
Why go there, right? Buddhism & Politics.
As long as I’ve been a Buddhist practitioner, most of the western Sangha has told me that Buddhism & Politics don’t mix. At all.
“As long as the Vajjians hold regular and frequent assemblies, meet in harmony, conduct their affairs in harmony, and disperse in harmony, they may be expected to prosper and not decline… As long as they do not revoke the ancient traditions, they may be expected to prosper and not decline.” — Mahāparinibbāna Sutta
And yet…as a Buddhologist, a scholar who specializes in Buddhism and its history, I was shown something different. That in every moment of its history, Buddhism had a very close relationship with politics, with power and with rulers.
“Thus, by giving land to the landless, capital to those who needed it, and sustenance to those who labored, the king alleviated poverty and created conditions in which crime and unrest decreased without harsh punishments. In doing so, prosperity increased for all.” — Kutadanta Sutta
I suspect that the myth that Buddhism and Politics don’t mix comes from ignoring two key aspects of Buddhist thought: first, the history of Buddhist expansion, which includes alliances, disputes and outright wars, both in the past and in the present.
“The righteous king who reveres this sublime teaching Rescues beings from suffering and creates the conditions for peace; Through virtue and generosity, they dispel the world’s misfortunes, And their domain flourishes like a lotus in clear water.”— Suvarṇaprabhāsottama Sūtra
Second, it comes from ignoring interdependence. How can something be wholly apart from the conditions that it arises?
“The Bodhisattva-King, seeing the sufferings of the people, Embraces them with great compassion and skillful means.By removing injustice, supporting the needy, and promoting virtue, He leads both himself and his subjects toward enlightenment.” — Ārya Rājanivādanāma Mahāyāna Sūtra
And then, last week, His Holiness the Dalai Lama suddenly weighed in on immigration in Europe. This is not something unexpected; the office of the Dalai Lama has always been politically active. This idea of separation of church and state is a Christian idea that came from Europe’s enlightenment. It’s not a Buddhist idea.
You can say, of course: but I’m a Western Buddhist. For me, this separation makes sense. And that’s wonderful, but are you thinking how to reconcile a system of thought that does not rely on separateness, but interdependence into your life?
To help with this, we’ve set up a talk this Saturday.
It’s going to be on Zoom, so you can access it from anywhere.
It’s open for all. We’ll talk, discuss, and think about the relationship between Buddhism and politics.
You can sign up for the talk here.
See you there!
Comments