the general Buddhist view towards desire with a recognition of both the individuals dependence on the body, and the utility of the body as an aide in the development of insight. Issues of gender, the mortification of the body, and the body as a source of troublesome desire are all addressed within the Buddhist scriptural tradition directly, while Buddhist attitudes towards other, more contemporary issues have continued to develop and change in response to the social and material changes in modern society.

Buddhist modernism are new movements based on modern era reinterpretations of Buddhism. David McMahan states that modernism in Buddhism is similar to those found in other religions. The sources of influences have variously been an engagement of Buddhist communities and teachers with the new cultures and methodologies such as "Western monotheism; rationalism and scientific naturalism; and Romantic expressivism". The influence of monotheism has been the internalization of Buddhist gods to make it acceptable in modern Western society, while scientific naturalism and romanticism has influenced the emphasis on current life, empirical defense, reason, psychological and health benefits.

Three poisons Innate character flaws described in Buddhism

The three poisons or the three unwholesome roots, in Buddhism, refer to the three root kleshas: Moha, Raga, and Dvesha. These three poisons are considered to be three afflictions or character flaws innate in a being, the root of Taṇhā (craving), and thus in part the cause of Dukkha and rebirths.

References

  1. ↑ This is a contestable point. The reason that the "mid-1990s" is stated is due to the sharp increase in activity in the field at that time: the publication of the first systematic study of the topic, the founding of the first academic journal devoted to the topic, and an American Academy of Religion panel (Philadelphia, 20 November 1995) devoted to "Revisioning Buddhist Ethics". Before this short span, there were ventures into Buddhist ethics, but no period marks such a dramatic "burst" in academic activity as the mid-1990s.
  2. ↑ Keown, Damien (1992). The Nature of Buddhist Ethics, p. 1.
  3. ↑ (1979 Vol. 7 (1) pp.1-64)
  4. ↑ Keown, Damien (1992). The Nature of Buddhist Ethics, p. 1.
  5. ↑ Buddhist Ethics as Virtue Ethics
  6. ↑ Buddhist Ethics in Western Context: The Virtues Approach Archived 20 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Siderits, "Buddhist Reductionism..." p.293
  8. ↑ At the same time elsewhere Pearce cites the 14th Dalai Lama at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting 2015, who said: “If it was possible to become free of negative emotions by a riskless implementation of an electrode - without impairing intelligence and the critical mind - I would be the first patient." (Pearce, David (1 May 2009). "A World Without Suffering?". The Hedonistic Imperative. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.) (Chatterjee, Anjan; Farah, Martha J., eds. (2013). Neuroethics in Practice. Oxford University Press. p. 245. ISBN   9780195389784.)
  9. ↑ Pearce, David. "Buddhism and the Conquest of Suffering". BLTC Research. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  10. ↑ Pearce, David (2017). "Life in the Far North". In Vinding, Magnus (ed.). Can Biotechnology Abolish Suffering?. North Carolina: The Neuroethics Foundation.
  11. ↑ "THE WAY TO SOCIAL HARMONY / Pyinya.HTM". Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2008.
  12. ↑ "Sigalovada Sutta: The Discourse to Sigala".
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