The Buddhist Teachings on Good Governance

Abstract

This paper basically discusses the Buddhist notion on good governance and its relevance for current political system in Sri Lanka. Due to political imbalance and corruption in politics, the world has become confusion. It seems that the polluted political leadership has spread everywhere in Sri Lanka. Buddhism understands the politics as one of the constraints in society. But it does not escape from all the ties of mundane and secular living. The Buddhist canonical scriptures explain how the Buddha had encounters with the kings, ministers and rulers. The Buddha offered a number of sound principles relating to the good governance. Therefore, it is expected to revisit the importance of the Buddhist political teachings as a solution for the current political imbalance n the country. Buddhism encourages towards the ethical culmination into the political life. So that Buddhism is totally differentiated from the Kautilyan and Machiavellian political thoughts of governance. Buddhism introduces the concept of the Wheel Turning Monarch for good governance with the just and righteous principles (rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā). He is understood as the culmination of morality in Buddhism. He is understood as the culmination of morality in Buddhism. The sutta-s like Aggañña, Chakkavattisīhanāda, Kūṭadanta, Mahāparinibbāna, Adhammika, Dhanañjāni and Middle Path speak of the concept of good governance in Buddhism. From the Buddhist perspective, the ruler is traditionally recognized as a Boddhisattva. He is said to be possessed the qualities like compassion, tolerance and gentleness. If the king is ethical, the whole country rests happily. Buddhism suggests that the corrupted governance brings bad consequences not for the entire social institution but for natural process.