Session 028: Leadership For The People
Leadership For The People
Dhamma Talk + Guided Meditation Session 028: July 15th, 2020, by Sophia Ojha Ensslin and Cristof Ensslin
Banner Photo by Everaldo Coelho
Introduction
Since the end of World War 2, we have experienced a 75 year long stretch of time that has not seen a war between industrialized countries. One of the main reasons for that was international communication, cooperation, and trade. That led to prosperity for many, as there were jobs, food, resources. A quick glance into the history books allows us to see that, as long as the people were given basic resources, equal rights, and equal respect, they would stay busy, productive, and peaceful.
This is not new information - obviously many a leader knew that. But not all.
After World War 1, the losing countries were revengefully enslaved to pay reparations which would keep them poor for generations. Instead of leading to peace and control, all that did was to lead to World War 2.
After World War 2, the losers were treated much differently. They were given capital and resources to rebuild their economies for a peaceful, productive world community - this is now known as the Marshall Plan.
What is valid to avoid international conflict, is equally valid to create a harmonious society within a country, state or region.
Read on below or watch the talk and meditate with us by playing the videos to your right.
Dhamma Talk by Cristof (video recording coming soon)
Meditation Guided by Sophia (video recording coming soon)
Handout
This week we have prepared a 6-page handout for you. It is posted left/below as blog content. Plus, you can download it as PDF by clicking on the following button:
A Bloodless Sacrifice
Maybe most importantly, this way of leading a country, a state, a county, or a municipality, is bloodless. Noone needs to be oppressed or conquered. No religious sacrifices need to be made in order to convince any God or Gods to bring about prosperity and security for all.
A skim through Bhikkhu Bodhi’s book In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha) lead me to a segment of a discourse of the Buddha called the Kūṭadanta Sutta (Diga Nikaya 5).
The Hindu brahmin Kūṭadanta was, at the time, something like a governor of a very wealthy and fruitful land that belonged to the kingdom of King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha. He was preparing a vast sacrifice of livestock and produce to convince the Gods to continue to bless his land and people.
When he learns that the revered ascetic Gotama (the Buddha) is passing through a town nearby, he wants to go and ask him for advice on how to conduct the sacrifice in the correct way.
At first, the other brahmins (highest cast in traditional Hindu society, the cast of rulers and priests) want to dissuade him from going. They bring forth all kinds of arguments why the Buddha should come to him instead, given his position in the kingdom. For example they are quoted saying (as translated by Bhante Sujato):
“Please don’t! It’s not appropriate for you to go to see the ascetic Gotama. For if you do so, your reputation will diminish and his will increase. For this reason it’s not appropriate for you to go to see the ascetic Gotama; it’s appropriate that he comes to see you.
You are well born on both your mother’s and father’s side, of pure descent, irrefutable and impeccable in questions of ancestry back to the seventh paternal generation. For this reason it’s not appropriate for you to go to see the ascetic Gotama; it’s appropriate that he comes to see you.”
But, as it seems, Kutadanta was a fairly humble fellow, so he convinced his fellow brahmins to come along with him, coming up with an even longer list of arguments underscoring the appropriateness of him going to the Buddha. Among others, he begins by saying (as translated by Bhante Sujato):
“Well then, gentlemen, listen to why it’s appropriate for me to go to see the ascetic Gotama, and it’s not appropriate for him to come to see me. He is well born on both his mother’s and father’s side, of pure descent, irrefutable and impeccable in questions of ancestry back to the seventh paternal generation. For this reason it’s not appropriate for the ascetic Gotama to come to see me; rather, it’s appropriate for me to go to see him.
[...]
When he went forth he abandoned abundant gold coin and bullion stored in dungeons and towers. For this reason it’s not appropriate for the ascetic Gotama to come to see me; rather, it’s appropriate for me to go to see him.
[...]
He teaches the efficacy of deeds and action. He doesn’t wish any harm upon the community of brahmins. For this reason it’s not appropriate for the ascetic Gotama to come to see me; rather, it’s appropriate for me to go to see him.”
As Kūṭadanta’s audience with the Buddha begins, he asks the enlightened one (quoting Bhante Sujato’s translation from suttacentral.net): “Master Gotama, I’ve heard that you know how to accomplish the sacrifice with three modes and sixteen accessories. I don’t know about that, but I wish to perform a great sacrifice. Please teach me how to accomplish the sacrifice with three modes and sixteen accessories.”
So, this must have been a big thing, this planned sacrifice of Kūṭadanta. Now, the Buddha doesn’t just tell him what to do, he rather tells him a story - a very effective method of teaching people who can take lessons from one situation and apply it to another. A method like that also reduces the chance of a potential ego reaction of Kūṭadanta’s advisors.
And the story that the Buddha tells to Kūṭadanta goes like this (quoting again Bhante Sujato’s translation from suttacentral.net):
“Once upon a time, brahmin, there was a king named Mahāvijita. He was rich, affluent, and wealthy, with lots of gold and silver, lots of property and assets, lots of money and grain, and a full treasury and storehouses. Then as King Mahāvijita was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: ‘I have achieved human wealth, and reign after conquering this vast territory. Why don’t I hold a large sacrifice? That will be for my lasting welfare and happiness.’
Then he summoned the brahmin high priest and said to him: ‘Just now, brahmin, as I was in private retreat this thought came to mind, “I have achieved human wealth, and reign after conquering this vast territory. Why don’t I perform a great sacrifice? That will be for my lasting welfare and happiness.” Brahmin, I wish to perform a great sacrifice. Please instruct me. It will be for my lasting welfare and happiness.’
When he had spoken, the brahmin high priest said to him: ‘Sir, the king’s realm is harried and oppressed. Bandits have been seen raiding villages, towns, and cities, and infesting the highways. But if the king were to extract more taxes while his realm is thus harried and oppressed, he would not be doing his duty.
Now the king might think, “I’ll eradicate this barbarian obstacle by execution or imprisonment or confiscation or condemnation or banishment!” But that’s not the right way to eradicate this barbarian obstacle. Those who remain after the killing will return to harass the king’s realm.
Rather, here is a plan, relying on which the barbarian obstacle will be properly uprooted. So let the king provide seed and fodder for those in the realm who work in farming and raising cattle. Let the king provide funding for those who work in trade. Let the king guarantee food and wages for those in government service. Then the people, occupied with their own work, will not harass the realm. The king’s revenues will be great. When the country is secured as a sanctuary, free of being harried and oppressed, the happy people, with joy in their hearts, dancing with children at their breast, will dwell as if their houses were wide open.’
The king agreed with the high priest’s advice and followed his recommendation.”
He’s basically saying with this story, that people in power should be creating access to the right kind of resources for their respective scope of influence. Education is a type of resource essential for today’s times. Education is a big equalizer.
A lot of governments around the world seem to know this and work hard to level the playing field. College education is free or available for a small administrative fee in many countries, for example in Germany or Norway. The SBA (Small Business Association) here in the US gives loans to small businesses who would otherwise have no access to startup capital.
It’s not just governments who take action. There are non-profits here in NC for instance who help with entrepreneurial grants and know-how, namely Mountain BizWorks and NCIDEA. Google announced just a few days ago that it will give 100,000 scholarships for online certificates in data analytics, project management and user experience design to bring employment opportunities to people without college education.
If governments, companies, and non-profits can act wisely and pro-societal-harmony, maybe we ourselves can, too?
How We Can Lead
We each have our own scope of influence to create peace around us:
We can generously donate to organisations who help disadvantaged members of the society help themselves - be it for example with micro loans or practical knowledge, or be it with scholarships for educational programs.
We can buy from companies who pay a fair salary to their employees and vendors - fair trade certified for example.
We can vote for political candidates that think in this way.
We may even know a friend’s, neighbor’s or family member’s kid who needs help with seed capital or their college fund.
While these are all outer ways of helping to create peace, we all know that peace begins within ourselves. We look in the mirror, in the figurative mirror that we can look into during meditation.
Practicing meditation and present moment awareness throughout our day makes us more peaceful. That peace radiates outwards and is infectious.
May all beings be happy. May all beings be peaceful. May all beings be well.
So now, let’s practice during yet another meditation session.
Resources About the Kutadanta Sutta
English Translation of the sutta by Bhante Sujato: https://suttacentral.net/dn5/en/sujato
