The thesis entitles “A Comparative Study of the Virtues of the Rulers in Cakkavatti Sutta of Theravada Buddhism and the Analects of Confucianism” has three objectives: 1) to study the Virtues of the rulers in Cakkavatti Sutta of Theravada Buddhism, 2) to study the Virtues of the rulers in the Analects of Confucianism, and    3) to comparatively study the Virtues of the rulers in Cakkavatti Sutta of Theravada Buddhism and the Analects of Confucianism.

The results of the study were as follows:

The Cakkavatti Sutta is the sutta that mentioned the Emperor, King or the rulers, in addition, this sutta mentioned the politicians both national and local politicians as well. For, all of them in all bodies take part for pushing forward and moving forward the development of country and society into the desirable direction, that is to say, the prosperity of economics, peace and happiness of the society, and the living life happily of the people in the nation altogether. According to Cakkavatti Sutta, the rulers have to have their own virtues, viz., 1) the ten virtues of the Kings (dasa-rājadhamma) 2) the Ruler’s Bases of sympathy (raja-saṇgahavattu), 3) things leading never to decline but only to prosperity (aparihāniya-dhamma), 4) qualities of a good man (sappurisa-dhamma), and 5) the eight principles of diplomacy.

The Analects of Confucianism is the collection of the dialogues between Confucius and his disciples. It was the beginning of the inspiration developed from the relation among friends that were the master and pupils of the same school in these points: 1) self-ruling, 2) learning and studies, 3) associating with friends, 4) gratitude,  5) politics and governance, 6) humanity, 7) tradition, custom, rite or called Li, and     8) determination of mind. In addition, the good ruler has to have four virtues of the rulers: 1) kindness (Jen;Wren) 2) tradition (Li), 3) gratitude (Xiao), and 4) middle way (Chung Yung)

From the comparison of the virtues of the rulers in Cakkavatti Sutta of Theravada Buddhism and the Analects of Confucianism, it was found that the similar point of them was that the governance has to depend upon the principle of its governance both the rule of law and the morality; it should not be emphasized more in one way or another that would make the principle unstable. The different point of them was that Cakkavatti Sutta states the overview of the governance by using the rule law of the nation and also the rule of morality, i.e., wholesome course of action (kuslakamm padha) that would be punished in the cycle of rebirth as the supplement.  But, the Analects of Confucianism emphasize mainly on the virtue of living together in society, viz., loving kindness and gratitude, whereas the laws come from the principle of tradition.

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