Burma’s Monks: Ethics is not confined to Books and Temples
Oct 11th, 2007
Burma’s Monks: Ethics is not confined to Books and Temples
By Farish A Noor’s The Other Malaysia
By now the international community is fully aware of the recent developments in Burma, a country that has been under military rule and isolated from the rest of the globe since 1963. The images of Burmese Buddhist monks taking to the streets and defying the armed might of the Burmese junta and its security apparatus reminds us of familiar scenes dating back to the 1980s, and echo the democratic revolutions we have seen elsewhere in Asia, including China, since then.
While the fate of Burma and her people hang in the balance, the protest of the monks – many of whom happen to come from ordinary Burmese families with scant political protection themselves – teaches us a vital lesson and is a model for many progressive theologians and religious activists to follow. It is sometimes said that in the post-Enlightenment age we live in there is little concern for religion and that religion has no place in society. Worst still, the political instrumentalisation of religion for clearly divisive and sectarian ends has further added scepticism for many who believe that religion is best kept out of politics and the public domain, where it has often been abused. (A view that many would concur with). Unfortunately today any talk of religious ethics is often met with images of Bible-thumping evangelists talking of holy wars and moral crusades, angry bearded fanatics burning books and nosey neighbours spying on what the people next door are doing. Are religion and ethics destined to remain forever trapped in the nonsensical and pointless debate over who is holier and who wears his or her religion on the sleeves? Has religion nothing to say on pressing issues of the day such as fundamental political rights and liberties, democracy and rule of law?
This entry was posted on Thursday, October 11th, 2007 at 07: 37.51 and is filed under Burma, Farish Noor. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I hereby published some of the responses of readers
Responses to “Burma’s Monks: Ethics is not confined to Books and Temples”
-
Bigjoe Says:
October 11th, 2007 at 09: 01.44Dr. Noor is making very sound points here but he does not propose anything other than an intellectual way to move forward. Not concrete ones. This contribution is important of course but frankly, in Malaysian context, the issue of mixing political and religion is the other spectrum not at this end and this article provide fodder to those who victimize religion not harness it usefully.
Perhaps Dr. Noor still have a lot of faith in his politico-religo community. He is really a bit idealistic. A good trait in intellectual, but not practical..
-
pwcheng Says:
October 11th, 2007 at 10: 29.05 -
ENDANGERED HORNBILL Says:
October 11th, 2007 at 11: 24.20When dictators are enthroned, be they Generals or civilians, supported by a system that perpetuate their power unfairly and cruelly to the detriment of the common people, it’s time the international community vex their influence beyond a mere whimper and help bring down corrupt, cruel and crazy regimes.
What right have the Generals to any claim on power beyond their personal greed for filthy lucre and their mindless hold on those guns which they are only to happy to open fire with.
Authoritarian and mindless regimes like Myanmar’s serve as a warning to peoples across the world not to take their democracy and system of representative government lightly.
So, come next GE, Malaysians have a duty to dispose of BN too for their contemptible abuses of power.
-
Jimm Says:
October 11th, 2007 at 12: 08.58In SEA, we are always closer than we thought.
The power struggling that widely seen in this region reflects our present situation domestically. We have grown , learning well from IT advancement and networking with the right group.
Malaysia, uniquely a well-transformed country that able to ‘capped’ most of their people in thinking ’security’ and ’status’. The idealogy from education point of view until the working society have well contended to ‘take care of your own self first’ policy. As so, “MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS” have been the priority culture that practices by all.
This have brought about the country peace for the last 40 years or so.
Is that good ??
Well, it does provides a great advantage to the ruling government when things related to country affairs. So much opportunities can be created along the context of development.
Sediments of racism and religion are the common ‘weapon’ applied to keep all Malaysian ’stuck’ in their own small world and complete in the rat race to reclaimed their living ’status’.
So, MYOB have far inbedded in their thinking process daily.As for coming GE which supposedly to be very soon due to many factors that surfaced recently, BN have ‘prepared’ their victory drama well. Everything and those involved already placed their resources into action for the last two months and securing the confirmed results with all planned strategies in place.
Do get angry with BN as they will win again. We can never bring them down in this kind of GE because they have done their homework too well.We all know that nothing last more than the 3rd generations in any trade because of changes. BN can be only waiting for the timing of self destruction to be wiped out. Most of those ‘old dogs’ are gearing up for the final dash with those ‘puppies’ yupping away with their smaller strides yet faster.
At the end of this journey, they will ‘kill’ themselves over a mega dream that doesn’t really belong to them at the first place.
-
wildbil wrote:
Hi Farish Noor,
Gone are:
“Bible-thumping evangelists talking of holy wars and moral crusades, angry bearded fanatics burning books and nosey neighbours spying on what the people next door are doing.”Should be
“Quran-thumping Iman talking of holy wars and moral crusades, angry bearded fanatics burning books and nosey neighbours spying on what the people next door are doing.”Dare not to use the later?
11/10 13:44:05
jothy wrote:
The problem of the people of the current world is that we do not use our mind. We are always guided by our relgious teaching. There is nothing wrong is using our religious doctorine. But there is an element called “Common Sense” that we fail to use in our judgements. We tend to use our religious teaching in judgement.
Take for example the topic of stealing & cheating. Most regigion says stealing & cheating are bad. But done not common sense tell us that stealing & cheating is bad. So you do not need to have a religion to tell us that stealing & cheating is bad.We fail to use common sense in our daily life but stick to our religious teaching to just things.
How much you know about your religion is on who has taught you about your religion. God has given us this common sense to be used side by side. There is vast degree of difference in each religion. Each man/woman has his/her own concept of religion based on the understanding of their own religion given to them from their religious teachers.
We must check our understanding of our religion by using this element of common sense if not GOD would have given it to each and everyone of us.So please use some common sense + religious teaching to under this world of ours. We must also try and understanding the teaching of other religion to bring a balance in our thinking process. We must listen to all sides before we say mine is the best. There is only ONE GOD but many religion. The common sense is the bridge between god and his many religion.
11/10 14:44:49
panca wrote:
Only believe in yourself what good you can bring, nothing else, spiritually and it is within oneself and that begins individually u!
No need god to tell u if you are wise or stupid. Your wisdom comes from no.other.but.you and arises with your commonsense unless you are blessed with congenital birth!!!
11/10 19:05:54
educationist wrote:
I supposed for reasons which are obvious both Russian and Chinese governments are against strong action be taken against the Burmese junta at the UN.So the action by the Burmese monks does have an added significance. I do fear it may not be enough against a regime fighting for its survival.
11/10 19:26:25
batsman wrote:
I have great difficulties with this article. The most important basis of the secular state is that religion and state are separated. Religion is not supposed to get involved in politics and is supposed to keep to spiritual affairs only. Islam is denigrated for being unable to separate religion from state, yet when Bhuddist monks veer away from protests about fuel hikes and hard living conditions of the Burmese people and start to get involved in the politics of the democracy movement of Burma, they are lauded as ethical. What rubbish is this???
11/10 19:39:06
Nirmala wrote:
All rivers lead to the sea. All religion leads to ONE GOD. Its simple. There is no superior religion. Doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.Atrocities are committed in the name of religion/ The monks died a heroic death.They were fearless. They faced death and embraced it. Mohd-son of GOD. Jesus-son of GOD. Buddha-son of GOD. Brahma-son of God. Dont you see-there is only ONE GOD.
11/10 21:06:45
October 13th, 2007 at 8:26 am
You were not wrong Prof Noor when you said that,”…the political instrumentalisation of religion for clearly divisive and sectarian ends has further added scepticism for many who believe that religion is best kept out of politics and the public domain, where it is often abused.” However, what took place in Burma is different in a sense that when no action was taken by the head monks (appointed by the regime) of the Sangha Council it was left for the order to take up the social injustices occurring in Burma.
The Sangha (also as an organisation not devoid of its social justice role) is the moral authority which keep in check the power that be to good governance of its own people. This was not the case with the generals in Burma. The members of the Sangha Council have never spoken out against the military regime maybe out of fear or maybe fear of losing their patronage (danashin).
The monks in Burma were acting within their rights when certain circumstances allowed them to. In history we have monks like Sayadaw U Ottama and Sayadaw U Wisara who sacrificed their lives in fighting against colonialism.
As far as Buddhism is concerned, no one is forced to act on anything (that includes politics) because it is found in the scriptures or coming from an organised church. Buddhism does not limit the free exercise of one’s intellectual capacities but only indicates the path and method to achieve one’s goals. One can think for oneself, undeterred by traditions, conventions, bigotry or othordoxy. The teachings of Buddha are always open to scrutiny. Ehipassiko, come and see for yourself, says the Buddha.