Foundation of Buddhist ethics

According to Buddhists, there are two aims:-

1. make the life happy here and afterlife (this happiness applies more to the secular
life aspect
!. end suffering "mancipation (this is #eyond the scope of secular life
$f only one stri%e to achie%e these goals, the code of ethics can #e accepted as useful.
Determinism
&nder determinism, e%erything is pre-determined. 'hus human #eha%iour whether
good or #ad, there is no way it can #e e%aluated. Accordingly, all actions are pre-
determined.
(ne can maintain good conduct only if he has the power to do so. $f his conduct is
go%erned #y any e)ternal power, man would not #e a#le to act according to his own
will. $f your actions are pre-determined, you will not #e a#le to work according to
your will. *our #eha%iour is the result of the deterministic power that controls you. $f
the life ends with the death or rather no e)istence after the death, thus a code of ethics
will #ecome useless. 'he responsi#ility of action will come to an end with the death
of the person. 'hat is called materialism. According to materialists, one should en+oy
his life as much as he could #ecause there will #e no e)istence after the death.
'he ,od-centred teachings limit the %alue of ethics. Buddhism re+ects determinism,
materialism and ,od-centred teachings, #ut rather gi%ing much significance to the
code of ethics. $f you do good, you will face the good results. $f you do #ad you will
face the #ad results. -ammas (acti%ities of human #eings are strong enough to #eing
the good and #ad results. 'he cula-kamma%i#havga and the maha-kamma%i#havga
sutta of the .a++hima nikaya descri#e the significance of the human #eha%iour
1 'he Buddha emphasi/es in many discourses the significance of a good #eha%iour.
According to Buddhist teachings, good and #ad kammas will continue to #ring you
good and #ad results e%en in the afterlife and sajsara. For e)ample the story of
arahants 0en. .oggallana.
! .aha-sihanada sutta of the .a++hima 1ikaya confirms that kammas would #ring
good or #ad results during the life span #ecause the Buddha has seen it through his
e)tra sensory perception.
2 'he life span of all #eings are unlimited. 'hey would #e #orn again and again due
to their kammas. Buddhism accepts re#irth and it is #ased on kammas.
3 Buddhism emphasi/es the goals that one could #e achie%ed following the code of
ethics:
a. ni##ana the ultimate reality
#. happiness in #oth worlds
'hese four points strengthen the foundation of Buddhist ethics.