Gaerlan, Lunar-maius A.

Med 1B
Buddhist Ethics

Buddhist Ethics
Lunar-maius a. Gaerlan
Introduction
Is Buddhism a religion? In Buddhism, there is no ‘god-notion’; no creator; and no
ultimate reality to worship. In essence: Buddhism is a way of life – it provides guideline for our
ethical and psychological decisions with focus on the philosophy of becoming/awakening.

The first Buddha (awakened/enlightened one) was Siddhartha Gautama. He was a son of
wealthy king born in India on 6th – 5th century BCE. At birth, he was prophesized to either
become the emperor of India or to be a very holy man. His father wanted him to develop as an
emperor so he kept Gautama in isolation on the palace with every luxury available and he was
protected from even the smallest misfortunes of the outside world. At 29, he left the Palace for
an excursion and met a sick man, aging man, and a dying man. The three men he saw are the
representation of normal life and the inevitable parts of human condition. With what he saw, his
eyes were opened to the reality of the world and fled for another excursion. On the second time,
he encountered a holy man (monk) who seeks spiritual life amidst the vastness of human
suffering. Inspired, he left the palace for good and tried to study from other holy men. He
learned, meditated, starved and abstained from the usual comforts and luxuries of life. After
meditating and starving for some time, he reached the highest state of enlightenment – Nirvana
(liberation), blowing out the flames of desire.
As a Buddha (enlightened one), he came to a realization that all creation from small ants
to human beings are all unified by suffering. This prompted him to develop the best approach on
how to confront suffering:
o One shouldn’t bathe in luxury; nor
o abstain from food and comfort; and should
o live in moderation – or the middle way: which allows maximal concentration in
cultivating
compassion for others and seeking enlightenment.
The Four Noble Truth
Gautama, as an enlightened one thought the four noble truth – the path to transcending
suffering which are listed as follows:
1. The Noble Truth of Pain/Suffering.
 Birth, age, sickness, death, sorrow & despair are painful.
 Suffering is a feature of all living creatures.
 Suffering can be physical (sickness & old age) or mental (emotions & fulfillment).
2. The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering/Pain.
 It is craving, which leads to rebirth, pleasure & passion, existence & non-existence.
 Other origin of suffering includes greed, ignorance and hatred.

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3. The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Pain.

 It is the cessation of craving without remainder, forsaking detachment and release
from it.
 We must extinguish greed, ignorance, and hatred.
 We must change our outlook (not our circumstances) and reorient our mind to be
content.
4. The Noble Truth of the Path
 A way to go about ending suffering – the noble eightfold path.

The Noble Eightfold Path

The symbol of Buddhism represents the Noble Eightfold Path.
The eight spokes represent the actions (path) to end desire/craving in
order to achieve Nirvana (a state of mind with spiritual
enlightenment). Listed below are the eight (8) actions of the noble
eightfold path in no particular order:

1. Right understanding – Accepting Buddhist teaching; and

practicing and teaching them for oneself.
2. Right intention – Having a commitment in developing the
right attitude, better understanding of the four noble truths.
3. Right Speech – Speaking truthfully and avoiding lies and deceit. Having discipline in
words.
4. Right action – Behaving peacefully and avoiding hurtful actions to self and other living
creatures.
5. Right livelihood – Make a living without exploiting anyone or anything and contribute in
a positive way to social and economic growth. Buddhist teaching advice against
profession which can hurt others.
6. Right effort – Cultivating a positive attitude and working towards freeing oneself from
suffering.
7. Right mindfulness – Developing an awareness of the self in all its aspect including:
- Body
- Sensation
- Feelings
- States of mind
8. Right meditation – Developing mental focus through discipline and meditation.
Buddhist followers live by the noble eightfold path and obey five (5) precepts:
1. To undertake the training to avoid taking the life of beings. This precept applies to all
living beings not just humans. All beings have a right to their lives and that right should
be respected.

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2. To undertake the training to avoid taking things not given. This precept goes further than
mere stealing. One should avoid taking anything unless one can be sure that is intended
that it is for you.
3. To undertake the training to avoid sensual misconduct. This precept is often mistranslated
or misinterpreted as relating only to sexual misconduct but it covers any overindulgence
in any sensual pleasure such as gluttony as well as misconduct of a sexual nature.
4. To undertake the training to refrain from false speech. As well as avoiding lying and
deceiving, this precept covers slander as well as speech which is not beneficial to the
welfare of others.
5. To undertake the training to abstain from substances which cause intoxication and
heedlessness.
Buddhist Ethical Principles
The Buddha does not teach a dogma to follow, it focuses on the individual value of each life
although there is no emphasis on the individual as a self: self is not important; all creatures are
linked to each other. A principle of non-harm – an attitude of care towards all living beings as we
are all part of the cycle of life
Like Hinduism which also originated on India, Buddhism also relies heavily on the ideology of
“Karma” – actions have consequence if not on this life, then in reincarnation. It also places a
great emphasis on 'mind' and it is mental anguish such as remorse, anxiety, guilt etc. which are to
be avoided in order to cultivate a calm and peaceful mind. Finally, good actions may mean being
reborn in a higher realm.
In Conclusion
Buddhist ethics is a form of virtue ethics, not deontological or theological ethics.
Buddhists’ aim is to be a noble person, someone on a path towards enlightenment. Buddhism as
a way of life is significant regardless of our spiritual orientation. It shows the importance of
facing suffering directly: We must do our best to liberate ourselves from the grip of our desires,
recognize that suffering can be viewed as our common connection with others which spurs us to
compassion and gentleness.

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