The Buddha’s Anti-War Message and the actions he took addressing political realities
Photo and summary of the killing of Fatima Hassouna, 25, a Palestinian photo-journalist - one among many in Gaza
We live in troubling times with an ongoing disintegration of ethics, values and co-operation, War confirms the ugliest and most brutal form of human behaviour.
The numbing of the human mind has brought about global apathy to war due, in part, to withdrawal into the shell of the self of the individual or the self of the nation state.
Teachings of the Buddha remind us to break out of the shell to see the truth of the commonality between humans and to act from that seeing, no matter what others say from the narrow confines of their mind.
On commonality, the Buddh said: “All tremble at punishment. For everyone, life is dear. Taking oneself as an example, one should neither strike nor kill.” (Dhammpada).
This blog/post makes another contribution to support for those who hold the dignity and integrity of commitment to an anti-war vision, as a statement of noble service and compassion.
Fatima Hassouna, a Palestinian photojournalist, aged 25, was killed alongside her six brothers and sisters in an Israeli airstrike that targeted her home in Gaza on 16 April 2025. Her father and mother were badly wounded. They are facing unbearable grief.
Fatima documented civilian life in Gaza. She gained international recognition for her visceral documentation of war. She became featured in a documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk to be shown at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in May.
The Israeli bombing took place the day after the announcement of the premier of the documentary to be shown in Cannes. Fatima and her fiancee were due to marry this week.
See Responses to Genocide section below referring to journalists in Gaza and link to news story at foot of text.
Examples of the Buddha’s Action to End War
This text includes examples of the Buddha’s determination to find alternatives to war. He had frequent meetings with the royal rulers as part of his campaign to stop wars.
Prince Gautama was born to rule the Sakyan kingdom upon the death of his father, King Suddodhana. Cultured and learned, the Buddha knew the workings of the aristocracy from firsthand experience. He could talk their language and had no reason to feel any deference to such authority. His previous royal status gave easy access to the royalty in the kingdoms he visited.
Upon his enlightenment, he made one of his priorities to meet with rulers, mostly the monarch of the country. For example, the Buddha reminded King Pasenadi of Kosala about the suffering of war and violence due to policies of his government.
In the Yodhājīva Sutta (SN 3.14), King Pasenadi boasted of defeating his rival, King Ajātasattu. Unimpressed, the Buddha responded with a non-dual statement: "Victory breeds enmity; the defeated dwell in pain. Happily, the peaceful life, giving up victory and defeat.”
The King asked the Buddha: “Can a king like me, who has committed grave wrongs, still attain spiritual benefits?”
The Buddha gave him teachings on ethical conduct, meditation and wisdom in response.
He made clear war perpetuates cycles of hatred and suffering, while peace brings true stability.
In the Dhammacetiya Sutta (MN 89), the Buddha advised King Pasenadi that ruling justly and morally is superior to conquest: "A king who wages war, even if victorious, sows the seeds of future downfall."
He emphasised non-violence (ahiṃsā) and righteous governance (Dhamma-vijaya) —"conquest/leadership by righteousness, (Dharma)” not by warfare.
In the Rāja Sutta (SN 3.6), the Buddha urged Pasenadi to rule with compassion: “When a ruler governs in accordance with Dharma, prioritising welfare over oppression, his kingdom prospers."
He warned monarchs and leaders that moral corruption brings about the downfall of the nation. A kingdom only thrives on justice. Prince Payasi, a corrupt minister of King Ajatasattu buried his enemies alive. The Buddha said the King shares in the evil karma of his minister by tolelerating such immoral deeds. His words make clear that unjust rule leads to social decay. While redemption is possible through ethical/moral transformation.
The Prince met with Kassapa, a respected senior in the Buddha’ sangha. He was known for his austerities and fearlessness. Payasi revealed to Kassapa he was an ethical/moral nihilist, holding the three views, which allowed him to go to war and commit war crimes. He proclaimed:
There is no afterlife or realms beyond materialism
There is no hell nor heaven to experience
There is no fruit, outcome, consequences or result of good or evil deeds (no karma).
Kasapa replied: “Just because a blind man cannot see the sun and moon does not mean they do not exist. Similarly, not perceiving rebecoming does not prove non-existence.”
In the Dharma, wisdom takes priority over war.
In DN 23, the Buddha criticised the powerful who engage in unjust rule.
The Buddha’s counsel to King Pasenadi rejected war as a means of power, advocating instead
Moral leadership (dhamma-vijaya)
Non-violence (ahiṃsā)
Conflict resolution through wisdom.
Ten Duties of a King/Ruler
The Buddha detailed Ten Duties of a King/Ruler (Dasa-Rāja-Dhamma
In discussions with kings, the Buddha traced war to greed, hatred, and delusion. The Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda Sutta" (DN 26) warns that injustice and exploitation lead to societal collapse, urging leaders to avoid engaging in oppression and affliction of others..
His teachings remain relevant today, emphasising that true security comes from ethical governance, not military might and warfare.
The Buddha outlined a framework of ethical and moral guidelines for rulers known as the Dasa Raja Dhamma (Ten Duties of the King). These principles, found in the Pali Canon and Jataka tales, were intended to ensure justice, compassion, and ethical governance.
Ten Duties of the King or Ruler
Act of Giving, Generosity: Willingness to sacrifice personal interests for the welfare of the people
Ethics/ Morality: Upholding deep standards for the welfare of all, including neighbouring countries. Leadership comes through personal example.
Altruism: Not confiding decisions to self-interest of royal interests or government or its citizens.
Honesty/Integrity: Fulfilling duties, transparency, and integrity.
Gentleness: Being kind, humble; avoiding arrogance.
Self-control: Exercising restraint, self-discipline, and moderation in all actions of the individual and country.
Non-Anger: Remaining calm, patient, and free from anger, even in difficult situations.
Non-Violence: Avoiding harm to all beings; ruling without cruelty or oppression.
Forbearance/Patience: Practicing patience and tolerance, especially in the face of criticism or adversity.
Uprightness Absence of mental obstruction to address issues
The Range of Teachings (Dharma) of the Buddha to the Powerful
The Buddha gave a range of teachings to stop war, killing, violence and hatred. He directed the Dharma to royal families, Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses, Brahmin priests, generals, governments and citizens.
He didn’t mince his words when he stated: “A killer creates a killer; a conqueror creates a conqueror.”
His meetings with King Pasenadi led to the King reflecting horror of war, encouraging the King to pursue a path of conflict resolution through diplomacy.
The Buddha gave a range of teaching in his campaign for changes in government behaviour by exploring conditions for suffering and ending the conditions for suffering. Right means caring, nourishing and fulfilling
Ignorance or not knowing/realising causes of suffering,
Exploring middle way meaning between extremism
Facing the ego of the superiority on one side and inferiority on the other side
Letting go of grasping and being identified with the ideology of the nation state
Expressing right action,
Express right intention
Ending tendency for eel wriggling (indecision about the pros and cons of war)
Ending torture and cruelty
Liberation from holding to violent views and condemning their violent views
Power of acts of compassion.
The teachings of negotiation and diplomacy include right speech, right action, right intention and right understanding. These steps lead onwards to a beneficial outcome for all.
The Buddha gave much emphasis to contact with the powerful and rich in their interactions with others who are powerful and rich, as well as influence on those without the power or wealth.
One does not have to be an arahant (profoundly wise and free from unresolved patterns, nor a stream enterer, also profoundly wise while working on problematic patterns/tendences to resolve). A healthy mind with empathy for others knows the significance and application of the ethics of non-violence.
The Buddha – a Non-Violent Activist
War provides the conditions to violate all five primary ethics, which inflicts suffering on both sides. The Buddha emphasised the power of ethics for all citizens regardless of status, religion or caste. His five primary ethics apply to war as much as any other area of suffering. In the absence of ethics, there is:
Support for the killing, torture and terror of others,
Taking what is not given, such as occupation of land, as well as resources of another country
Inflicting sexual violence on citizens of all ages of those regarded as the enemy
Lies/deceit through views/propaganda
Abuse of alcohol/mind- altering drugs to deal with depression, remorse, guilt. Alcohol and mind-altering drugs serve as a temporary escape from the trauma ugly states of mind due to support and engagement in war while medication numbs the braincells to help cope with daily life.
King Viḍūḍabha, son of King Pasenadi, sought revenge against the Sakyans because they insulted his lineage. He raised an army to destroy Kapilavatthu, the Sakyan capital.
Knowing the impending massacre, the Buddha positioned himself directly in the path of King Viḍūḍabha’s army. When the King Vidudabha saw him, he asked the Buddha why he sat there facing the army on its way to Kapilavatthu.
The Buddha replied: “The shade of my kinsmen is dear to me."
The reason for this powerful statement is crystal clear – Prince Gautama spent the first 29 years of his life living in the city of Kapilavatthu, the capital of the Sakyans.
The words had an impact and Virudhabha turned back his army, sparing the Sakyans for a time. The Buddha’s intervention delayed the war, but the King and his army eventually attacked Kapilavatthu slaughtering many Sakyans when the Buddha was teaching in another land.
Written in an ancient Buddhist commentary, this account of the Buddha’s non-violent direct action has been passed from one generation of Buddhist monks and nuns to another. I heard the story regularly in my years as a monk in Thailand and India. The Buddha’s action to stop war gave inspiration to householders and the ordained Sangha to stop war.
Sadly, much of the Buddhist world, East and West, take little notice of the core teachings of the Buddha when it comes to war and other major issues.
Responses to Genocide
Though small in number, such Buddhists stayed true to the Buddha’s teachings. For example, some Buddhists in Myanmar spoke up against the genocide upon Rohingya Muslims resident in Myanmar by the military. Some senior Buddhists in Israel continue to speak up against the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza by the Israeli army.
United Nations defines genocide as “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such,”
UN definition states it includes killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm to and deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.”
The IDF appears to have a policy of killing journalists to block information about the horror heaped on Gaza reaching the international community. It is important to note that the number of journalists killed in Gaza is higher than the combined total of journalists killed in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, the Yugoslav Wars, the U.S. war in Afghanistan, and the Ukraine war.
COSTS OF WAR PROJECT by Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA, a non-partisan research project, provided the information in a report on Israel’s systematic killing of journalists. The Project involves economists, anthropologists, lawyers, humanitarians, and political scientists.
The Buddha’s intervention to stop King Ajatsattu of Magadha.
In the Sāmaññaphala Sutta (DN 2), King Ajātasattu of Magadha planned to attack the Republic of the Vajjian people. The King’s minister, Vassakāra, reported that the Buddha had said the Vajjīs would remain safe if they continued to follow seven conditions for social integration. The Buddha’s direct intervention deterred the King from going into battle.
The Budda made it clear in his teachings that lasting peace requires inner transformation, not just political solutions. Neither predecessors nor our contemporary political leaders seem to have any depth of understanding what inner transformation means. Our politicians demand inner transformation of view of other political leaders but cannot transform the dogma and clinging to their own self-righteous views.
The Buddha’s anti-war message combines moral conviction, psychological insights, regular dialogues and systematic activism to develop peace building in a country and between countries.
The powerful, rich and those engaged in violent struggle have much to learn from a radically different approach to conflict resolution. The deliberate intent to cause mass suffering and death confirms barbarism.
Teachings and practices from 2500 years ago have not evolved to reveal significant change in the past century. Karma of inflicting suffering on the perceived enemy to get one’s way goes on and on while much of the world contracts into the shell of the self.
Only the frozen mind sees no alternative to war.
The Buddha made it clear through words and activism that justice, reform of leadership and institutional change matter as much as personal change. In the Sāmaññaphala Sutta, he detailed seven conditions for institutional change for the wellbeing of citizens.
He stated society survives if leaders and citizens meet frequently, including with those in the homeland and elsewhere, to resolve differences and understand each other.
Seven Conditions for Integration
Meet frequently to share and offer experiences of unity
Resolve disputes cooperatively.
Respect wise elders/caring traditions
Protect the vulnerable, including the poor, sick, young, elderly, creatures and the environment
Respect spiritual values through ethics, empathy, respect and service.
Respect and venerate the religious life
Give support and protection to the wise and compassionate such as the Noble Sangha
A critic of the caste system and hierarchy within it, the Buddha gave equal emphasis to all four castes: Brahmins/priests, military, business and workers.
The Buddha said as the long as society remained committed to these seven primary areas, all citizens would benefit in the present and future.
Frequent gatherings make it possible for people to air their issues, mediate differences and facilitate a wise response.
Teachings of the Buddha send a profound message to world leaders living in a political/economic/social crisis.
Who among us will sit up, take notice and speak up?
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-photojournalist-fatima-hassouna-killed-israeli-strike-mourns
MAY ALL BEINGS ADVOCATE A NOBLE WAY OF LIFE
MAY ALL BEINGS LISTEN AND COPERATE WITH EACH OTHER
MAY ALL BEINGS LIVE WITH WISDOM AND COMPASSION
Dear Marek,
Drop me an email. Go to websites for address. I will respond. You are not the only one with the same dilemma. - basically on taking an action and addressing the possible consequences. Warmest Christopher
Very interesting! Thank you for sharing it. (https://thegentlelaw.substack.com/p/how-confucius-changed-my-mind)