Shi Zhen Yu

　　Buddhism is a religious ideological system rooted in seeking detachment against perplexity, improper thoughts, and distresses of birth and death; and it is a life-education system aimed at guiding human beings towards a more civilized and perfect life. 

　　Buddhist ethical thoughts are built on the basis of the particular conceptions of life-view, values-view, and liberation-view of Buddhism.  The implications of Buddhist Ethics consist of three relationships.  The first is the relationship between the individual and Buddhas/Bodhisattvas — emphasizing the belief in tri-ratna [homage to the Buddha, Dharma and Bodhisattvas/Sangha].  The second is the relationship between individuals — stressing the abidance of five precepts, the practice of ten good acts, and the coordination and consummation of harmonious relationships between them.  The third is the relationship between humans and other sentient beings; between individuals and the cosmos, which advocates the respect for life and protection of the natural environment - the healthy development between humans and the nature.  In this respect, ethics is a very important part of Buddhist doctrine, and also the fundamental belief and approach for Buddhists to realize liberation and completion of life. 

　　Over its long history, Buddhism has been like a bright light shining on India, China, Southeast Asia, and the rest of the world; and it plays an important role in enlightening one away from ignorance, developing social-progress [development], guiding life, purifying society, and so on.  Buddhist ethics and Buddhist moral theories, moral concepts, moral standards, and moral practices — these all play an important role in the history of global civilization and in real life.  This paper portrays the implications of Buddhist Ethics and its instructive significance to people in modern society.

　　I.  The Implication of Buddhist Ethics

　　1.  On “Abstention from the Evil and Cultivation of the Good”

　　The ultimate purpose of Buddhist ethics can be generalized as “abstention from the evil and cultivation of the good”, an indispensable approach for realizing the purpose of moksa and to be in the pursued: tranquil state.  Thus, the distinction between good and evil becomes a principle of Buddhist Ethics and the standard of moral judgment. 

　　This intensively shows that Buddhist ethical concepts and moral thought for Buddhist views of good and evil is an orientation-value for Buddhist morality, and value-standards based on Buddhist doctrine. 

　　In Buddhism, the very nature of worldly life, including the circumstances in which one lives and the world one confronts, is “suffering”.  To transcend these pains in the world and realize an ultimate and complete life - one deals with the ignorance and greed found within ourselves; abstains from evil and cultivates good.  Getting rid of existing evil, working not to produce additional evil; to work at nurturing goodness, to destroy any pre-existent evil — when doing this, one achieves liberation and bliss for oneself and others.  The good dharma of Buddhism is a dharma of purity with a nature of tranquility benefiting both oneself and others in this present life and future lives.  For example, from the Abhidharmakosa-sastra (Treasury of Metaphysics): “Calm karma is called the good.      

　　The Vijnaptimatratasiddhi-sastra (Discourse on the Theory of Consciousness-only) states：“Dharmas which are beneficial to present life and the other life is called the good.”   In simple words, Good Dharma is that which can give oneself and others good effects in present life and the future life.  The “Good” and the “Evil” in Buddhist ethics cannot be differentiated at the point of “ego”, nor are they founded on the judgment between the good and the evil in “the present life”; compared to the corresponding good and evil in the mundane ethics, they transcend Buddhist ethics, and the principle of “transmigrating the effects between the triple world”.  Buddhism claims good or evil karma of present will determine the good or evil effects in the future life; the effects suffered in the present is determined by the good or evil practice in the past life.  These thoughts transcend spatio-temporal localization of being one’s personal benefit and temporal gain and loss, and are particularly valuable as far as ultimate concern is concerned. 

　　In realistic ethical-education, one realizes that the cause and effect principle: “good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil”; and the theory of “abstention from evil and cultivation of good” derived from Buddhist ethics — this shows particular Buddhist viewpoints enrichening and exalting implications of mundane ethics.  At the same time, this plays a positive driving-role in ethical education — persuading others to abstain from evil and following good examples.

　　2.  Equality and Compassionate Views

　　Equality and compassion view are essential principles for the relationship between individuals and between humans and other life in Buddhism.  Equality refers to the same respect towards other people or life; compassion refers to the care towards them.  Equality is the ideological foundation of compassion; compassion is the ethical expression of equality. 

　　Equality means indiscrimination.  Early in original Buddhism, Sakyamuni Buddha was against the four castes - held by Brahmins.  He proclaimed that the four castes: Brahmin, Ksatriya, Vaisya, Sudra - are equal.  The equality here means: four castes are equal in the achievement of practice in renunciation and in Buddhist groups; and the four castes are equal as far as karma and its effects are concerned, whether someone is of high-caste or low-caste: they all gain or lose corresponding to the effects of their own karma.  According to the idea that all beings have the Buddha nature, Buddhism claims “all beings are equal”, which is one of distinctive characters from other religions. 

　　In Chinese: compassion (ci bei) always refers to the combination of its two characters’ meanings of “kindness” (ci) which means loving all sentient beings and giving them happiness; and “pity” (bei) which means feeling pitiful to all sentient beings and driving away those pains.  The nature of compassion is the expression of sympathy and love - the refinement of love. 

　　The compassion principle of Buddhist ethics is based on the thoughts of dependent origination and no self.  In terms of the theory of dependent origination, nothing can exist singularly without causes and conditions.  Everyone has close relationship with other sentient beings; in the cause and effect relationship of three worlds, other sentient beings may be one’s parents or relatives.  This close relationship between individuals is the supreme sympathetic heart of Buddhism — the start of “great compassion without conditions”.  In terms of the theory of no-self, an ‘individual’ does not have substantial existence, hence arose the idea of the ‘oneness’ of oneself and others, and the heart of “great compassion of oneness”.  The equality and compassion of Buddhism is not confined to humans, it includes all living creatures, even those things without sensation, which is called “both sentient beings and non-sentient beings achieves the perfect Buddha-wisdom simultaneously”.  This is the greatness of containing everything with sublime love.  This broad-thought is significant: to alleviate the narrow and selfish mind, and correct the belief that ‘humans are at the core of everything’ — as prominently held in current society; and furthermore, to coordinate better relationships between human and nature.

　　3.  Self-benefit and Altruistic Views

　　Self-benefit refers to benefits gained from the good effect of one’s vigorously practice for one’s own moksa.  Altruism refers to dedication of doing well for saving all sentient beings.  Self-benefit saves one; altruism saves and benefits all sentient beings.  Self-benefit and altruism is the way of Bodhisattva - the pursuing the way of Buddha is also the saving all sentient beings.  As far as the enlightenment of truth and saving all sentient beings are concerned, it is also called: “enlightenment of self and enlightenment of others”.  Mahāyāna Buddhism request the combination of self-benefit and altruism, and the realization of the state of perfect nirvana. 

　　The ethical principle of self-benefit and altruism in Mahāyāna Buddhism has close relations with the ‘oneness’ view of “non-duality between self and others”.  Mahāyāna Buddhism believes that one and others are not opposite, but interdependent.  In the long transmigration, the liberation of oneself and others are not separate.  Thus, to treasure oneself, one must treasure others; to liberate oneself, one has to liberate others.  Only through helping sentient being and liberating sentient beings can one become liberated.  It can be said that at the core of the ethical principles of self-benefit and altruism in Mahāyāna Buddhism is altruism which is a greater development from compassion thought.  The ethical thought of self-benefit and altruism in Mahāyāna Buddhism is helpful to promote Buddhist believers to care more about the mundane life, and impel Buddhist ethics to become more social and more open. 

　　From all of the implications mentioned above - abstention from evil and cultivation of the good, equality and compassion, self-benefit and altruism — can be called the essential principle of Buddhist ethics; but the detailed ethical content can be seen in the three practices, five precepts, ten good acts, six perfections, four dharmas of attraction, etc of Buddhism.  Of the numerous, so-called: eighty-four thousand bundles of dharma — many of them teach to remove one’s own ignorance and affliction, to abstain from evil and cultivate good, to cherish the heart of equality and compassion, and to practice the deeds of self-benefit and altruism.  For example, by observing five precepts and pursuing ten good acts (i.e.  not killing, not stealing, not committing adultery, not lying, not speaking harshly, not speaking divisively, not speaking idly, not being greedy, not being angry, not having wrong views) — the individual can increase one’s compassionate heart, correct bad habits, improve accomplishments.  As far as social functions are concerned, precepts promote: the moral accomplishment of its members; bring steadiness and harmony into the social-order; preserve the survival and development of human society - because the five precepts and ten good acts are ethical standards of universal significance.  It can be said that the five precepts and ten good acts are experience, as summarized in the process of survival for the sustainable development of humanity, of the living wisdom of human beings, and holding these are important for society and the universe. 

　　Actually the four dharmas of attraction: giving the gift of Dharma or something that people like; using kind words; acting for the purpose of benefit to them; physically working together with them - in the way of Bodhisattva, are four principles for living together harmoniously.  These are ways for one to get along with others: the first and third show a great humanitarianism spirit — playing a positive role to restrain polarization between the rich and the poor, harmony in human relationships — these relax conflicts between people, resolve societal disorder and crisis in this global human society which is undergoing a sharp gap between the rich and the poor, and a difficult living state for the vulnerable groups. 

　　In terms of the law of causation and the theory of dependent origination, Buddhism stresses interdependent relationships between people, and hence approves of coexistence and mutual prosperity, mutual coordination between individual and another’s interest, and individual survival and social development.  These serve, perfectly, as the solid ideological foundation of social morals.

　　II.  Contemporary Educational Significance of Buddhist Ethics

　　There are spiritual resources available for modern ethics in all of the main religious-theoretical systems of the world.  Buddhist ethical thought is an important part of the whole theoretical system of Buddhism, an indispensable ethical thought-resource, and the ethical system plays an important role in the ethical-thoughts for the world.  Currently, with the increasing abundance of material-life, just the opposite is occurring, with the ‘spirit and heart’ facing grim crises day by day: lack of beliefs, selfishness, lonely hearts, people becoming deficient in their responsibilities, collapse of value systems, and so on.  Ethical ideas such as self-discipline, transcendence, equality, compassion, etc., derived from Buddhist ethical-thoughts could alleviate crises, and to warn and awaken oneself in the present human society.  It is also important for contemporary people to build up their ethical-living principles peacefully and to enhance their sense of responsibilities.  We should make full use of the advantages of Buddhist ethics, and exert its educational and social strengths in and for modern society. 

　　1.  Restrain Egoism and Hedonism in Modern Society through Buddhist Ethics

　　Owing to the advancements in the development of social and material civilization - extreme individualism, materialism, and hedonism have become very popular in modern society.  More and more people place emphasis on the realization of one’s personal ‘value’ by paying particular attention to one’s personal interests, safeguarding personal dignity, and pursuing personal happiness.  In these processes, they move through one extreme to another extreme - sticking to nothing, using various means, and finally leading to intensification of conflict-of-interests between people — causing social turbulence and unrest.  If these problems can be instructed by the principle of causality of good and evil, transmigrate between the three-worlds of Buddhism - the extremes of pursuing personal happiness or hedonism would be moderated into mutual respect and mutual safeguards - to ensure each other’s legal interest for the improvement of harmony and stabilization of global-humanity.

　　2.  Encourage Helping People in Distress, Relieve Those in Need, and Propel the Development of Social/Charitable Causes through Buddhist Ethics

　　There are abundant theoretical resources of ‘mercy’ and ‘saving the world’ in Mahāyāna Buddhism, such as: “all sentient beings are equal”, “mercy and benefiting the world”, “the causality of good and evil”, etc., as the source of spiritual power - when many Buddhist groups and social organizations are doing charitable causes.  Therefore, by using Buddhist ethical thoughts to encourage people to take active parts in charitable activities would be beneficial for all sentient beings, with the mercy-spirit of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas - to improve reality, perform efforts beneficial to every sentient-being, cultivate good fortune, and benefit society with Buddhist ideals.  This would be a powerful force to close the increasingly-deeper gap between the rich and poor in current society, ease serious social conflicts, and promote harmony and prosperity in society, and further human-happiness and benefit.

　　3.  Mediate Conflicts between Humans and Nature, Promoting the Sustainable Development of Global Society, Economy, and Environment - through Buddhist Ethics

　　Development is one of the basic issues in contemporary society.  Over the past two centuries, with the accelerating steps of global modernization, economies have become greatly developed, and with this, unexpected problems arose, such as: over-population, resource shortages, environmental pollution, ecological destruction, etc.  Additionally there are things like: famines, and floods not brought on by humans; terrorism, the threat of war or chaos, and mental unrest - leading to the danger of an unbalanced planetary life-system; and even restrictions placed upon principles for global sustainable development, economic systems, and society.  For the sustainable development of human society - one would need to change one’s ideological concepts — Buddhism has abundant ideological-resources available that could be used for reference.  For instance: “not killing” is definitely against war according to Buddhist ethics - which refers to not only to killing humans, but also towards not killing birds, beasts, insects, and fishes, etc.  — including not chopping trees arbitrarily.  In addition to the precept of “not killing” - Buddhism advocates the freeing of captive animals, which is directly beneficial to maintain the natural ecological balance.  Other ideological resources include: “not stealing” or “not being greedy” — as beneficial for the improvement of public social-order conditions, and the stabilization of such a social order.  The theory of dependent origination also serves as the theoretical foundation of Buddhism, stressing that humanity and the natural environment are interdependent.  Buddhism’s principle of the maturation of karma suggests that in the environment, all sentient beings live — interpretations also state that this includes mountains, rivers, land, and even all the global environment — all subjected to the effects of prior karmas of sentient being’s own behaviors.  The idea that subject and environment are un-separated, that subjective activities affect changes in the objective environment, is of great enlightening and instructive significance — that humans need to respect nature, treat nature well, and protect nature. 

　　Human-oriented thoughts, and good-wishes towards the pursuance of harmony, stabilization, and development can be found everywhere when implying Buddhist ethics.  It can be said that Buddhist ethics are expressions of humanity’s living wisdom and summary of experience towards the process of survival and human-development.  If we can pursue these principles from the Buddha, instruct more people in the principles, and to develop the Buddhist ethical principles, of: the abstention from evil and cultivation of good, equality and compassion, self-benefit and altruism, and related moral standards.  If the principles are popularized into the common people, and penetrate into all kinds of human endeavors — indifference would lessen, conflicts would ease, enmity between people would disappear — and a friendly, harmonious, and sincere society would build solid relationships.  Individuals would have a purified mind, perfected ‘spirit’, and an enlightened life; to wider extent, it would be beneficial to the State and the people — to improve the social morale, promote peace, safety, and a sustainable and healthy developed world.