Buddhism and Human Rights. I do thing that Buddhist is comparable with the concept of human rights, suffice it to make a conclusion about the resembles between what Buddhism teaches and what is universally accepted under the term of human rights. In order to show that let us refer to the fourteen precepts of Buddhism. Some of them, as we shall see, directly coincide with what we understand under human rights, others need some logic and deduction.
Let’s take this precept – don’t kill, don’t let other’s kill and do everything to prevent the war (Fourteen precepts of Buddhism). This correlates most tightly with the concept of life as the biggest treasure of a person and a primary right under international law. Also, in the part it deals with war it intertwines closely with humanitarian law the basis of which is rooted in human rights.
Do not maintain anger or hatred, says another prescription (Fourteen precepts of Buddhism). Whereas most people accept this in personal context I do not see why this cannot be applied to the issue of equality of races, sexes, religious affiliation as well as discrimination abuses etcetera. We can see that Buddhism has even managed to go deeper – while we try to combat every given type of hatred display separately on legislative level as well as through propaganda Buddhist do it a lot wiser – they instill and eradicate characteristics in the people’s mentality.
Let me take one more example. Do not force other, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education (Fourteen precepts of Buddhism). This is a good example of correlation of Buddhist principles with democratic principles of Western countries like the freedom of choice, freedom of mind, of speech, etcetera.
I think that the above citations are the ultimate reasons why Buddhism and the concept of human rights do correlate.
Buddhism and Emotions. It has already been partially mentioned above that Buddhism tries to eradicate negative emotions in people. Anger and hatred is what every person should try to get rid of in order to make their lives better. It is so important for Buddhists that they have even laid down this principle explicitly in one of their fourteen precepts.
According to the Buddhism anger should be avoided even in the most extremem circumstances. Both speaking and acting in anger is bad. To get it even further Buddha tells people that even thoughts that are developed in anger are also bad for a person. (Vernezze, 2008, 3)
However it may be deduced from the fourteen precepts that Buddhism treats well other emotions. For instance one of the precepts tells people not to turn a blind eye on people’s needs and sufferings. I think this entitles me to make a conclusion that sympathy, condolence, compassion and all the similar emotions are most warmly greeted in Buddhism.
Buddhism and Rituals. Traditionally it was not the practice for Buddhism to have shamans and oracles as its inherent parts. There were reasons for that, including the too naturalistic nature of shaman’s actions and their divergence with Buddhist religions. However, in Inner Asia, in Tibet such practices are known to have been established and to be developing. Nowadays most researches do not always recognize shamanism as a part of Buddhism but also see nothing that would make these things contradict and be incompatible (Gibson, 1997, 43-46).
Rituals do constitute a part of daily routine in Buddhism, Again, we may refer to the fourteen precepts and find an answer there – in order to control one’s emotions Buddhism recommends meditation, breathing techniques and so on (Fourteen precepts of Buddhism).
Going for refuge is the most common example of how Buddhist rituals persist. The other examples are precepts ceremonies, confessions etcetera.
All the above being said I once again come to a conclusion that Buddhism is full of everyday ritual practices that remain actual up to this day.
References
Fourteen precepts of Buddhism. (N.d.) Tonglen. Retrieved at: http://www.tonglen.oceandrop.org/Thich_Nhat_Hahn_14_Precepts.htm
Gibson, Todd. (1997). History of the Shamanic in the Tibet and Inner Asia. Numen, Vol.44, No.1, pp. 39-59.
Vernezze, Peter J. (2008). Moderation or the Middle Way: Two Approaches to Anger. Philosophy East and West, Vol. 58, No. 9.
