Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Buddhist Perspectives on Domestic Violences

This article presented at a Conference organized by FaithLink in March 14, 2005

By Preah Bhikkhu Vodano Sophan

Introduction
Historically, domestic violence has been culturally and institutionally sanctioned
and legitimized within the Asian culture. Consequently, it is a pervasive health,
social, and human rights issue, which has serious repercussions on the victim's
physical health and mental health. Despite its serious consequences and
the scope of the problem, it has been referred to as a "silent crisis". (1)
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Brief History
- In 543 before Christianity, Buddha passed away (Parinibbana or enlightened
by without any substratum of life remaining).
- During King Asoka’s reign, Buddhism was recognized as the golden era. King
Asoka patronized the Monk Community Third Council and sent missionaries to
different nine directions.
- In the Fourth Council, Buddhism was clearly divided into two main streams:
Theravada (the teaching of elders) and Acariyavada (the teaching of recent
teachers).
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Overview Buddhism
Triple Gem
- Buddha: means the Awakened One or Enlightened One. His former name was
Prince Siddhatta Goutama.
- Dhamma: means nature, rule, discipline, doctrine, truth, way of life or
teaching. Some core teachings are Five Precepts, Four Noble Truth, Three
Roots of Evil, Three Characteristics, Eightfold Path, Kamma…etc.
- Sangha: means monks community or followers that can consist of Bhikkhu,
Bhikkhuni, Laymen and Laywomen.
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Main Teaching
- Buddha’s main teaching goal is to provide his followers happiness, peace
and salvation. He instructed each family member who came to meet him to live
harmoniously together. It is individual responsibility to refrain all kinds of
violence.
- In community, the association with others like between employer and
employee, teacher and student, friend and friend, has their own specific codes
in practicing.(2)
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Definition: DV according to BD
Five Abuses
1. Killing any living beings, harming, battering, beating
2. Stealing, robbing, cheating, wrong living.
3. Raping, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct
4. Telling lies, using harsh words, using malicious words and talking uselessly.
5. Consuming drugs, drinking alcohol, other addictions. (3)
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Ten Akusala Kamma or Ten Evil Deeds
1. Physical deed -three(3) : Killing - ending the life of another living being.
Stealing - robbing of others’ property or belongings. Unchaste – nonconfining
to one’s own wife/husband or children
2. By word or speech –four (4): Lying - telling the untruth. Slandering – talk ill
of others. Harsh speech - using bad words or abusive language. Frivolous
talk – utterly vain speech (useless or empty talk)
3. By thought (mind) – three (3): Avidyaa or Abhijjaa (Covetousness) – delusion
or not seeing the truth. Vyaapaada (Illwill)
– hatred, resentment and anger. Michchaaditthi (False view) – living
with false concepts.(4)
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Three Roots of Evil
1. Lobha : greed, desire or ambition is the cause leading to restlessness,
distress and stress when they don’t get what they want.
2. Dosa : when Lobha increases, anger or hatred ignited the mind leading to
the destruction of themselves and others.
3. Moha : when Dosa increases, delusion or ignorance empowers itself making
the perpetrators loss their mindfulness, responsibility and do the evils
vigorously. (5)
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The Sayings of the Buddha
" With gentleness overcome anger. With generosity overcome meanness. With truth overcome deceit."

" The wise harm no one. They are masters of their bodies and they go to the boundless country. They go beyond sorrow."
Dhammapada, Anger : 17
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The Forms of Domestic Violence (6)
1. Physical abuse such as kicking, punching, biting, slapping, strangling,
choking. In Buddhism, these matters are absolutely wrong. Following the first
precept, which doesn’t allow us to kill, batter, beat or harm others.

2. Psychological abuse such as intimidation, verbal abuse, humiliation, putdowns,
ridiculing, threats, threatening to hurt victim's family and children. In
Buddhism, those acts are considered as mental violence. Perpetrators have lost
their mindfulness, consciousness and like to act for their own entertainment. It is
mostly caused by their bad habit or alcohol addiction. This is misconduct of the fourth
or fifth precept.

3. Sexual abuse such as rape, forms of sexual assault such as forced
masturbation, sexual humiliation, refusing to use contraceptives and coerced
abortions. These acts are wrong and breaks the third precept which prohibits
sexual misconduct or sexual harassment.

4. Financial/economic abuse such as withholding of money, refuse to allow
victims to open bank account, all property is in the perpetrator's name or not
allowing the victims to work. This is another type of violence. Perpetrators are
greedy and selfish.
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Observe five precepts regularly such as:
1. Refrain from killing, beating, battering or harming others. One must cultivate
compassion and spread it around.
2. Refrain from stealing, robbing, cheating or corrupting. One must live by a right
livelihood.
3. Refrain from committing sexual misconduct such as raping, sexual
humiliation. One must concentrate on their craving.
4. Refrain from telling lies, using harsh words, using malicious words and talk in
uselessness. One must aware all speech.
5. Refrain from consuming drugs, addictive things or drinking alcohol. One
must be mindful and conscious.
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Prevention and Resolution
Ten Kusala Kamma or Ten Good Deeds
(I).Generosity - Daana, which yields wealth.
(ii) Morality - Siila, which gives birth in noble families and in state of happiness.
(iii) Meditation - Bhaavanaa, which gives birth in Realms of Form and Formless Realms, and
which tends to gain Higher Knowledge and Emancipation.
(iv) Reverence - Apacaayana, the cause of noble parentage.
(v) Service - Veyyaavacca, which tends to produce a large retinue.
(vi) Transference of merit - Pattidaana, which serves as a cause to give in abundance in
future births.
(vii) Rejoicing in others' merit - Pattaanu Moodanaa, which is productive of merit
wherever one is born.
(viii) Hearing the Doctrine - Dhamma Savana, which promotes wisdom.
(ix) Expounding the Doctrines - Dhamma Deesanaa, which promotes wisdom.
(x) Straightening of one's own views - Ditthijju Kamma, which strengthens one's confidence. (7)
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Four Immeasurableness
1. Loving-kindness, Mettaa: is the wish that all sentient beings, without exception, be
happy. It counters ill-will.
2. Compassion, Karunaa: is the wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering. It
counters cruelty.
3. Appreciative joy, Muditaa: is the wholesome attitude of rejoicing in the
happiness and virtues of all sentient beings. It counters jealousy and makes people less selfcentred.
4. Equanimity, Ubekkhaa: is the attitude of regarding all sentient beings as equals,
irrespective of their present relationship to oneself. The wholesome attitude of
equanimity counters clinging and aversion.(8)
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The Threefold Training
1. Training in Higher Morality or Ethics, Sila: consists of right speech, right
action and right livelihood.
2. Training in Higher Mentality or Meditation, Samadhi: consists of right
effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.
3. Training in Higher Wisdom or Insight, Panna: consists of right understanding
and right view.(9)
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The Saying of The Buddha
"All beings tremble before violence. All
fear death. All love life. See yourself in
others. Then whom can you hurt?. What
harm can you do?"


"He who seeks happiness by hurting
those who seek happiness, will never find
happiness. For your brother is like you.
He wants to be happy. Never harm him
and when you leave this life, you too will
find happiness."

Dhammapada, violence : 10
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Conclusion
- All problems involving Domestic Violence has its actual cause and effect. So we have to
study about the effect of the problem, the cause of the problem, the extinction of the
problem and the way leading to the extinction of the problem.
- Domestic violence will be easily eradicated if individuals agree to live together with lovingkindness and compassion. They have to response to the Law of Kamma.
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REFERENCES
(1)&(6) http://www.nursingceu.com/NCEU/courses/domesticviolence/
(2) Tipitaka, Dhighanikaya, Pathikavakka
(3) Tipitaka, Dhighanikaya, Pathikavakka
(4) Tipitaka, Dhighanikaya, Pathikavakka
(5) Tipitaka, Dhighanikaya, Pathikavakka
(7) Tipitaka, Dhighanikaya, Pathikavakka
(8) Tipitaka, Dhighanikaya, Mahavakka
(9) Tipitaka, Dhighanikaya, Pathikavakka

March 1, 2006

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