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Buddhist Solutions for the Twenty-First Century

P. A. Payutto

translated and compiled by Bruce Evans

Contents

Preface

Part 1: The Making of Democracy

The Making of Democracy
    Defining democracy
    Liberty
    Democracy as full realization of human potential
    Rights and duties
    Liberty and responsibility
    Inner and outer freedom
    Liberty based on wisdom is the flag of democracy

Government by Dhamma
    To demand democracy is to demand development

Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity
    Lack of unity in American democracy
    No liberty or equality without fraternity
    The moment of truth
    Equality and liberty flourish on unity
    The six conditions for fraternal living

Part 2

On Peace
    The International Year in Need of Peace
    The origin of our problems
    The undeveloped condition of humanity
    Freedom as the guarantee of peace and happiness
    Proper assessment of science and technology
    The loss of the way to freedom
    The one solution
    Human development as the prerequisite for peace

Part 3

A Buddhist Solution for the Twenty-First Century

Preface

The Buddhadhamma Foundation has expressed a wish to compile a small number of my talks and writings on social matters into one book, entitled Buddhist Solutions for the Twenty-first Century. A similar title, "A Buddhist Solution for the Twenty-first Century," was previously used for an address written by me for the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, 1993, and that talk is included as Part Three of this collection. In addition, there is another talk, originally entitled "Buddhism and Peace," given in Bangkok in 1986 at the International Conference on Higher Education and the Promotion of Peace, previously published by the Buddhadhamma Foundation as Freedom, Individual and Social. It is here printed as Part Two of the book, entitled "On Peace." Part One is from a previously unpublished translation, by Bruce Evans, of a talk given in the Thai language entitled "The Making of a Democracy," given to a group of Thai people in New York in 1992 shortly after the May political riots in Bangkok.

    I would like to offer my appreciation to the Buddhadhamma Foundation for undertaking the work, and hope that it will prove to be of some help to those interested in new applications of Buddhist teachings, new perspectives on politics, and in social well-being in general. May some of the ideas presented herein take root and help to clarify some of the confusion that presently envelops our society.

P. A. Payutto

Bangkok, December, 1994

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