The Human Right to Peace, Security and Prosperity: The Buddhist Perspective By Ananda W.P. Guruge ABSTRACT An important aspect omitted, though implied, when Fundamental Human Rights were dentified for universal acceptance half a century ago is the basic Human Right to Peace, Security and Prosperity. Even as violence gains ground and terrorism ascends to be the most daunting danger facing humanity, the importance of transforming the prevailing culture of armed conflict and multiple forms of violence to a culture of peace, tolerance and understanding becomes patent. This paper commences with a brief overview of mechanisms in force and efforts made in different quarters to ensure peace, security and prosperity to every human being. ft then proceeds to look for inspiration, insights and guidance, which the teachings of the Buddha and twenty-six centuries of Buddhist history can give us. The Buddha's most eloquently and comprehensively expressed views are examined along with his active interventions in conflict prevention and resolution The Buddha's absolute path to peace is undoubtedly his unequivocal soteriological or salvific message of self-cultivation and mental perfection leading to the ultimate goal of peace and happiness in Nibbana - the end of suffering. But the Buddha was also conscious of the need of humanity for peace, security and prosperity here and now in this world. How the traditional Buddhist ideals, wisdom and values continue to apply to this modern age is further illustrated with copious quotes from Grand Master Hsing Yun 's insights on peace and equality. The conclusion of this analysis is that the Buddhist perspective so expressed is not only relevant but also most urgently needed as a corrective to current international and national efforts to ensure peace, security and prosperity through socioeconomic, educational, spiritual, moral and cultural regeneration of humanity. Introduction Peace and security have eluded the human race at all stages of its development. It is indeed a sad commentary on the sheer failure of the humankind to optimize its gifts of intelligence and creativity. What makes the situation ever more disappointing is the increase of violence in intensity and complexity with every stage of human development. Early humans needed and therefore invented weapons and trapping devices for hunting animals for food and for defense against wild predators. But the progressive development of weapons of offence and defense against fellow humans has characterized a major venture of all civilizations. Devoid of nature-given devices like horns, tusks, fangs, claws, sting and venom, humans evolved their weapons of combat in a continuous search for more effective and efficient ways of killing enemies and opponents. Stones, sticks, clubs and axes of the primitive humans were replaced with weapons of hand to hand or close combat like knives, daggers, swords and spears. The bow and arrow allowed killing Hsi Lai Journal of Humanistic Buddhism and maiming from a distance. The catapult and ramming devices were designed as weapons to be used by organized teams. The mechanically enhanced crossbow, when invented, was denounced as the most heinous of weapons of mass destruction. But gunpowder, first used in China for fireworks in celebration, dominated the next phase in weapon making with guns, perfected from flintlock muskets to automatic rifles, machine guns and artillery of ever-increasing magnitude. Explosives followed suit with mines, bombs, torpedoes and hand-grenades. Weapons of mass destruction - nuclear, chemical and biological - mark the current age with intercontinental ballistic missiles as the most dreaded. An estimated half a million scientists of the highest caliber in the world are engaged in further development of weapon systems. The competition is not restricted to richer nations, because strategically located poorer countries, too, aspire to be nuclear powers. Armament accounts for a major portion of all national budgets. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is justified on grounds of deterrence against aggression. Aims and objectives of weapon-designers are clearly based on the destruction of human life, for still heard among them is the idea of developing devices which would kill humans (including of course, other life forms) without destroying the buildings and infrastructure, which the winners in a war would use to their advantage! Equally disconcerting is a survey of human efforts in defense against aggression. Fortresses with walls and moats were once optimal. But since wars left the battlefield and encompassed all territories and extended thence to sea and air and now space, defense systems have not only become sophisticated but also irrelevant and meaningless. The recent terrorist operations have left the humankind wondering whether there could be any defense especially against a human being who is determined to die in the process of killings others. War and armed conflict, which had demanded and consumed the greatest part of all resources of the human race throughout its history, are not the only breaches of Peace and Security. Massive and devastating, as they have been, whenever and wherever they occur, the greater problem is the continuous, on-going violence in society in which weaker segments like women, children and the poor are victims. In sheer numerical terms, the loss of human life through intentional and callously negligent acts of violence, ranging from premeditated murder and terrorism to drunk driving and endangerment of children and seniors is said to exceed that of wars, armed ::ontlict and terrorism. International action taken over the last half century to grapple with the iuestion of violence and insecurity at the global level is as diverse as it is impressive: (I) The United Nations was established in 1945 as a world body to • save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and • reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and • establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, 58 The Human Right to Peace, Security and Prosperity: The Buddhist Perspective • promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, • practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, • unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, • ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and • employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples. (Emphasis mine) (2) UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural Organization) was founded in 1946 on a set of principles which included the following: • That since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed; • That a peace based exclusively upon the political and economic arrangements of governments would not be a peace which could secure the unanimous, lasting and sincere support of the peoples of the world, and that the peace must therefore be founded, if it is not to fail, upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind. (Emphasis mine) (3) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948, highlighted the following: • Article 3 Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person • Article 5 No on shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. (Emphasis mine) Though no world wa! had taken place since 1945, the world has not been free of armed conflicts both between and within nations. Nor has there been any reduction of violence and insecurity within nations. Violence has continued from domestic abuse to international warfare. It has even been thought that human beings are naturally and genetically programmed to be violent. UNESCO had the issue examined by a representative body of scientists, jurists and theologians whose Seville Statement on Violence of 1986 was conclusive: "Based on rigorous scientific evidence, the Seville Statement refutes the myth that human beings are predisposed to violence through five key propositions. It is scientifically incorrect to say: • that we have inherited a tendency to make war from our animal ancestors; • that war or any other violent behavior is genetically programmed into our nature; 59 Hsi Lai Journal of Humanistic Buddhism • that in the course of human evolution there has been a selection for aggressive behavior more than for other kinds of behavior; • that humans have a violent brain. How we act is shaped by how we have been conditioned and socialized. There is nothing in our neurophysiology that compels us to react violently; • that war is caused by instinct or any single motivation. The corollary to this statement is that violence then is a learned behavior. As a part of UNESCO's Culture of Peace Program, a convention was being negotiated under the direction of the former Director General, Professor Federico Mayor, to declare Peace as a Human Right. Although the convention is yet to be concluded, the importance of its foundational thought cannot be overemphasized. There is so much violence and insecurity in the world; the eradication thereof is a global challenge and an ineluctable obligation of everyone. The recognition of Peace and Security and likewise Prosperity or freedom of poverty as a basic human right is an essential step in mobilizing universal involvement in a comprehensive approach to ensure peace in every dimension. It is with the current world situation and international concerns and efforts as a backdrop that I seek to examine what contribution Buddhist insights and experience can make to rid humanity of its propensity for violence and insecurity. Backdrop to Teachings of the Buddha The Buddha was a scion of a ruling family of a principality in Southern Nepal and, as a Sakya, belonged to the K�atriya or warrior caste.