[Buddha-l] Re: Buddhist social deconstruction

[Bernie Simon]

Since we're on the subject of prison, I recall that Nagarjuna had 
something to say about the subject in his Letter to a Friend. I find 
this text valuable because it's one of the few that I know of that 
speak about the political and social implications of Buddhism. Perhaps 
some of the list members know of some other texts.

http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~dsantina/friend.htm

Nagarjuna does not neglect even the case of offenders against the law, 
common criminals.  Even those who deserve punishment because of their 
ill deeds should be treated with compassion.   Compassion should in 
fact be generated even towards those who have committed awful crimes.  
Murderers in particular should be objects of compassion for those who 
are of a virtuous nature.

Nagarjuna went so far as to concern himself with the treatment of 
prisoners.  He recommends that the weaker prisoners be freed after a 
single day or at the most five days of imprisonment.  Indeed, one 
should never think of imprisoning anyone for life].  In fact, the 
simple thought of imprisoning someone for life is a cause of breaking 
the Buddhist layman's Commitment to protect life.

Conditions in the prisons too do not escape Nagarjuna's attention.  He 
says that as long as prisoners are not freed, they should be made 
comfortable.  They should be provided with barbers, baths, food, drink 
and medicine.  Finally, Nagarjuna expresses a concept that only dawned 
upon western social philosophers at the time of the eighteenth century 
so called "enlightenment" in Europe.  That is, wrong doers should be 
punished with the sole wish to reform them, not with the wish to exact 
revenge or retribution.  Like sons who have gone astray, prisoners 
should be punished in such a way as to make them once again worthy 
members of society.

----
Bernie Simon / Jinpa Zangpo