Professor Asanga Tilakaratne is Emeritus Professor of Pali and Buddhist Studies at the University of Colombo, and the Founding Chairman of Damrivi Foundation. He obtained his BA in Buddhist Philosophy from University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, his MA in Western Philosophy and his PhD in Comparative Philosophy at University of Hawaii, and was a Commonwealth Fellow at the University of Oxford. He has published extensively on Buddhist philosophy, philosophy of language, philosophy of religion, practical ethics, contemporary social and political issues, Buddhist epistemology and logic, and inter-religious understanding. He is currently Editor-in-chief of the Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, Government of Sri Lanka.
This article argues that within Buddhism, the ethical principles of those aiming at better rebirths within the round of rebirths (saṃsāra), and those aiming at nirvana, the transcending of this, should be clearly distinguished. The ethics of the nirvana seeker, mostly monks and nuns, has no place for war and violence, while the more worldly concerns of other Buddhists allow some engagement in defensive wars while seeking to minimise suffering, in line with international humanitarian law. It is argued that the lay Buddhist’s emphasis is on avoiding evil (pāpa) and doing what is ‘meritorious’ (puñña), i.e. bringing happy results within this and future lives. ‘Meritorious’ acts are ‘good’ by worldly standards but are not the same as a nirvana-seeker’s ‘skilful’ (kusala) action, which should always be non-violent. This is not to say, however, that a lay Buddhist may not also perform some genuinely skilful actions.
目次
Abstract 88 Introduction 88 The ideal position 89 Two dimensions of Buddhist practice 90 Buddhism and war 93 Historical practice 97 Conclusion 98 Abbreviations 99 Notes 100 References 101
