Suchergebnisse

It is posited that in the case of Burma a preoccupation with readily observable aspects of culture has either resulted in or been associated with a failure to understand the impact of Buddhist thought & belief upon ED; & that Burma's internat'l posture of nonalignment or neutrality stems logically from the dominance of Buddhist thought & philosophy. The basic precepts of the Sch of Theravada Buddhism which flourishes in modern Burma & which influences the lives of at least 85% of the people are explained. The doctrine stresses, in particular, that men must rely upon themselves. For the Buddhist there are pressures to accrue merit through moral acts & to eschew acts which are not moral & which might impair his status in his next rebirth. Obstacles to ED in the form of admonitions against econ accumulation (capital formation) inherent in Buddhist thought & teachings are noted. It is shown that the production of wealth for individual profit is at odds with the Buddhist ideal of character. It is also demonstrated that since the Buddhist is taught & is philosophically committed to impartiality toward all beings, neutrality & nonalignment internat'ly are the pol'al concomitants of Theravada Buddhist philosophy. It is asked in what way econ aid can be consistent with the cultural values inherent in Buddhism. The key to this question is seen to lie in the promotion of production for soc use as distinct from individual gain or profit. Moreover, 'so long as Burma remains a Buddhist nation dedicated to neutrality & impartiality toward all, neither side need fear that she will align herself pol'ly with the other.' E. Weiman.