Ethics in Early Buddhism

Contents: Preface. I. Historical background and problems: 1. Pre-Buddhist Indian moral theories and their ultimate developments. 2. Knowledge. 3. The fact-value distinction. 4. The world and the will. 5. Individual and society. II. The moral life, the principle, and justification: 6. The noble life (Brahmacariya). 7. Virtues: the beginning of the way. 8. The eightfold path: the middle of the way. 9. Freedom: the conclusion of the way. 10. The status of the moral principle. 11. Justification of the moral life. III. Applications of the principle: 12. Society and morals. 13. Economics and morals. 14. Politics and morals. 15. Law, justice, and morals. 16. Nature and morals. 17. Conclusion: the stream and the Lotus Pond. Notes. Glossary. Select bibliography. Index.

"Throughout the centuries, moral philosophers, both eastern and western, considered a permanent and eternal law a necessary requirement for the formulation of a moral principle. If such a law was not empirically given, it had to be determined through reason. In contrast, early Buddhism presented a radical theory of impermanence. Interpreters of early Buddhism have been unable to abandon the presupposition of permanence, however, and hence have persisted in viewing nirvana or freedom as a permanent and eternal state to be contrasted with the impermanent world of sensory experience and bondage. Ethics in early Buddhism is David J. Kalupahana\'s balanced and brilliantly concise attempt to place the early Buddhist descriptions of the world of experience, the state of freedom, and the moral principle leading to such freedom within the framework of impermanence.

Kalupahana begins by outlining the Indian philosophical background, particularly its deontological ethics and utilitarian traditions, and proceeds to analyze the presuppositions of these moral theories. A comprehensive description of the moral teachings of early Buddhism follows. Kalupahana goes on to demonstrate the application of the moral principle in the explanation of society, economics, politics, law and justice, and nature. The conclusion highlights the two most important metaphors used in early Buddhist discourse: the stream (of becoming) and the lotus (of freedom)." (jacket)