Six Principles of "Unity and Harmony"

Publish Date:2022-05-10

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It is a famous proposition by Sakyamuni that, apart from being sensitive and caring toward each other, Buddhist votaries should set great store by "unity and harmony" among themselves. And "unity and harmony" should evolve in the following six ways—or, we shall rather say that "unity and harmony" should embody the following six principles:


<1> unity and harmony in upholding the peaceful, monastic way of living,

<2> unity and harmony in upholding decency in oral communication,

<3> unity and harmony in upholding communal jubilation,

<4> unity and harmony in seeking consensus in compliance with sila and vinaya,

<5> unity and harmony in identifying with each other in the matter of personal outlook, and inner peace.

<6> unity and harmony in sharing all the interests the monastic community is entitled to.


Of the six principles, the <4>, <5>, and <6> are of quintessential importance, whereas the remaining three are different aspects of the manifestation of unity and harmony among Buddhist votaries. This proposition of Sakyamuni's is in essence very much in agreement with the current Central Government's policy intended for metamorphosing China into "a harmonious society". In "a harmonious society", everybody should behave in such a way as to be completely in line with the prescribed behavioral norm, because the governance of such a society is based on the axiom of "rule by law". And principle <4> "unity and harmony in seeking consensus in compliance with sila and vinaya" is in essence at one with the axiom of "rule by law". A harmonious society is characterized by an equal sharing, by all members of such a society, of all the interests it is entitled to. And principle <6> "unity and harmony in sharing all the interests the monastic community is entitled to" is in essence quite compatible with the characteristic of a harmonious society that each of its members has an equal share in all the interests it is entitled to. A harmonious society is characterized by a uniform adherence by all its members to its established value


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