SOCIALIZATION IN SOCIOLOGY WITH BUDDHIST ETHICS. Phan Anh Duoc. (Research Scholar in Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, U.p)

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1 SOCIALIZATION IN SOCIOLOGY WITH BUDDHIST ETHICS Phan Anh Duoc (Research Scholar in Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, U.p) I. Introduction As for people, we usually mention about various achievements in terms of culture, science, history... but besides that there is also an enormous achievement related to values of human morality. It is because of this dignity that mankind has known construction, love and constant development so as to create a better world. To get such a great value, people have constantly striven and paid a very high price for it, including a great role and contribution of religions. Buddhism, not as a theocratic religion that put all interests in the supreme God like other religions, 1 based on welfare in humans, by humans and for humans: O Bhikkhus, go traveling for the benefit and happiness of both gods and men. 2 Thus, it can be said that Buddhism is a religion that not only teaches about the true moral path but also aims at the social transformation transcending all issues of goodness and badness, retribution in order to attain salvation and Nibbana. At any age or society, the moral issue has always been the concern of everyone, people of all ages. How to solve these problems? How to build and renovate the society to be really good and happy? As a religion of humanity, how can Buddhism resolve these problems? To have an overview of Buddhist ethics in the socialized community, I try to learn briefly about issues relating to Buddhist ethics and its application in the society. With a topic of such an extensive characteristics and reality, only a few pages can not certainly present the full and complete contribution of what Buddhism has devoted to the life during the past twenty five centuries.

2 II. Concept of Sociology To understand socialization clearly, we can not fail to know what society is. Overall the society is individuals living together, behaving in a certain background. It is the highest form of movement of the material world in which men and their actions are as a foundation of effect and mutual interaction. In society, there are not individuals who can be separate from society and vice versa there can not be society without individuals into together. Thus, sociology is the science of the rules, mechanisms and forms of expression of the rule expressed in the activities of individuals, groups, social classes and ethnic groups 3. III. What is Socialization? 1. Concept of Socialization Socialization is a process that individuals are receiving levels of culture in which they were born; and a process by which individuals learn how to become a true people, how to think, how to behave properly, or say in a single way, it is a process that makes people from a biological entity into a social entity 4. However, socialization is not simply located in a passive way that is personal socialization, conversely, people can actively affect society by gathering experience and learning and getting the impact back to life. 2. Periods and Environment of Socialization The life of a person from birth to death undergoes several periods with various physiological cycle and different societies. Therefore, the process of socialization in the life of a person has to go through several stages with different environments. I can roughly divide into three periods as follows: a. Children Period: At this stage, due to a fact that children are still small, the environment of socialization for this period is family. This is the first stage and

3 completely based on emotional problems and totally natural. It is extremely important period because it creates the first impression and be able to affect a lifetime by these influences. b. Student Period: Environment of this stage is school. At this period, children begin with the receptive awareness about ethical issues and knowledge. From here the children are provided with the human behavior. However, here it is not just receiving the academic knowledge but also acquiring the rules, prescribed manner of social behavior. c. Mature Period: Environment at this stage is no longer constrained in the narrow range but it is extended to the whole society. This is an extremely complex process, vast and development towards interests, even if it can break stages of socialization above. Thus, socialization that is the lesson of proper behavior in the society particularly by the three periods is the process of development from low to high and uneven among individuals. IV. Buddhist Ethics 1. Concept of Ethics Speaking of ethics is to refer to a category of large abstract concepts expressed through the notions of the collective, people or nation. Probably each country may have different moral conceptions but the fundamental problems are still not out of the concept of humanly moral issues such as happiness, good and evil, justice, freedom etc... under the norm of the Truth, the Good and the Beautiful. Socrate, an ancient Greek philosopher, has given his idea about the concept of true morality as follows: An ethics can not be based on a vague doctrine; we can create a morality without dependence of moral theology, perfectly suited to those with religious and non-religious, leading to the stable society Fundamentals of Buddhist Ethics

4 In fact, the advent of Buddhism not only aims at teaching the ethical issues, yet beyond that, but also wishes that all can achieve the true happiness that is no longer governed by the moral issues of good and evil of world, that is, Buddhahood or Nibbana. That path is expressed through the following poem: Not to do any evil, To cultivate good, To purify one s mind, This is the teaching of the Buddhas 6. (Dhammapada - verse 183) Not only ending evil and doing good virtues but also it is important for people constantly to keep mind pure so as to practice rightly Buddha doctrines, i.e. step up the fruits of liberation. So, to understand Buddhist ethics we need to know from the following moral foundations: a. Theory of Depedent Origination and Five Aggregates Conditionality means that all dhammas in this world, even as sentient beings or unsentient beings, are conditioned and combined by various factors. It is impossible to have any dhamma that has isolated itself from dependent conditionality. It also means that all dhammas are supported to exist and arise. They are both causes and conditions each other, so when it comes to this issue also mentioned that issue. This principle can be given in a short statement of four lines: When this is, that is This arising, that arises When this is not, that is not

5 When ceasing, that ceases 7 Skhandhas is defined as a main idea that dhammas are due to five factors: form, feeling, perception, volition and consciousness to be existed. In the aggregate of form, it has implied this physical body, others and the world. Thus, people always live in a world with an inseparable relationship; the existence of a person means coexistence with others and the world. Therefore, harmony and stability of the outside world is starting the stability and harmony of each individual within us. b. Spirit of Wisdom It might be said that the whole system of Buddhist doctrine and ethics is placed on the intellectual platform. In other words, the Buddhist doctrine and morality are wisdom. Every action, according to Buddhism, always needs to be scrutinized by wisdom in order to be able to lead to true happiness. Wisdom enlightens and guides actions by bringing love and peace to everyone. Lack of wisdom, no matter what action it is, this action is no longer called the way. 3. Basic Doctrines for Buddhist Ethics If morality is understood as happiness, the entire Buddhist teachings are morally because Buddhism is the religion of happiness. No action said by the Buddha is to bind lives of the liberating human, or rather, all for the benefit and happiness of all beings and mankind. Despite the manifest or express in any way, Buddhism is always linked with welfare, compassion and wisdom. a. Sila or Precept It can be said that all the precepts of Buddhism is the moral path for all levels of people and qualifications, of which depending on different strains the adoption of precepts is diversified in various ways. The Buddhist Sila, in particular, has always contained both characteristics: not to do evil and to perform good. It is not merely a negative no wrongdoing as often thought. In spite of a lot of precepts, basically they

6 are still not out of the five precepts: no killing, no stealing, no adultery, no lying and no drinking. b. Principle of Causality and Kamma The principle of causality and kamma refers to a fact that one who does something will have a respective result to what he or she had done (reap what one sows). That action would follow and decide to conduct both one s life and career. However causation is not something fixed unchangeable, yet always change constantly depending on the conditions and factors supporting it. Principle of causality and Kamma upholds the spirit of responsibility, it teaches man know to take the responsibility of his actions from which one has capacity of building a better society. c. Spirit of Loving Kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity Metta, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha are four immeasurable states of mind, the four essential and indispensable qualities of a Bodhisattva who engaged in life for welfare of beings. Metta and Kanura mean love and compassion with pure altruism, selflessness so as to allay suffering and bring peace and happiness for all beings. Mudita and Upekkha refer to happiness with what one achieved and forgiveness of one s mistakes. These four great virtues are four essential medicines in life to bring peace and happiness for all. d. Spirit of Patience Patience means forbearance of non-expectations to create the spirit of tolerance and being solid. Patience here does not mean weak, timid and resigned as some people think but it is courageous by self-employment, self-control and overcoming oneself. Dhammapada verse 103 says: winning oneself is the most glorious victory 8. If we want to build and save life that mentality is always angry and excessive candor, it is a disastrous thing because we often act on emotions without being enlightened by wisdom.

7 It can be said that the spirit of patience is to recognize the nature of the problem to be able to make the right action. V. Buddhist Ethics with Socialization Like all other genuine sciences in the world, Buddhism realizes that in order to renovate the world into peace and happiness, the first task is to build the stable foundation and then construction work. If the foundation is unfinished but rush of construction, it is an act of intellectual deficiency and mistakes. Likewise, the social reform is nothing than to renovate from each individual, the elements that make up the society. Once these individuals are excellent, the society becomes peacefully. 1. Buddhist Ethics for Individuals With theory of causality and Kamma, Buddhism has emphasized that the people have the final and the most important decision in the process of renovating and building a happy life. Life must be for the people who build and protect themselves. God or gods is only a way of misleading awareness by lack of confidence and wisdom. Failures or successes are also due to us, human will gain all through the Buddha words: All beings have Buddha nature. It means that everyone has an upward capacity of reaching heights of holiness and salvation. Or as the theory of karma says: Beings are owners of their kamma, heirs of their kamma, have kamma as their seed, their relatives, and their refuge. It is kamma that separates beings into favourable and unfavourable conditions. 9 Thus, realizing the point of causality and Kamma, one will not be lamented or rejoice; neither complaint nor reproach. All actions are due to oneself and he or she should be responsible for his or her actions. Awareness of such an idea will not make us suffering and from that we can avoid from vicious acts of sin but creating a good Kamma. Observing five Precepts: Five precepts are minimal ethical principles of a perfect life and voluntary. No matching in these five precepts, any name under morality is fake and disappearing soon. In five precepts, they have already indicated to full virtues of compassion, respect for life, happiness, property and dignity of people, faith and honest

8 with each other. And it is important to keep composure and wisdom, because only wisdom leads to the right action, so we have to stay away from drugs, toxins such as alcohol, coffee, tobacco and other addictive substances. Five precepts also manifest fairness, compassion and generosity for all beings. The practice of these five precepts not only fulfills individual moral behaviors but also makes a peaceful society. From the quality of loving our life, wealth, family and faith...we can guess this quality that also belongs to others. So, if we keep the precept of non-killing, any species is not afraid of being killed; keep the precept of non-stealing, people are not afraid of losing etc... In addition, people must know to cultivate loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. It is through this spirit of compassion that one can devote the whole life for the bringing of the joy and happiness to mankind and life. Compassion comes from love without calculation, unconditional love, together with wisdom. A standard individual must also equip with such qualities. 2. Buddhist Ethics for Society Apart from the issue of building personal morality, another further step is to build and reform society because the goal of Buddhism not only used for a few people but also for whole society, social construction of happiness. a. To build a strong society and peace, the Buddha taught people need to practice six ways of harmony as follows: - Harmony in Body: Cohabiting in one community and place, everyone should know the harmony, loving, caring and mutual support. - Harmony in Speech: In life one should speak genteel, quiet and comfort words, avoiding friction. If we need to use tough words, it should be a truth. - Harmony in Thought: All are harmonious to build and protect properly and seriously the social life in peace and order.

9 - Harmony in Sila: Living together in a residence, people need to adhere to ethical issues (here the rule and the law) alike. - Harmony in Knowledge: The insight and understanding of any problems should be brought to share and exchange with people, avoid keeping embrace as their own. - Harmony in Benefit: as members living together, any rights and obligations of all members shall be entitled to commensurate with the functions and duties of respective persons. b. Besides that, the Buddha has taught seven measures to make society exist and develop for a long-term 10 : 1) assemble and disperse peacefully and attend to their affairs in concord. 2) Often gather in solidarity and construction. 3) neither enact new decrees nor abolish existing ones, but proceed in accordance with their ancient constitutions. 4) show respect, honour, esteem, and veneration towards their elders and think it worthwhile to listen to them. 5) refrain from abducting women and maidens of good families and from detaining them. 6) show respect, honour, esteem, and veneration towards their shrines, both those within the city and those outside it, and do not deprive them of the due offerings as given and made to them formerly. 7) duly protect and guard the arahats, so that those who have not come to the realm yet might do so, and those who have already come might live there in peace. For the leaders, the Buddha has advised them to practice something called Ten King s Rules: to live upright; gentle speech; sacrifice for the benefit of the people; listen to the voice of the people; patience; to serve peace, not pro-war; to follow ideas of the people. In addition, it is necessary to do four main dhammas of a Boddhisattva to help sentient beings: generosity, loving speech, good activities and friendship. 3. Buddhist Ethics through Five Relationships

10 Apart from the general ethical problem for everyone, Buddhism has also given a realistic way of building life and society by demonstrating various relationships through the figure of young Sigala 11. a. Parent and Children: This is a sacred and greatest relationship among all relations and it is so close to everyone everyday. The duty of parents to their children is very important: education for children; prevention children from doing evil; creating career and guidance for children; arrangement of marriage for children and giving heritage for children. Conversely a child should minister to his parents as follows: support them, do their duties, keep the family tradition, make worthy of inheritance and offer alms in honour of departed relatives. b. Husband and Wife: a wife should be ministered to by a husband: by being courteous to her, by not despising her, by being faithful to her, by handing over authority to her, by providing her with adornments. Conversely the wife must also express her duty and responsibility: perform her duties well, hospitable to relations and attendants, faithful, protect what he brings, skilled and industrious in discharging her duties. c. Teacher and Disciple: This relationship is sacred and noble. A pupil should minister to a teacher as follows: by rising from the seat in salutation, by attending on him, by eagerness to learn, by personal service, by respectful attention while receiving instructions. On the other side, a teacher should also fulfill good actions for the pupils: train them in the best discipline, grasp their lessons well, instruct them in the arts and science, introduce them to their friends and associates, provide for their safety in every quarter. d. Friend and Friend: in five ways, a clansman should minister to his friends and associates as follows: by liberality, by courteous speech, by being helpful, by being impartial, and by sincerity. The friends and associates thus ministered to a clansman in five ways: protect him when he is heedless, protect his property when he is heedless,

11 become a refuge when he is in danger, do not forsake him in his troubles, and show consideration for his family. e. Boss and Laborer: in five ways a boss should minister to his servants and employees: by assigning them work according to their ability, by supplying them with food and with wages, by tending them in sickness, by sharing with them any delicacies, and by granting them leave at times. The servants and employees thus should minister to their boss show their compassion to him in five ways: rise before him, go to sleep after him, take only what is given, perform their duties well, and uphold his good name and fame. These relationships mentioned above are not only the ethical standards with timeless value but also with these teachings it speaks out the spirit of humanity in Buddhism without leaving happiness in worldly life. VI. Buddhist Ethics with Socialization in Modern Time How is the life today? It is not difficult for us to answer that question if we open newspaper every morning, in which all the spectacle of suffering, brutality of life are shown up clearly in the hand. All news from East to West, from native country to foreign nations mention about various scenes of killing, mutual deception between husband and wife, disagreement among parents and children, all of which is making worse for customs and traditions. Further conflicts are power struggles of the factions and other political parties, fighting against this; against the others... everything takes place in a newspaper. But that is not all that is just apparent part everyone can see and hear; and even behind so many problems that have been and will happen. How does this suffering and terrifying scene happen? Are human immoral and lack of wisdom? Buddhism explains that all these actions are due to three factors greed, hatred and delusion. Because of being greed, one can steal and rob wealth and happiness of others including human life. From hatred, one can kill and destroy human happiness without hesitation. Due to delusion or ignorance, one can do all bad actions, even all the actions above.

12 To solve this problem, again Buddhism has proposed the way of five precepts. Keeping in mind and practicing these precepts not only help us avoid social problems yesterday, but it also can solve all the problems of the times today. Why so? because morality is not doing evil things but practicing good actions. For example, not killing is to free lives of others, to respect and protect the lives of all species; not stealing is to give alms; no adultery is to protect happiness of family life; not speaking harsh words is to say the loving, gentle and beneficial words; no drinking is to develop intellectual and reeducate the people... So, Observing these precepts is not negative at all. This is a special thing in Buddhist morality that reflected fully in the global socialization today. And this is exactly what the United Nations organization has taken five precepts of Buddhism as five elements of world peace. VII. Conclusion Buddhism has existed and flourished for more than 2500 years of different dynastic reigns, depending on the locality where Buddhism manifested with different forms but basically leading them to a realm of goodness and happiness. That is the spirit of Dependent Origination or the adaptive morality of Buddhism. All for the people, for the benefit and happiness of mankind, Buddhism does not hesitate to adapt and harmonize with various cultural identities. All the things have emphasized the spirit of Buddhism in general and Buddhist ethics in particular into the issue of socialization. That explains why Buddhism is always welcome and accepted, whether any of nation or time. And of course, as there is a plate of food to eat, but that is not to be looked, even just sitting there all day and looking without eating can not make people full, only when the person took chopsticks and ate and then the hungry will be resolved. In the same manner, Buddhist ethics is not a thing of decoration or enjoy, but to practice. It can be said that the application of Buddhist ethics in socialization is an essential and valuable for all countries and for all ages.

13 1 David E. Cooper, Schools of Philosophy in the World, 2005, p Digha Nikaya. 3 Pham Tat Dong. Sociology, Publication of Education, 1999, p Tran Thi Kim Xuyen, Introduction to Sociology, National University Press, 2005, p Will Durant, Stories of Philosophy, p Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṃ, kusalassa upasampadā; Sacittapariyodapanaṃ,etaṃ buddhāna sāsanaṃ. 7 Samyutta Nikaya. 8 Yo sahassaṃ sahassena, saṅgāme mānuse jine; Ekañca jeyyamattānaṃ, sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo. 9 Cullakammavibhangasutta, Majjhimanikaya, Sutta Mahaparinibbana Sutta, Digha Nikaya, Sutta Sigalovada Sutta, Digha Nikaya, Sutta 31.

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