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BUDDHIST ETHICS
• KEY CONCEPTS,
PERSPECTIVES
AND TEACHINGS
• ‘In Buddhism, moral
virtue is the
foundation of the
spiritual path..’ Dr
Peter Harvey
A Summary of ideas
• Enlightenment (nirvana / nibbana)
• Karma
• Skilful means
• Noble Eight Fold Path & 5 Precepts
- Wisdom (Panna), Meditation (Samadhi) and Morality
(Sila)
• Non-attachment
• Loving-Kindness - Metta
• Ahimsa; ‘harmlessness’
• Compassion and the Bodhisattva & Avalokiteshvara
• Dalai Lama
• Therevada & Mahayana attitudes
The Buddhist approach
Buddhism is distinct as a religion in that it
does not involve the existence of a god. This
has implications for ethics.
Theistic (god based) religions have an ethical
system based around their deity - be it God,
Allah or Brahman - i.e., acting in accordance
with Gods will, following Gods laws = morality.
By removing god as a motivating force,
Buddhists must explain why they should act
morally - what is their motivation?
Why act morally?
• Enlightenment (nirvana, nibbana):
The ultimate goal of Buddhists is to achieve
enlightenment, to escape Samsara - the cycle of
suffering. Acting morally brings one close to this
goal (this is usually seen to be through a series of
positive rebirths).
• Karma:
Within the Natural Law that is Dharma, Karma is
the universal law of causal relationships.
By acting morally i.e., according to the teaching of
the Buddha, one generates good karma, this will
lead Buddhists closer to their goal. And vice
versa, acting immorally generates bad karma and
takes Buddhists away from their goal.
Skilful means
• Developed in the Mahayana tradition, inspired
by the Buddha’s skill in teaching the Dharma.
• Good karma is generated by acting skilfully
‘kusala’.
• Bad karma is generated by acting unskilfully,
‘akusala’.
• This concept leaves flexibility in the
interpretation of teachings as provisional rather
than ultimate; in contrast to the traditional and
more strict Theravada understanding.
Eight Fold Path - the path to enlightenment:
Divided into 3 parts; Wisdom (panna), Meditation
(samadhi) and Morality (sila).
• Each must be practised well and although
distinct the parts are complimentary. The
better one part is practised, the better the
other parts will be practised.
• For example; The better your Meditation then
the clearer your mind will be = the better you
will understand the Dharma (Wisdom) = the
better you are able to make good moral choices
based on Buddhist teachings = the clearer your
mind will be for meditation!
The 5 Precepts:
1) I undertake to abstain from harm (killing) / + compassion
2) I undertake to abstain from taking the not given
(stealing) / + giving
3) I undertake to abstain from misuse of sensual
pleasures / + satisfaction
4) I undertake to abstain from false speech / + truth
5) I undertake to abstain from intoxicants that cloud
the mind / + mindfulness & awareness
• The precepts are also about cultivating positive
behaviour (indicated above by +); developed in
Thich Nhat Hanh’s formulation of the precepts.
• Following the precepts is a way to generate good
Karma.
Non-attachment:
Buddhism teaches that nothing is permanent
(Impermanence) and that it is our false belief
that it is that leads to doomed attachments that
will result in suffering through the Three Root
Evils that spring from attachment - Greed,
Hatred and Ignorance (seen at the hub of the
Wheel of Life).
•Buddhism teaches that we should seek to
develop the three opposing Cardinal Virtues of
Non-attachment, Benevolence and
Understanding.
•These are clearly linked to our moral behaviour.
Task 1…
Answer the following based on what you have heard;
1) How does our understanding of morality differ
in Buddhism from theistic religions?
2) List three concepts you might use in a
discussion about Buddhist morality.
3) How does morality compliment the whole
practice of Buddhism?
4) Why are the 5 Precepts especially important in
a discussion on Buddhism and how should they be
regarded / interpreted?
5) Why is the teaching of Non-attachment
relevant to morality?
Task 2…
Concepts based answer
Try to link all the concepts (and any
more you think relevant) in a coherent
answer to the exam question:
‘For what reasons should a Buddhist
behave morally?’ (45 marks)
Consider the best combinations of
concepts and repeat them as necessary.
Lovingkindness – ‘metta’
• Feeling of happiness for all beings, warding off
hatred and fear.
• Emphasised in the Dhammapada in such
teachings as; ‘conquer anger by lovingkindness;
conquer evil by good..’
• To be expressed to all beings like a mother’s
love for her child.
• To be practiced in daily life by kind actions.
• Meditation is often focussed around the ideal, a
full understanding of its meaning must be
realised.
Ahimsa; ‘harmlessness’
Life is sacred. The intentional destruction of life is morally
wrong.
• Buddhists and the earlier Jains promoted this ideal.
Illustrated by the influence they had over the move from
animal sacrifice (which they saw as cruel) in traditional
Indian religions to more symbolic ritual offerings i.e., food
and milk.
• Some monks use a strainer to avoid harming small animals in
their drinking water.
• In some cultures agriculture is unacceptable due to its
destructive impact on the ground.
• Links with the analogy of the ‘Jewel Net of Indra’ – which
sees all things as an interconnected web, a jewel at each
join reflecting all others.
Compassion and the Bodhisattva
• [Sanskrit,=enlightenment-being], in early Buddhism the
term used to refer to the Buddha before he attained
supreme enlightenment; or any being destined for
enlightenment or intent on enlightenment.
• The path of the bodhisattva is the central teaching of
Mahayana Buddhism. One becomes a bodhisattva by
arousing the “mind of enlightenment,” vowing to attain
supreme enlightenment for the sake of all beings.
• The bodhisattva does not aspire to leave samsara until all
beings are saved; he is thus distinguished from the arhant
of earlier Buddhism, who seeks nirvana only for himself
and who, according to Mahayana teaching, has an inferior
spiritual attainment.
Bodhisattva
Avalokiteshvara
• The bodhisattva of
compassion
• Often shown with thousands
of arms showing a readiness
to help everyone.
• Tibetan buddhists believe
he works through the Dalia
Bodhisattva
Lama.
Avalokiteshvara
• Featured
‘guiding souls’
in the
Lotus
6 Perfections of a Bodhisattva;
Sutra.
Generosity / Morality / Patience /
Courage / Meditation / Wisdom
• Speaks out in support of the
principles contained within the
UN Universal Declaration of
Human Rights 1948.
• ‘..without a sense of universal
responsibility, our very survival
becomes threatened. Basically,
universal responsibility is feeling
for other people's suffering
just as we feel our own. It is the
realization that even our enemy
is entirely motivated by the
quest for happiness. We must
recognize that all beings want
the same thing that we want.
This is the way to achieve a true
understanding, unfettered by
artificial consideration.’ 1989
Dalai Lama
Theravada & Mahayana attitudes –
drawing distinctions between the two contributes to
the AO2 part of the question
THERAVADA
MAHAYANA
• Closely follow the
• Emphasise importance
Precepts regarding
of acting ‘skilfully’,
them as strict
which may allow for
principles / rules.
flexibility in
interpreting the
• Mention the lay and
Precepts
monastic differences
• Their aim is to become • Aspire to the
Bodhisattva ideal,
an Arhat (enlightened
seeking enlightenment
being) – best achieved
for others, not
in the monastic
themselves. Open to lay
environment.
and monastic Buddhists.
Recap: why & how should Buddhists act
morally?
1. To achieve their ultimate goal of enlightenment
2. To better practice the Eight Fold Path
3. As a way to removing suffering (Dukkha)
4. To follow the 5 Precepts is to follow a set of moral
principles (interpreted differently by Therevada and
Mahayana traditions)
5. Because of specific teachings from and about the Buddha
e.g., ‘Loving-Kindness’, Compassion, harmlessness (Ahimsa),
Jataka tales, skilful means
6. Because of the example of the Bodhisattva (in Mahayana)
e.g., Avalokiteshvara and modern Buddhists including the
Dalai Lama.
Final points….
Include a good variety of concepts well explained in terms
of their moral relevance and thoughtfully connected.
Refer to the different teachings, experiences and
objectives that apply to Theravada, Mahayana, lay and
monastic Buddhists.
Remember, although the question may be very ‘open’, the
specification does highlight the 5 Precepts as particularly
important. So learn and use these thoroughly.
Read the question carefully; there is a difference between
‘why’ and ‘how’ might a Buddhist act morally. You can draw on
the same information, but ensure you are answering the
question in the correct way.
Task 3
Using pages 99 – 106 of Cush;
Create a ‘brainstorm’ of information
about the Bodhisattva with particular
reference to Avalokiteshvara. Include
information that is directly relevant
to a discussion about ethics.
HOMEWORK – Buddhist Ethics Topic
1.
Print this Power Point as a handout ( 6 slides to a page)
from the Intranet site. For revision and 2 & 3 below.
2.
Create a detailed & neat mind map summary of all the
concepts, ideas, teachings and perspectives relevant to
a discussion on ethics.
Keep it brief and visual in order to use this as a revision
tool.
3. Plan and write a full answer to the exam question;
‘For what reasons should a Buddhist behave
morally?’ (45 marks)
remember you have already looked at this question a
number of times.
DUE NEXT LESSON
Examiners guide to marking this question
• The importance of ethical behaviour in the Noble
Eightfold Path should be noted; morality is
essential for personal development, treating
others correctly and according to principles of
harmlessness is part of the path to nibbana. Moral
behaviour is important for the lay Buddhist, for
the acquisition of good karma. The example of the
bodhisattva, who postpones his own enlightenment
for the sake of others, might be considered, with
the importance of karuna in Mahayana Buddhism.
Candidates should recognise that there is no
concept of a judging God.