The Critical Study of the Duties of States in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy

Abstract

Theravada Buddhist ideas about duties of the state appear frequently in the Tipitaka. On an individual level, we fi nd concepts of personal responsibility to do good acts (Kusalakamma) and refrain from evil ones (Akusalakamma). On a social level, we fi nd increased duties and responsibilities concerning social interactions. These include both duties between the people and duties between the rulers and the people for the sake of a peaceful coexistence. Such duties are to be conducive to the personal developments of individuals. An abundance of these teachings can be found in Disa, Agganna-sutta, Cakkavatti-sutta, Dasavidha-rajadhamma, Raja-sangahavatthu, and Aparihaniyadhamma. Later, when the concept of the ruler has become more complex with the establishment of nations or states along with their governing organizations, both concrete (territory, population, government) and abstract (sovereignty), the once centralized authority granted to individual rulers is transformed into the authority of the state through groups of representatives chosen by the people. Such group – the government – is entrusted with ruling the state, hence giving rise to the idea of duties of the state.