Buddhism and Political TheoryDespite the recent upsurge of interest in comparative political theory, there has been virtually no serious examination of Buddhism by political philosophers in the past five decades. In part, this is because Buddhism is not typically seen as a school of political thought. However, as Matthew Moore argues, Buddhism simultaneously parallels and challenges many core assumptions and arguments in contemporary Western political theory. In brief, Western thinkers not only have a great deal to learn about Buddhism, they have a great deal to learn from it. To both incite and facilitate the process of Western theorists engaging with this neglected tradition, this book provides a detailed, critical reading of the key primary Buddhist texts, from the earliest recorded teachings of the Buddha through the present day. It also discusses the relevant secondary literature on Buddhism and political theory (nearly all of it from disciplines other than political theory), as well as the literatures on particular issues addressed in the argument. Moore argues that Buddhist political thought rests on three core premises--that there is no self, that politics is of very limited importance in human life, and that normative beliefs and judgments represent practical advice about how to live a certain way, rather than being obligatory commands about how all persons must act. He compares Buddhist political theory to what he sees as Western analogues--Nietzsche's similar but crucially different theory of the self, Western theories of limited citizenship from Epicurus to John Howard Yoder, and to the Western tradition of immanence theories in ethics. This will be the first comprehensive treatment of Buddhism as political theory. |
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achieve enlightenment advice AggaññaSutta anattā argues argument Bechert believe Bhikkhu Bhutan Bodhi Bodhisattva Buddha Buddhism and Politics Buddhist Ethics Buddhist political theory Buddhist Political Thought Buddhist theory cakkavatti CakkavattiSīhanāda Sutta century chapter claims Collins Connected Discourses Connolly Democracy democratic dhamma discussion early Buddhism early Buddhist ethics early texts Epicurean Epicurus evil existence experience explicitly Gard goal Gokhale helpful human Huxley idea immanence important individual interpretation Jātaka Jayatilleke John Howard Yoder Kateb Keown khandhas king Kingship Laos laws Liberalism limited citizenship live Long Discourses Mahāparinibbāna Sutta Mahāsammata Mahāyāna metaphysical Mongkut monks moral natural Nibbana Nietzsche and Buddhism normative noself one’s Pāli persistent Philosophy Pluralism principles republican rule rulers S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike saṃsāra sangha selfview social contract society soul spiritual Sri Lanka suffering Suksamran Tambiah teachings Thailand theories of limited theorists Theravada thinkers Thoreau Tibet tradition traditionalera ultimately undersouls University Press Vajrayāna Value Pluralism Western political wheelturning York