Buddha’s Dhamma Teachings: Ethical Foundation for Human Rights

Abstract

Buddha was a pragmatic and humanistic philosopher. He was a great social reformer and he started to preach his Dhamma teaching only for the rectification of society and individual. As a reformer, Buddha taught his Dhamma teaching as a practical ways for self realization and self development. This paper focuses on Buddha’s Dhamma teachings on Human Rights. The sublime states of loving-kindness and compassion open the door for human rights in our society. Another importance of Buddha’s Dhamma teaching is the theory of Karma which is the nature of laws. According to this theory, if we will do wholesome deed then we will be awarded and if we will do unwholesome deed then we will be punished. One is the creator of one’s own destiny. With this teaching too, Buddha tried to establish human rights. Various other Dhamma teachings of Buddha are considered to be related to human Rights, namely, Four Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold Paths and Dependent Origination of Dhammacakkappavatanasutta. In my research paper, I would like to elaborate the concept of human rights based on these suttas, which are the right to life, property, security, speech and health from Dhammikasutta and Dhammacakkappavatanasutta, and the right to freedom of belief, thought and expression from Kalama sutta. So, I will conclude my paper with the fact, that Buddha made early contributions to human rights as a way of life and this teaching is now much more essential for the betterment of individual and the society.