..續本文上一頁handarāga),
lustful desire conditions attachment (ajjhosana),
attachment conditions appropriation (pariggaha),
appropriation conditions avarice (macchariya),
avarice conditions guarding of possessions (ārakkha),
and because of the guarding of possessions
there arise the taking up of stick and sward (danḍadāna);
conflicts, quarrels, and disputes; accusations
(satthādānakalahaviggaha-vivādatuvamtuvam),
pisive speech, and lies(pesuññamusavada).”
Therefore, because of greed and ego, unskillful phenomena come into play: the taking up of sticks and swards; conflicts, quarrels, and disputes; accusations, pisive speech, and lies.
Defensiveness is the reason for conflict and it is dependent on unwholesome desire (tanhā). Craving or unwholesome desire is the cause and origination. Therefore, unwholesome desire causes all kinds of social evils and distortions, from hostilities to confrontations and wars.
In the Pațhama Sangāma Sutta, the Buddha explains:
“Victory breeds enmity
The defeated one sleeps badly
The peaceful one sleeps at ease
Having abandoned victory and defeat.”
In the Dutiya-Sangama sutta, the Buddha categorically expounds the results of killing thus:
“The killer begets a killer
One who conquers, a conqueror
The abuser begets abuse
The reviler, one who reviles
Thus by the unfolding of kamma
The plunderer is plundered.”
These are the inevitable results of kamma. The Dhammapada explains the way of controlling our hateful mentality:
“Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world;
It is appeased by love. This is an eternal law.”
The person who creates hateful mental volitions against others means that he is actually molding a sorrowful future for himself. This is what many people are doing because they do not yet understand universal ethics. Explaining the ineffectiveness of war, the Dhammapada says:
“One may conquer in battle a thousand times a thousand men,
Yet he is the best of conquerors who conquers himself.”
Ten Duties of Kings
The dasa-raja-dhammas, or ten duties assigned for kings, do not advocate any kind of war against others. The king should be kind-hearted and practice gentleness (maddava). He should be free from hatred, violent volitions (akkodha), and jealous mental states. He is to be non-violent (avihimsa) and promote peaceful environment in his kingdom. He is to practice tolerance (khanti). Therefore, these ruler”s duties show the path to a peaceful society and its co-existence with other communities.
References:
1. Nehru, J., “Glimpses of World History”, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1995.
2. The Mahanidhana Sutta, The Digha Nikaya vol. ii, Eds: T.W. Rhys Davids and J. E. Carpenter, PTS, London, 1966.
3. The Samyutta Nikaya vol. i, Ed.; M.L. Feer, PTS, London, 1973.
4. The Dhammapada, Tr.; Max Muller, Motilal Benarsidas, Delhi, 1965.
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