Zaw Naing Wynn

Australia, u4097123@alumni.anu.edu.au 18 March 2010

The military dictators have announced most anticipated election laws.  Now it looks more certain that elections will be held in 2010 according to the terms and conditions carefully dictated by the regime.

The time has arrived for all Burmese oppositions to decide.  It will be the crucial time that will decide who would be the good, the bad and the ugly.

Undoubtedly, many are now in chaos and they are panicking.  Many more are quietly contemplating whether to participate in the elections or not.  Some has clearly come out and announced they will participate in elections and then try to change the system from within.

For anyone wishing to associate with the dictators and try to change them from within is like wishing to be with a tiger and try to change that tiger’s nature.

But can the tiger change its nature?

To believe that a tiger can change its nature contradicts our human nature and our human spirit.  Accordingly, to believe that the military dictators can change their nature and hand over their power to the civilians is to enslave ourselves under the dictatorial rule forever.

And to embrace and obey the unjust election laws dictated by the dictators is to submit to the dictators.  Already, the battle is lost it begins.

There are unjust laws, as there are unjust men (Mahatma Ghandi, 1909).

It is crystal clear beyond any reasonable people’s doubt that the announced election laws are unjust laws, dictated by the unjust dictators.  It would be contrary to our humanity if we submit to and obey the unjust laws, which is repugnant to our conscience.

Also, it is the opposite of Buddha’s teachings.  Buddha taught all Buddhists not to take and believe his ideas and principles on trust.  In fact, he taught, we should develop an inquiry mind, ask questions, put his teachings into practice and experience them.  He taught us that “nothing should be taken true until you see it, feel it and comprehend it yourself”.

At one point, after preaching about the truth at one seminar, Buddha had the following conversations with one of his chief disciples, Sariputta:

Buddha: So do you believe now what I said is true?

Sariputta: Not quite yet?

Buddha: why not?

Sariputta: Because I have not practiced it.  I have not seen it and experienced it myself.

Then Buddha praised him and said:

Good Sariputta, this is how it should be.  Even though, I am fully enlightened Buddha and you have faith in my insight.  And you know that I am totally enlightened and I can not get things wrong.  You also know that I can not speak anything which is not true.  Still it is correct to question and practice what I teach.  You should not believe until you see it and experience yourself.  Again, nothing should be taken true until you see it, feel it and comprehend it yourself.

Therefore, it would be very un-Buddhist way for us, without questions and hesitation to submit to and obey these unjust laws which are repugnant to our conscience.

We have been made used to and we have so forgotten ourselves and so compliant that we do not mind any unjust and degrading laws anymore.

No doubt the military dictators must be expelled by all available means.  We can not rest as long as the dictators are ruling.  The country and the people have become more and more so destitute and desperate that they can not even dream of a better life and happiness.  Our happiness is gone, so is our dignity.

Day by day, we are becoming weakened due to the presence of the dictators and their rule.  At the speed of light, our morality has grown weaker and weaker for each day the dictators remain in Burma.  We don’t know where our dignity is and what it looks like anymore.

Day by day, whatever it takes, the people have to search and make a living.  Lying, cheatings and cunning tricks of all sorts have become the norms in their daily living to meet their daily ends.  There are no more right livelihoods (miccha ajiva in Pali), no more right speeches, no more right actions and no more right efforts.  Our morality has been sunk so low in history.  We have been drowned in the water of dictators.  We will continue to be drowned as long as the dictators remain in the country.

Morality (Thila) is the first step and the foundation of all enlightenments.  Without morality, there can be no right thought and no understanding and no wisdom (pana).

So, what then can we do?

One drowning man will never save another.  Immoral ourselves, we can not pretend that we can free others and a country of Burma.

The dictators are now like a disease eating away our morality.  It is a worldly known fact that the removal of the cause of a disease results in the removal of the disease itself.  This disease of dictators must be removed by all available means.