A Study of Royal Duties and Responsibilities of a King in Buddhist Perspective

Abstract

Introduction newlineA kingdom without a king or a ruler cannot survive. The king is the great elect (Mahæsammata), the lord of lands (Khattiya), and the source of pleasure to the people (Ræja), an esteemed person and promoter of a righteous order (Dhammacakka) through which he sets righteous watchmen, protection, and safety for the all his subjects (Dhammikaµ rakkhævara¼aguttiµ). The king is well-born, handsome, wealthy, powerful and generous. He is a doer of good deeds and a learned man in all possible fields of knowledge. He is able to judge rightly things of the past, present and future. The king is especially admonished to observe the ten royal duties (dasaræjadhamma) upon which his kingdom is founded. The king is entrusted with the great responsibilities; he is to act rightly towards relations, officials, communities, and the whole kingdom; and maintains the righteous order in the world. newlineSome kings followed the dictatorship to fill the wealth and political power into their aspiration. They neither followed the human right nor the justice for his subjects. They forgot their royal duties and responsibilities and were engaged with wrong behaviours. The Buddha occasionally encouraged the kings to follow the royal duties and responsibilities in order to protect the human right, to get justice for all, to refrain from the evil deeds, to develop the country and eventually to get peace of mind and peace of the world. newline newline