Social and Economic Aspects 

Buddha was a rebel. He rebelled against the way of thought, and the way of life, of His age. 

To the philosophical concept of life as dynamic change (anicca) of no being but becoming (bhava), no thinker but thought, no doer but deed - he added its social equivalent:  the doctrine of social fluidity and equality based on nobility of conduct. As the Buddha stated: 

Not by birth is one an outcaste 
Not by birth is one a Brahmin. 
By deeds is one an outcaste, 
By deeds in one a Brahmin. 

and again, 

A birth no Brahmin, nor non-Brahmin makes; 
'Tis life and doing that mould the Brahmin true. 
Their lives mould farmers, tradesmen, merchants, serfs; 
Their lives mould robbers, soldiers, chaplains, kings.

What matters then is not the womb from which one came nor the societal class into which one was born but the moral quality of one's actions. As a tree is judged by its fruit, so shall a man be judged by his deeds. 

In this way, the doors of the Deathless and of the unconditioned freedom beyond, and of social freedom here on earth were thrown open to all, regardless of caste, colour or class. In His teaching all men unite, lose identity, even as do the waters of the rivers that flow into the sea. No caste, class or race privileges existed among his lay followers or in the Order of the Sangha that He founded - a fitting complement to the doctrine of anattã. 

For the Buddha, all men are one in that they belong to one species. Social classes and castes are nothing but functional or occupational groupings, neither fixed nor inevitable. They are divisions of society, man-made, subject to change and result from social and historical factors. A social doctrine based on the alleged superiority of any caste, class or race, and advocating to keep it dominant by the use of force, must necessarily lead to the perpetuation of social tensions and conflict, and will never bring about harmony and the fraternity of men. 

The Buddha's doctrine of equality does not, however, imply that all men are alike physically or mentally. That would be identity. It does mean that each one should be treated equally with human dignity, and given an equal chance to develop the faculties latent in each, as all are capable of moral and spiritual progress, and of human perfection, in view of the common capacity and capability of humanity. Thus the Buddha's teaching of a classless society requires the progressive refinement of man's nature, as shown by his actions, and the development of his character. 

The Buddha was not only the first thinker in known history to teach the doctrine of human equality, but also the first humanist who attempted to abolish slavery, in which term is also included the traffic in, and the sale of, females for commercial purposes. In fact, this is a prohibited trade for His followers. 

The character of a society depends on the beliefs and practices of its people as well as on its economy. An economic system based on Buddhist ethics and principles, therefore, seems to be the only alternative. The true nature of man is that he is not only a thinking and feeling creature but also a striving creature, with higher aspirations and ideals. If he is aggressive and assertive, he is also co-operative and creative. He is for ever making not only things, but also himself. And the making of oneself by perfecting the art of living is the noblest of all creative aspirations yielding the highest happiness and satisfaction in life. 

Progress in the material side of life alone is not enough for human happiness as illustrated by today's "affluent societies". The pursuit of material pleasures in the hope that by multiplying them they will thereby become permanent is a profitless chase, akin to chasing one's shadow - the faster one runs, the faster it eludes. True happiness, contentment and harmony come from an emancipated mind. Any economic system is therefore, unsatisfactory, based if it is on a wrong set of values and attitudes, and will fail in the fulfilment of its promises. 

The only effective remedy for the economic and social ills of the modern world is a more rational and balanced economic structure based on Buddhist ideas and ideals. In a Buddhist economic system¹ the people deliberately use the state power to maximize welfare, both economic and social, from a given national income. The methods employed are threefold: economic planning, a suitable fiscal policy and a comprehensive network of social services assuring to every member of the community, as a right, and as a badge of citizenship and fellowship, the essentials of civilised living such as minimum standards of economic security, health care, housing, and education, without which a citizen cannot realise his humanity in full. 

In such a system production, distribution and values take a different meaning in a new context. Economic activity will be pursued not as an end in itself but as a means to an end - the all-round development of man himself. There should be a revision of values. A person's worth, for instance, ought not be measured in terms of what he has but on what he is. In short, man or the majority of men in a society should be helped to see life in perspective. Knowledge and discipline may transform a society into a workshop or a military camp, but it is the cultivation of a proper sense of values that will make it truly civilised. Perhaps, this may be the clue to the paradox of the Western civilization that knows how to go through space and sail across the seas, but not how to live on earth in peace. It is true that such a change of heart and system may, in the present context of the world, take a long time to realise. But what else is the alternative? It is futile to think that reform by revolution will remedy the ills of the world. 

In the opening stanza of the Dhammapada the Buddha declared the supremacy of mind over matter: "Mind precedes things, dominates them, creates them" (Mano pubbangamadhammã Mano Setthã Mano Maya). 

However, this must not be interpreted to mean that Buddhism is against social and economic reform. It is far from it. Buddhism stands for a society of equals, in which justice and ethical principles shall supplant privilege and chaos. But reform must take place by peaceful persuasion and education without resorting to violence; worthy aims must be realised by worthy means even as democracy must be maintained by the methods of democracy. 

Buddhism concedes that the economic environment influences character, but denies that it determines it. A person can use his free will, within limits, and act according to his conscience irrespective of the social structure to which he belongs. It all depends on mind, and its development. 

Society does not stand still. Like any other conditioned phenomenon, it changes constantly and Buddhism teaches us that we cannot change society without changing the men in it. We cannot regard society as something different from its members. Social progress is their progress, social regress their regress. If the individual perfects his life, thinks and acts clearly, lives in accordance with the Dhamma and the moral law of kamma, to that extent will there be social order and discipline. Initial improvements from within will result in corresponding changes without. Social order and discipline follow, not precede, the state of mind of the individuals comprising that society. Society reflects the character of its people; the better the people, the better the society. Every society is a projection or extension of the collective personality of its members. 

But humanity in the mass can be influenced for good by the example of a few really noble and selfless men with vision and wisdom, with ideas and ideals to live for and to die for. They provide the guiding star round which others, too timid to lead but strong enough to follow, cluster around and become willing followers. It is these few who set the standards for the many at the bottom, and their impact and influence on the way of life and thought of the human race can be tremendous. The message they bring carries with it the indelible stamp of truth and is, therefore, never obsolete. 

Most outstanding among the great teachers is the Buddha Gotama. It is through His Teachings that all the Buddhist nations, including Sri Lanka, were moulded and into the fabric of national life were woven the strands of His Teaching. 

It is then the duty of every genuine Buddhist to help to make known, far and wide, the Teaching of the Buddha in all its many aspects, and thereby make possible tomorrow the seemingly impossible of today - a new and just socio-economic order based on Buddhist ethics, principles and practices. Such a society will be both democratic and socialistic, with liberty, equality, fraternity and economic security for all, not as ends in themselves but as means to an end-the full development of man into a well-rounded, happy human being in the setting of the Teaching of Gotama the Buddha, Guide Incomparable to a troubled world.