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Just war theory is incompatible with Buddhism. The exception in practice is Sri Lanka where Buddhists authorized war with Tamils. Let's look at why they have adopted this false dhamma.
Contents |
Background and other stuff about Lanka
All agree that Tamils have lived in Sri Lanka since prehistoric times and that Sinhalas arrived in quasi-recorded history, before the common era. Their language became a mixture of many South Asian languages; their culture is also distinct from South Asian Tamil tradition.
Because Tamils were a minority they found economic refuge in taking British civil posts during the colonial period. Arumuka Navalar was an influential Tamil who critiqued Christian missionary work and reintroduced Hinduism.
1956: Sinhala-Only act and attempted resettling of peasants led to popular uprising. Like in the Han-Uighur riots of 2008, there were false rumors of rape of a Sinhalese woman by a Tamil. 1958 riots similar reasons. 1983: final popular riots, 10,000 Tamils massacred, followed by uninterrupted war.
Words of the Buddha: Dhammapada
All tremble at violence, all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.
Walpola Rahula: "Violence in any form, under any pretext whatsoever, is absolutely against the teachings of the Buddha."
Mahavamsa c.700
- First people in Sri Lanka --i.e., Sinhalese-- landed on the day Buddha died.
- The pre-human inhabitants were yakshas who were banished to the forest.
- Island was a Buddhist chosen land, and had a Buddhist destiny, from ancient times
- War against the yakshas was justified like so:
- And thereon the king said again to them: `How shall there be any comfort for me, O venerable sirs, since by me was caused the slaughter of a great host numbering millions?'
- `From this deed arises no hindrance in thy way to heaven. Only one and a half human beings have been slain here by thee, O lord of men. The one had come unto the (three) refuges, the other had taken on himself the five precepts Unbelievers and men of evil life were the rest, not more to be esteemed than beasts. But as for thee, thou wilt bring glory to the doctrine of the Buddha in manifold ways; therefore cast away care from thy heart, O ruler of men!' [1]
Sort of a racial theory.
Saddharmalamkara c.1400
Tamils were 1. barbarians, 2. heretics, 3. akin to cattle, dogs and mice.
War for Peace/War on Terror
http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1525/as.2009.49.1.59
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=4257
Case study 1
http://books.google.com/books?id=0toLUwD6WgUC In defense of Dharma: just-war ideology in Buddhist Sri Lanka
Case study 2
http://books.google.com/books?id=UwjC1peqwx0C Buddhist and the justification of war
- Utilitarian "greater good" arguments
- War can have positive karmic consequences
- Appeal to traditions mentioned above.
One argument: justice implies punishment
Case study 3
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3270564 The Saffron Army, Violence, Terror(ism): Buddhism, Identity, and Difference in Sri Lanka
Postmodern study.
Lay Sri Lankan view: Monks are passive
Monastic view: Monks are active, not passive. Monks can employ a philosophy of right (dharma=righteousness) and have moral power over politicians. As righteous philosophers monks are often patriotic. Thus, Jayewardene became a "traitor to the nation" and monks took up the cry of "motherland or death". Most monks joined JVP, protested Indo-Lankan Peace Accord. But govt proclaimed JVP to be itself terrorist and non-patriotic..
As Sri Lanka is a Sacred Island, Buddhists have a study to restore it to natural order.
Scholarly view: Active monks cause violence
Conclusion on just war theory
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2065/is_2_55/ai_106560164/
Not justifiable.
Sri Lankans have reached the conclusion that the only way to have peace is through war, and the only way to have a dharmic state is through non-dharmic action.