How to Keep the Society in Peace and Harmony

By His Holiness TEP VONG

The Great Supreme Patriarch of the Kingdom of Cambodia

Generally, society is a group of the individual and combination of a man and the other man. Sociologically, society is the group of the individual who has a same aims. So, man is a part of the society. Social beings cannot live without society. Thereby man has a lot of duties as a member of society and in order to achieve their aim, they strive to live.

Man should work to keep peace and harmony in the society, that is to call as 'just society'- means to protect the human nature right. Man has to play many roles in the society in order to fulfill his obligations. But one never satisfies the other due to (1) external difficulties due to lack of time and wealth. They are struggle hard for their livings. For example, wealth is the main source of achieving their aims. People always insatiable. People compete with each other to gain their desires. Thus in this way will disturb the peace in the society. (2) Internal difficulties which is due to the arisen of Greedy, Hatred and Confusion. So Buddha very much emphasis by introducing the morality.

Individual wants to satisfy their duties and aims but there is a very limited time and wealth. So in order to get more, there will be an extreme competition takes place in the society. This unwholesome competition and grasping things as one's property brings the corruption to the society which is filled by Lobha, Dosa and Moha. So it means, a member of the society neglects his duties, he is obligated, demanded, finally he is punished by Laws. That is the way to keep their society in peace and harmony.

But according to Buddhism, it does not put forward the punishment. It only suggests the right way for the prosperity like observing precepts, by abstaining from bad actions which leads society to the corruption such as killing, lying, intoxicant and sexual misconduct. In this regard Buddhism suggests Sīla (morality) Samādhi (Concentration) and Paññā (Wisdom). When the man keeps Sīla, eventually he will get paññā. Then he can control his shortcomings through his own intuitive knowledge (wisdom). If he, being unselfish, he can control his uninhibited desires. Then society will become less competition and gradually decrease the corruption. Therefore, it brings society to the peaceful and harmonious state.

According to Mahā Mangala Sutta, emphasizes duties and obligations for the lay people, there we can find individual's discipline for prosperity and inner disciplines. These reasons for prosperity in Mangala Sutta helps us to upgrade society and Sutta pointed out the prosperity due to one's moral behavior and should practice it positively.

Wisdom is Sīla, sīla is wisdom. Wisdom and good conduct are working together. So emphasizes the moral. It shows that the good actions will bring the good results and lead to the happy state after death. So this confirms the moral life. So, Buddhism admonishes with this morality to control the internal and external problems when they perform their duties and obligations.

Peace and harmony in the society is achieved by means of practicing the ethical code of conduct (good morality) where no punishment, and only to understand things with a peaceful mind. Prosperities come from the individual's morality, not to depend on any dormant. We live in the society have to be morally good and good motion and respect to the other people. Then you will win the heart of the people.

Thus, we can keep our society peacefully and harmoniously. Then, man controlling oneself with a good morality without being shaken by external corrupted environment such as the lotus flower live in the muddy pond without being defiled by it. It also cleans the environment surrounding of it. Good man would not angry even provoked by other. He shows calm and steady. This is the nature of a good man.

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