Buddhism And Society

Prince Sittatha Gautama was born in a Royal family and lived a luxurious life among rich people in the age of castes. He saw the caste system as the cause of division in society or people. When he was 29 years old, he left the kingdom and practised with men who had dropped out of the society in order to find liberation. He learned from teacher to teacher, from school to school. There was a variety of methods and teachers, and Gautama investigated many—theists, atheists, materialists, idealists, and dialecticians. He found none of the practices were the way to escape from suffering, so he left all teachers and colleagues and practised the purification of the mind alone.

When he was 35 years old, he became enlightened under a Bodhi tree, at Buddhagaya. When he started to teach the world, first of all, he abolished the caste system, which was the cause of divisions in society. He just gave equal opportunities to those who wanted to learn what he had discovered. He proclaimed the equality of human beings by saying;

Birth, family or last name do not make man good or pure.
Birth, family or last name do not make man king or merchant.
Behaviour or the action of a person can make him or her good or pure, and king or queen or merchant. Birth, family or last name cannot make man become such. (Dhammapada Khudakanikaya)

Not by matted hair, nor by clan, nor by birth,
Does one become a brahmana.
In whom there are truth and righteouseness,
Pure is he, a brahmana is he. (Dhammapada)

I do not call him a brahmana
Merely because he is born of a womb
Or sprung from a brahmani.
If he is full of impediments,
He is merely a brahmana by name.
He who is free from impediments and clinging-
Him do I call a brahmana. (Dhammapada)

The Buddha set up his company, or Sangha, with equality. Every one who joins his Sangha, will become at the same level. Even those who come from a royal family will become the same in Buddhism. There is an example; one monk named Ubali who came from a barber’s family. When he became a monk, he was equal to the others who were from the higher castes. Also, according to his good practice, he was respected and honoured. This practice of Buddhism makes all philosophers, educators, religious teachers and historians accept that the Buddha was the first one who proclaimed freedom and equality, and abolished the caste system.

On the other hand, to build good relationships and association, the Buddha taught virtues making for group integration and leadership;

1. Dana; giving, generosity and charity;
2. Piyavaca; kindly and convincing speech;
3. Atthacariya; useful conduct, rendering service, a life of service and doing good;
4. Samanattata; even and equal treatment, equality consisting in impartiality, participation and behaving oneself properly in all circumstances.

All of these things show that the Buddha cares for communities, not individuals as in the examples given. There is no point in destroying friendship or good relationships, so to learn to live together in peace and harmony is the great idea. Build good relationships and association and live together in peace and harmony.