ABSTRACT

This thesis is of three objectives: 1. to study the ethical problems, the  political philosophy and the Theravāda concepts. 2.to study the Buddhist philosophy, the Buddhist ethics possessed by the politicians. 3. to analyze the ethical issues in the political orientation of Theravāda Buddhist philosophy.

From the study, it found that the overall objectives of an ethical political philosophy are based on the Buddhist doctrines by considering the definition of ethics and politics.  The development of moral and political attitudes in the West and in the perspective of Theravāda Buddhist philosophy is an important kind of ethics including the issue of the need for ethical behavior of politicians including the rule of law and religious and ethical standards. The agent representative of the public must protect the interests and the distribution of benefits to the people in social equality and justice. The ethics is a feature of politics in order to avoid bias, prejudice or favor to one group of the interests and benefits allocated to certain groups. On the other hand, the politicians will have to work in an ethical manner and work tirelessly and generously to the public as much as possible. According to the political ethics of Theravāda Buddhist philosophy is to maintain the presence of five basic precepts.

The second objective of the study showed that the critical issue of political ethics is the problem of the political parties because of the structure of the political parties and the social structure. The lack of political knowledge, the lack of social conscience of the politicians and the lack of political leadership are the critical issues of political ethics that lead to violent conflict and the pursuit of political conflict. In summary, the problem of corruption and that of all relevant issues are related to a chain of problems. When corrections are to be used in a variety of concepts, methods, processes and procedures, the changes in the system or dismantling the structure, the moralities to the political revolution through the education system are at all levels.

The results of the third objective were to solve a problem. There are two approaches. The political development of high quality according to Buddhist doctrine is important. The politicians should have the honesty, the neutrality, the truth, the sincerity, and the responsibility, working for the general people, sacrifing one’s own benefits for others, the respect to the meeting, Keeping the peace at the meeting, going away from the wrong way, trying to behave oneself in a good way as Vijitaraja King and King Ashoka, the Great.