Master of Buddhism - Lesson Four

Lesson 4 -- Buddhist Council

Questions

1. Why do you think Buddhism resonated so deeply with so many kings and rulers?

Buddhism presents a clear guide to ethical / moral behaviour. Leaders might be drawn to such ideas because of their
desire to rule fairly. History is replete with the horrors and degradations that people have forced upon each other. A
ruler who is concerned about these terrible acts might look for a way to correct such behaviour. Buddhism answers that
call. It concerns itself with inner peace which then extends to environmental factors. What ruler would not want peace
in their kingdom?

2. What elements were necessary for the spread of Buddhism?

The most important element for the spread of Buddhism is a feeling of lack. Perhaps it's questioning what life is or if
there is more to life than "just this", or a searching for one's true self. Without a motivation to go searching for the
truth, Buddhism would not spread - why would it? Perhaps this a reason why the western world did not accept Buddhism at
first - things were going well. Jobs could be found, space seemed unlimited, and the future may have appeared very
promising. After WW2 when prosperity seemed to peak, so began the questions.


3. What, if anything, could rulers of today's world learn from the dharma?

Just as in the past, world leaders could find a guide to bring peace to people. They might learn from the dharma to be
less concerned with material things such as finances, and be more concerned about people's welfare. It is without doubt
that the enormous amount of money available to countries today could easily feed, clothe, house, and educate every
person in the world. The missing ingredient is the will to do so.