Buddhism and Human Rights

A major part of the Buddhist deeds are associated with Buddhist morality. The Buddhist prescriptions consist in a series of moral principles which are concerned with one's duty to one's self and others. The principle of Ahimsa, which means non-injury to one's self and to others, is the most central Buddhist moral teaching. The five abstentions begin with this sentence: "I make a promise to abstain from injuring the living creatures, stealing, immorality, telling lie, and intoxication". Now, is it possible for the human rights to be expressed in terms of these teachings? Is the universal declaration of human rights compatible with the demands of the Buddhist morality? Does the emphasis put upon law not overshadow one's religious duty? In this article, the author, Fredericks, examines the different answers of the Buddhist thinkers to these questions. He also sets forth the Buddhist's criticism of the universal declaration of human rights.