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The glory of him who is energetic, mindful, pure in deed, considerate, self-controlled, right-living and heedful steadily increases.Dhammapada (Appamada Vagga)

Victory and defeat

by A S G Kariyawasam

"When an election comes to an end there are both winners and losers. If victory means "defeating an opponent in contest" this definition implies the concept of defeat as well".

Human society cannot continue its forward march without order and administration through some form of governance for which several types such as monarchies, republics, oligarchies, plutocracies, autocracies etc. have been in existence. Whatever be its form, victories and defeats constitute an integral part in it.

In the Buddha's day the two main systems that obtained in India were the monarchical and the republican forms. The Buddha, without showing preference for either of these systems, taught righteous rulership for the former through the ten kingly duties (dasa-raja-dharma) and for the latter through the seven conditions of welfare sapta-aparihaniya-dharma. In both these teachings there runs a common basis which is the universal norm of righteousness (dharma) that serves as the essential standard of measurement for all human activities.

It holds very strongly to the tenet that "means should justify the ends". Realisation of a goal by unfair means is never recommended in Buddhism.

For Buddhism it is imperative that an elected government not only subserves its just ends but subserves them righteously as well according to the common norm of dhamma and not of adhamma (dhammeneva no adhammena). This norm is impersonal in that the ultimate sovereignty rests not in any individual as 'king', 'president', 'prime minister', any human or divine 'ruler' or in any organisation governing the State but in Dhamma itself as the State.

The individuals manning the State should run it selflessly according to the ten or the seven conditions referred to earlier for the common good. The elected representatives of the people are themselves to work as servants of the Dhamma, the eternal and the universal principles of righteousness. Even the heavens are governed by this all-pervasive Buddhist ideology. All are equal before the cosmic justice of righteousness.

The success of any political administration depends upon the extent to which the administrators act in consonance with the Dhamma. According to Buddhism there are no external super-beings governing man because man himself is entrusted with the onerous responsibility of achieving his success, as he himself is his own master, the ultimate supreme being (atta hi attano natho). This invests man with a high calibre dignity and a moral responsibility.

Every human being is thus vested with the sovereignty immanent in the Dhamma in managing his affairs. Thus the Buddhist theory of social contract is that the people themselves are vested with supreme legislative and executive powers. They are responsible for their own governance. Hence what Buddhism offers as its political theory is democracy at its best, within which the principle of natural justice finds its due place.

At an election in a democracy the party system has become an integral feature. It is in the contests among such parties that divisive politics and other diverse types of ugly elements begin to emerge.

Such an election usually becomes a keen contest among several parties each trying to woo the electorate to its ways. Hence it become a fight for victory through the public vote. Ultimately one party will emerge victorious which means that the other will have to taste defeat. The victorious would generally become elated giving vent to such elation through many an outlet, while the defeated become dejected, disappointed and frustrated. It would be well and good if this dual behaviour were to cease at that point.

However, very often than not, it does not happen so as has been proved through our own experience, not only in the recent past but even in the contemporary scenario.

From Buddhist as well as democratic viewpoints, the attitude of the victor towards the loser should be one of magnanimity. In politics victory means power and if the winner were to abuse that power by wreaking vengeance on or harnessing the opponent - at times trying to eliminate a person totally - it would be the worst form of unrighteousness and the grossest violation of democracy.

What is desirable is that while the victor remains magnanimous towards the loser the latter too should take his defeat with patience, understanding and dignity. There should be no room for acrimony, malice or hatred leading to retaliatory violent action.

Then only Buddhist principles and democracy can be said to prevail.

In the ultimate analysis both victory and defeat are transient and therefore elation and frustration are not really meaningful. But human nature being what it is there may be occasions when a hateful winner would attack his opponent even in pursuit leading to violent situations. What is needed in such a calamity is the cultivation of equanimity as stated in the Dhammapada stanza 201:

Victory breeds hatred For the vanquished lives in grief:

Giving up both victory and defeat The saint lies in happiness When in a democratic set-up individuals and political parties contest and achieve victories enmities are invariably generated leading to grave violence as it has been clearly demonstrated in our country today.

This is one of the most nauseating features that has to be eliminated by upgrading the quality of contemporary political behaviour of the country. Quite unfortunately politics has today become a business and a 'dirty' business at that as it is fast becoming criminalised and brutalised with the underworld emerging as an integral component in it.

Victory at an election is being gradually treated as a free passport to robbery.

In such a set-up victory and defeat can turn out to be a highly fertile sources of violence.

In order to arrest this degenerate trend it is imperative that at least some basic qualifications be laid down as necessary for those who take to politics. Qualification such as educational, of unblemished past careers, of sufficient means etc. may be introduced.

Transparency in all public dealings should be a must. Only when people of quality take to politics can we expect the oft-wished desideratum of "gentlemen's politics" taking root in our society. If this were to fail, our nation-building enterprise can remain an ever-elusive dream.

In this context a few guidelines can be suggested as follows: Let the politicians NOT resort to violence of any form, deviate from their declared policies for temporary gain, be ignorant of the real conditions in the country, disrupt the normal electoral process, fabricate stories to deceive and mislead the public, retaliate in revenge, use violent, provocative and indecent language, resort to vile character assassination, try to replace the ballot with the bullet, rob public money in any form talk about non-essentials.

The list may be extended ad infinitum but if at least these guidelines are adhered to a certain elevation in the political ethic of this country can become a reality.

Katina at the Berlin Buddhist Vihara 
in Germany

The Berlin Buddhist Vihara celebrated the Katina Puja on October 13 and 14, 2001. The Berlin Vihara also known as 'Das Buddhistisches Haus' was built in 1924 by Dr. Paul Dahlke, German Philosopher and a pioneer of Buddhism in Germany.

The German Dharmaduta Society founded by Asoka Weeraratna, purchased the premises from the heirs of Dr. Dahlke in 1957. It is the oldest Theravada Buddhist Centre in Europe.

The ceremonies commenced on the afternoon of October 13, 2001 with a meeting to commemorate the services rendered to the cause of promoting Buddhism in Germany through the good offices of 'Das Buddhistisches Haus' by Dr Paul Dahlke, Ven. Mitirigala Dhammanisanthi Thera (formerly Asoka Weeraratna), Anagarika Dharmapriya Mahinda (formerly Nelson Soysa), Ven. Aturugiriye Gnanawimala Maha Thera and Dhharmasena Weeraratna, among others. Ven. Murungasyaye Gnanissara Thera, Viharadhipathi of the Jethavana Vihara in Paris and Chief Sanghanayake of France delivered the commemorative talk.

A special event was the Katina Puja Perahara, which went around the Vihara premises thrice in traditional manner.

The Perahara included traditional cultural items which were something new to the German visitors to the Vihara. The large gathering present at this event comprised mainly Germans, Thais and Sri Lankans. Among the distinguished invitees was the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Germany, His Excellency Mr. C. Casichetty.

These ceremonies were organised by Mr. Tissa Weeraratna, Trustee and Manager of the Berlin Vihara. The ceremonies were held under the patronage of Ven. Rathmale Punnaratana Thero, the resident monk at the Berlin Vihara.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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