Fault lines between Dollars and Dhamma

To earn by exploiting the suffering of others, that is the Palestinians, is not Right Livelihood

In Sri Lanka, on a 24/7 basis the words of wisdom of Gautama Buddha are related in some place or another. In over 12,000 temples spread across the rustic villages to the urbanised city, Dhamma values and traditions are encouraged by nearly 43,000 monks on a daily basis. Not to mention the hundreds of places alongside roads or at junctions, where the statue of Buddha is placed in an altar and the chanting of Karaniya Metta Sutta (words on loving-kindness) happens daily over loudspeakers.

In this great nation of ours, steeped in Dhamma and its non-violence (ahimsa) teachings is it not disturbing to learn that almost none of the venerable monks have voiced their concern on the unprecedented genocide in Palestine? The Karaniya Metta Sutta is often recited to promote peace, well-being, and compassion (maithri) for mankind. 

Where is the maithriya?

Compassion to mankind include Palestinians – the pregnant mother, the day-old infant in the crib, the blind and disabled person, the bedridden paralysed person, the playful little child, the curious youth, the mother and father, the aged grandmother, grandfather and granduncle. Each of them is being subjected to brutal and indiscriminate mass slaughter, starved to death, deliberately deprived of essentials like medicine, food, water, shelter, and basic human rights, leading to untold suffering and vulnerability. These words from the Sutta resonates:

“Even as a mother protects with her life

Her child, her only child,

So, with a boundless heart

Should one cherish all living beings;

Radiating kindness over the entire world”

Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi an American Buddhist monk, translator of Pali Buddhist texts, himself of Jewish ethnicity wrote in an article titled “No time for silence”: 

“The images of … children with amputated limbs, their bodies torn and broken; babies abandoned in powerless incubators; historic churches and mosques destroyed; refugees crammed into infested camps, crying out for water and food; corpses thrown into mass graves; captives blindfolded and stripped naked, paraded like cattle through desolate streets.”

“For me personally, such images make all my normal activities – discussing the intricacies of Buddhist philosophy – seem insipid, hollow, and pointless. I find that even meditation on the breath becomes difficult when the images of mutilated children and starving families keep streaming through the mind … a burden we just can’t shake off by claiming these atrocities don’t concern us.” 

The Buddhist ideal of non-violence, the strictures against killing, the primacy of compassion,… oblige us to join our hearts, voices, and deeds with the many others demanding a resolution to the crisis. (July 2024, GAZA Calling for a Dharma Response).

Shameful act of cowardice

It is stated that when the Government ministers were confronted with the question of having relationship with Israel, the reply was that it is not a political relationship but an economic one only. Prima facie an excuse shrouded with pure cowardice. Leave alone economic ties, how can the Sri Lanka Government have any form of ties with a government that has been accused of unprecedented genocide?

As per the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court 1998, Israeli authorities are in the dock over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

FT Quote Opportunism, one may argue is legal but it is grossly unethical; driven by greed, ignoring compassion or fairness. It is immoral because it breaches honesty and causes harm sometimes through deceit. The President must address his conscience and not seek convenience. The President should not barter the great Dhamma’s compassion and Right Livelihood for the petty US Dollar. The President cannot trade the soul of a nation whose foundation is in the Dhamma by maintaining relationship with a criminal regime which has globally been condemned for genocide. The President must realise that he is bound by international law

Article 8 (2) (a) “War crimes” means: “(a) Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, namely, … Wilful killing; Torture or inhuman treatment, … Wilfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health; Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, … carried out unlawfully and wantonly.”

Article 8 (2) (b) (xxv) “Intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including wilfully impeding relief supplies as provided for under the Geneva Conventions;”

Complicit in genocide

Sri Lanka is obliged by the General Assembly calling on all States, “Not to recognize any changes made by Israel to the pre-1967 borders,” and not to enter into agreements which imply recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territories occupied. To respect international law, including through measures of accountability...” (Resolution 74/11 (2019)). Also, referenced by ICJ in Para 277.

Moreover, how could the Government maintain diplomatic contacts with a Prime Minister who is a wanted war criminal by the International Criminal Court? Will our Government someday be accused of being complicit with Israel in the genocide? Will our Government someday have to face charges for violating international law which prohibits dealing or having transactions (so-called economic) with such entities like Israel?

Right livelihood (Samma Ajiva)

President Anura Disanayake himself a Buddhist, heads a Government in which around 90% of the decision makers and policy framers are Buddhists. In the Noble Eightfold Path expounded by Buddha, one of the principles is Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva). Literally, it means, the correct way of earning a living. When examining the Government policy towards Israel with regard to supply of manpower in the context of Right Livelihood, there are several factors that demand an explanation.

According to Buddhist understanding, earning a proper livelihood is based on the intention and the impact it has on others – in this case the Palestinian people. The way of earning may technically be legal but not so in the spirit of Right Livelihood. It should not directly or indirectly cause harm to others or be a cause to strengthen the commission of harm to others and also should respect ethical principles. Compassion and mindfulness towards the suffering Palestinians become part of the extended meaning of this. To earn by exploiting the suffering of others, that is the Palestinians, is not Right Livelihood. 

Betrayal of trust

The Sigalovada Sutta states that earning of wealth via bad associations is not Right Livelihood – this will refer to Government’s association and relationship with the inhuman and murderous Israel regime. In the Majjhima Nikaya all forms of opportunism and manipulations are warned against (MN 117). The Government may selfishly and opportunistically try to make hay while the sun shines at the cost of innocent Palestinian lives. Betraying the trust, one has placed on the Government, as a supporter of Palestine and to earn a living via such betrayal is not Right Livelihood but cheap opportunism.

Decide: Dollar or Dhamma

Opportunism, one may argue is legal but it is grossly unethical; driven by greed, ignoring compassion or fairness. It is immoral because it breaches honesty and causes harm sometimes through deceit. The President must address his conscience and not seek convenience. The President should not barter the great Dhamma’s compassion and Right Livelihood for the petty US Dollar. The President cannot trade the soul of a nation whose foundation is in the Dhamma by maintaining relationship with a criminal regime which has globally been condemned for genocide. The President must realise that he is bound by international law.

Third states are obliged “to employ all means reasonably available to them, so as to prevent genocide so far as possible” and must not provide “means to enable or facilitate the commission of the crime” (Bastaki, (2024) ICJ’s Provisional Orders).

When more than 159 countries in the world are standing on one side collectively, just a handful of hypocritical and enslaved countries are supporting the genocide. It is high time that the Government comes out of hiding and muster its courage to unconditionally, unequivocally and unambivalently condemn in the strongest terms the genocide committed by Israel. Cease sending our labour force to Israel for petty and shameless economic gains at the cost of a genocide.

(The writer holds an LL. B (Hons) UK, is an Attorney at Law, and ex-Advisor to former Presidential Private Department of UAE.)