Is violence justified in Theravada Buddhism?

Buddhist teachings maintain that under any circumstance, whether political, religious, cultural or ethnic, violence cannot be accepted or advocated to solve disputes between nations. All Buddhist traditions unanimously agree that war cannot be the solution to disputes and conflicts either. Even to achieve a religious goal, violence cannot be used and justified. A Buddhist cannot imagine a principle of "just war". How can a "war" be a "just" one? How can the slaughter of human beings be justified as "morally right"? As Premasiri has convincingly asserted by examining the early Buddhist standpoint, even in the case of solving social conflicts such as war Buddhism "does not advocate violence under any circumstance". (11) When "insider" perspectives are examined across Buddhist cultures and combined with doctrinal understandings, one can comprehend the Buddhist abhorrence of violence and desire to seek creative strategies for a non-violent path in overcoming violence.

Buddhist commitment to the teaching of loving-kindness and compassion in a violent world

Several narratives in the Pali Canon illustrate that Buddha's disciples adhered to the Buddha's teaching of loving-kindness. The story of Venerable Punna, (12) for example, relates that he desired to live in a remote province called Sunaparanta which was notorious for cruelty and violence. When the Buddha asked Punna how he would respond if the residents there reviled, abused and assaulted him, he replied that he would not show anger and ill will towards them:

"Punna, the people of Sunaparanta are fierce ... If the people of Sunaparanta revile ..., how will it be for you there, Punna?" "If the people of Sunaparanta revile and abuse me ... I will say, 'Goodly indeed are these people of Sunaparanta ... in that they do not strike me a blow with their hands ... If the people of Sunaparanta deprive me of life with a sharp knife ... I will say, 'There are disciples ... disgusted by the body ... look about for a knife ... I have come upon this very knife without having looked about for it.'" (13)

This narrative alone clearly demonstrates the tolerant attitude towards violence of an early disciple of the Buddha. What attracts one most is Punna's deep commitment to non-violence and his practice of patience even if he risks losing his own life.

The Buddhist attitude towards violence stands out as an extreme non-violent position: a path leading to total abstention from engaging in violent activities. Even in cases of extreme aggression and violence, Buddhism seems to advocate moral restraint and kindness towards those who commit crimes. This is because of the belief that only action based on loving-kindness (metta) will in the long run generate a stable and peaceful environment.

Several canonical and non-canonical sources elaborate the appreciation of a nonviolent path. One of the Jataka narratives, for instance, illustrates the Buddhist standpoint towards violence and non-violence. It discusses the policies of two kings and their strategies in overcoming violence and other social problems. One king has a reactionary approach in which "he meets force with force, mildness with mildness, he wins over the good with good and conquers the evil with evil". The other king has a completely different strategy of a pacifist nature. In responding to social conflicts and other problems, rather than repeating violent actions he "conquers wrath with kindness, evil with good, greed with charity and falsehood with truth". His state policy seems to be based on the principles proposed in the following Dhamampada verse 223: