Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Buddhist Social Principles 263
records that the Buddha used seven criteria to evaluate the social strength of the
Vajjian state by asking if they:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
held regular and frequent assemblies;
met, dispersed, and conducted their business in harmony;
did not authorise what had not been authorized by their ancient tradition;
respected, revered, and saluted the elders among them and valued their
words;
didn’t forcibly abduct wives and daughters of others nor take them captive;
respected, revered, and saluted the shrines at home and abroad, and didn’t
withdraw the proper support given before;
gave proper provisions for the safety of Buddhist Arhats so that they
could live in comfort, and so that other Arhats might come to live there
in the future. 1
Certain of these rules are to be expected – such as, support for the sangha, respect
for elders, and respect for women in other families – but there is a remarkable insistence
on maintaining traditions, both secular and religious. This principle reinforces
the exceptional nonsectarian nature of early Buddhist teaching (Chappell, 1990,
1999b). In addition, there is the insistence on regular and frequent assemblies
conducted in harmony and leading to harmonious settlements. A similar norm
was applied to sangha meetings that used the rule of consensus for all decisions,
making the sangha the epitome of democracy since everyone had a voice and
everyone had to agree on all decisions.
The monastic order was innovative in providing a religious and social community
that served as an alternative to people in a variety of cultures. For over a
millennium in East Asia the Buddhist nunnery was the only escape for women
from a male-dominated social order. In addition, most of the time monastics were
excused from being drafted into the army because political leaders came to recognize
the monastic rule of nonviolence for monks. This is not the place to do an
institutional analysis of nonmonastic Buddhist organizations (NMBOs), or to discuss
priorities of Buddhist institutional reform (Chappell, 1999b). Instead, more
attention will be given to Buddhist social psychology.
1
The sutta then reports that the Buddha recommended the first four principles to his monks, but
replaced the last three with the following:
5. Do not fall prey to desires.
6. Be devoted to forest-lodgings.
7. Preserve personal mindfulness so that good companions will be attracted and will remain.
This discourse then gives several other lists focused on maintaining positive individual mental habits.
Since the oral texts were preserved by monastics, it is natural that they would remember advice on
their personal practices, while itisstriking to see alistto prevent the decline of the Vajjin state.