TOPIC INFO (CUET PG)
TOPIC INFO – CUET PG (Philosophy)
CONTENT TYPE – Detailed Notes (Type – II)
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1. Themes from Buddhist Ethics
1.1. The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Ethics
1.2. The Noble Eightfold Path (Arya Ashtanga Marga)
1.3. The Five Precepts (Pancha Sila)
1.4. The Brahmaviharas: The Sublime States
1.5. The Bodhisattva Ideal
2. Themes from Jaina Ethics
2.1. The Three Jewels (Triratna)
2.2. The Five Great Vows (Mahavratas)
2.3. The Lesser Vows (Anuvratas) for Laypersons
2.4. The Doctrine of Karma in Jaina Ethics
2.5. Anekantavada and its Ethical Implications
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Ethics in Buddhist and Jaina Traditions
CUET PG – Philosophy (Notes)
Themes from Buddhist Ethics
Buddhist ethics is fundamentally pragmatic and psychological, aimed at achieving a specific goal: the cessation of suffering (Dukkha) and the attainment of enlightenment (Nirvana). Unlike deontological systems that focus on duties or rules, or purely consequentialist systems that judge actions by their outcomes, Buddhist ethics is a form of virtue ethics centered on the cultivation of a skillful mind and character. The ethical framework is not based on divine command but on the law of Karma, a natural principle of cause and effect where actions (karma) driven by certain intentions lead to corresponding results in this life and future lives.
The core of Buddhist ethics revolves around the concepts of Kusala (skillful, wholesome, intelligent) and Akusala (unskillful, unwholesome, unintelligent) actions. An action is deemed ‘akusala’ if it is rooted in the three poisons (trivisha): greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), and delusion (moha). Conversely, an action is ‘kusala’ if it arises from their opposites: non-attachment/generosity (alobha), loving-kindness (adosa or metta), and wisdom (amoha or prajna). Therefore, the ethical quality of an act is determined primarily by the intention or mental state (cetana) behind it.
The Four Noble Truths: The Foundation of Buddhist Ethics
The entire structure of Buddhist thought and ethics is built upon the Four Noble Truths, which the Buddha realized during his enlightenment. These truths diagnose the human condition and prescribe the path to its cure, making ethics an integral part of the soteriological journey.
- The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha): Life is inherently characterized by suffering, dissatisfaction, and stress. This includes physical pain, old age, and death, as well as psychological suffering like sorrow, frustration, and anxiety. It points to the fundamental impermanence and unsatisfactoriness of all conditioned phenomena.
- The Truth of the Origin of Suffering (Samudaya): The cause of suffering is craving (Tanha), which is rooted in ignorance (Avidya). There are three types of craving: craving for sensual pleasures (kama-tanha), craving for existence and becoming (bhava-tanha), and craving for non-existence (vibhava-tanha).
- The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha): Suffering can cease completely. This state of cessation is Nirvana, a state of ultimate peace, freedom from the cycle of rebirth (samsara), and the extinguishing of the “three fires” of greed, hatred, and delusion.
- The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga): The way to end suffering is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path (Arya Ashtanga Marga). This path is the practical, ethical guide for life.
Logical Flow: Avidya (Ignorance) → Tanha (Craving) → Upadana (Clinging) → Karma (Action) → Dukkha (Suffering)