{"id":5119,"date":"2026-04-06T10:14:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T10:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/?p=5119"},"modified":"2026-04-06T10:14:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T10:14:47","slug":"the-state-that-buddha-would-not-approve-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/2026\/04\/06\/the-state-that-buddha-would-not-approve-of\/","title":{"rendered":"The State That Buddha Would Not Approve Of"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Adapted from Aung N Htwe’s post in Burmese on August 27, 2015 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Buddhists generally accept that the Buddha taught only those doctrines that were beneficial and worthy of adherence. Upon examining the teachings delivered across the Buddha’s 45 Vassa (rains retreats), through the lens of modern social science and political science, one finds that the Buddha’s teachings carry a remarkably deep and penetrating relevance that continues to resonate today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic Decline as a Consequence of Corrupt Governance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among the many sufferings endured by the people (veneyya<\/em>) under the self-serving and tyrannical rule of wicked kings \u2014 as described in the Buddha’s teachings \u2014 one of the most consequential is economic deterioration and ruin<\/strong>, referred to in Pali as Bhoga Byasana<\/em> (the destruction of wealth and prosperity).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Buddha firmly taught the principle of cause and effect: that every consequence arises from a cause. In this context, the root cause is identified as \u00d1\u0101ti Byasana<\/em> \u2014 the ruin or loss of noble kinsmen and worthy associates<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Brain Drain: A National Catastrophe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As discussed in Part 1 of this series, the loss of virtuous and capable citizens represents an enormous national tragedy. Specifically, the four essential pillars required for a nation’s development \u2014 namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Intellectuals and scholars<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Skilled professionals and artisans<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Business and economic experts<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Legal professionals and jurists<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    \u2014 have repeatedly been forced to flee, go into hiding, or perish<\/strong> under oppressive rule. This systematic elimination of a nation’s finest human capital results in a severe deficit of knowledge, expertise, and competitiveness. Without these pillars, a country loses its ability to engage meaningfully in economic activities on par with other nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Incompetence Fills the Vacuum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When genuine expertise is driven out, the void is filled by ignorant, incompetent, and unqualified rulers<\/strong> who, driven by arrogance and a belief that they alone know best, assume control of every institution and sector. The inevitable outcome is economic stagnation \u2014 a failure to produce meaningful results or sustainable growth \u2014 plunging the population into a deepening cycle of poverty from which there is no escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Buddha clearly and emphatically taught that such conditions lead to widespread hunger, destitution, and helplessness<\/strong> among the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Myanmar: A Living Case Study<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When the Buddha’s teachings on corrupt governance and economic ruin are measured against the historical trajectory of Myanmar, the parallels are striking and unmistakable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Since the brutal and absolute military coup of 1962<\/strong>, a single self-serving military institution \u2014 clad in green \u2014 has controlled, directed, and dominated every aspect of the nation. The economic system that has persisted from that point to the present government is one defined not by innovation, production, or competitive industry, but by the exhaustion and sale of existing resources<\/strong> \u2014 a policy of stripping the nation bare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Rather than creating new industries or producing goods competitive on the international stage, Myanmar’s economy has devolved into what can only be described as a “bare-bones, hollow economic policy”<\/strong> \u2014 akin to a famished dog licking the last remnants from a piece of hard palm sugar candy. The domestic economic situation has deteriorated to a state where the people are left scrambling over scraps, like starving dogs fighting over a worn-out shoe sole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    This is the condition of Bhoga Byasana<\/em> \u2014 the poverty of livelihood, consumption, and sustenance \u2014 that the Buddha forewarned would befall any nation governed by corrupt and self-serving rulers. Myanmar’s modern history serves as a sobering testament to the enduring truth of these ancient teachings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    References:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Cakkavatti-S\u012bhan\u0101da Sutta, D\u012bgha Nik\u0101ya<\/em> 26 \u2014 on the social and economic consequences of immoral governance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • K\u016b\u1e6dadanta Sutta, D\u012bgha Nik\u0101ya<\/em> 5 \u2014 on the Buddha’s economic philosophy and the root causes of poverty and crime.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Agga\u00f1\u00f1a Sutta, D\u012bgha Nik\u0101ya<\/em> 27 \u2014 on the origin of kingship and the duties of rulers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Mah\u0101parinibb\u0101na Sutta, D\u012bgha Nik\u0101ya<\/em> 16 \u2014 on the conditions for a nation’s welfare and non-decline.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Lieberman, V. (2003). Strange Parallels: Southeast Asia in Global Context<\/em>. Cambridge University Press.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Steinberg, D. I. (2010). Burma\/Myanmar: What Everyone Needs to Know<\/em>. Oxford University Press.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Adapted from Aung N Htwe’s post in Burmese on August 27, 2015 Introduction Buddhists generally accept that the Buddha taught only those doctrines that were beneficial and worthy of adherence. Upon examining the teachings delivered across the Buddha’s 45 Vassa (rains retreats), through the lens of modern social science and political science, one finds that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5120,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,7,6,133,16,62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anti-racism","category-articles","category-history","category-human-rights-constitution-federal-democracy-social-nets-minority-rights","category-opinion","category-thidagu-sitagu-sayadaw-wirathu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5119"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5121,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5119\/revisions\/5121"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}