Heath care: for the benefit of all

Measuring the present U.S. social safety system by Buddhist standards, the greatness of a country is to be judged by how it uses its wealth, that is, whether it is used for the benefit of all or not.  

Turning back the pages of history, looking at the achievements of the great Indian Emperor Ashoka, third century BCE, who supported the central aims of Buddhism, we learn that he created an extensive social safety system for the benefit of his people and in fact, all creatures.  

Among Emperor Ashoka’s many humanitarian achievements, he built universities for the benefit of all.  He constructed roads and extensive water systems for such things as irrigation.  Perhaps most importantly, he created, by modern standards, an advanced health care system for all people, including animals.  Health care professionals were also trained to staff these facilities. 

With regard to health care for his people, no one can say of Emperor Ashoka that he was a friend of a for profit health care system.  It seems likely the thought never occurred to Emperor Ashoka that profiting off the misery of others was moral.  Of the vast wealth Ashoka controlled, it was used for the benefit of all—not just the rich or his family.  

When compared against Emperor Ashoka’s health care achievements, the U.S. appears to have very little humanitarian interest in using its great wealth to create a system of universal health care for all.  Indeed, such a lack of interest is one of America’s more shameful traits.

When we look back at the creation of Social Security Insurance and Medicare, U.S. history has shown there is always been an acrimonious war of ideology going on between the forces of capitalism and those who champion the exploited victims of capitalism.  But what this really boils down to is a continuing war in the American psyche between greed and compassion.  But perhaps there is hope when the forces of compassion are courageous enough to push back against those who want to profit from suffering.

Comments

[Bodhiratna]

Some of you emotionally enraged Westerners tend to 'over' analyze everything. As if you look into a trash can and try to find any Truth in it, well it is still trash!

There is nothing wrong with Ashoka killing Icchantikas and Puthujanas. Thank to this blog, here is a passage I found about the killing of Icchantikas:

(http://zennist.typepad.com/zenfiles/2009/02/the-psychopath-and-the-icchantika.html)

***The Buddha refers to icchantikas as "the incurable ones." In fact, the Buddha it could be said regards them as the spiritual dead. In this respect, killing an icchantika is of no karmic consequence according to the Buddha.
"For example, such actions as digging the ground, mowing the grass, felling trees, cutting up corpses, ill-speaking, and lashing do not call forth karmic returns. Killing an icchantika comes within the same category. No karmic results ensue" (T. vol. 12, p. 460b,11.17–19).***

One can conclude that the lowly people of the world do not understand the real meaning of Buddhism. Killing the flesh is not 'wrong', but you are doomed if you try to deny the Spirit that animates you. It takes preliminary realization to accept this, and some Westerners do not seem to understand this. They should stick to Christianity instead! :)

Bodhiratna

[Frank]

I respect your opinions, but as for my perspective, for whast it's worth, let me be clear: I really do admire Ashoka. His military campaigns (terrible as they were) were par for the course at that time and really even in modern times for national leaders (they just hide it better now)--what was highly unusual was what he did after his remorse. Are modern Kali-Yuga Age leaders even capable of remorse? The countries in which Buddhism thrives have abominable animal and human rights records despite hundreds of years of pervasive Buddhism. Here in the US they prosecute old ladies who feed starving, domestic cats who have been abandoned while sub-animal sports "heroes" make millions and spit in the face of decency and life, both human and animal. Ashoka's lookin' pretty good again about now....

[zeenix]

Awww...again this astounding display of neo-buddhist repackaged wisdom. Always a wonderful sight to behold. My old buddhist teacher and bodhisattva, may he forever be blessed in his tushita heaven, would be green with envy knowing I have gathered the unfathomable merit to live in such times revealing such deep founded knowledge.

Kojizen wrote: King Ashoka converted to Buddhism only after his sizable military victories. (notice the words: "sizable military victories". The immeasurable pain, torture, suffering and slained lives a "sizable military victory denotes to anyone having any basic knowledge in military campaigns, is appropriately left out. After all we deal with a new era of hardcore buddhists here to whom the end always justifies the means.)

I am well aware of Ashokas various merits before and after the point of his so called convertion to buddhist principles and close to superhuman abilities in bringing peace and prosperity to India.
After all, we speak of a big boy here. A genuine Samraat Chakravartin able to scare the pants of his enemy with a single glare. We speak of someone whom without the slightest remorse killed his brothers and threw their bodies in a well in Pataliputra.
After that as he got bored he decided to quench numerous riots from protesting citizens whom had had enough of his heartless reign and other countless slaughtered lives and executions that didnt seem to amuse the mob out there.

Now this guy, a nice ancient "stalin" or "mao" of his time, reached a point where he of course found deep remorse in his heart as he one day of another "sizable military victory" happened to behold the battlefield of 100,000 freshly slaughtered "enemies of the state" at the battle of Kalinga. BBC did by the way a wonderful little documentary on this particular subject. He is supposed to have uttered;

"What have I done? Is this a victory, what's a defeat then! This is a victory or a defeat! This is justice or injustice! It's gallantry or a rout? Is it a valor to kill innocent children and women? I do it to widen the empire or for prosperity or to destroy the other's kingdom or splendor? Someone has lost her husband, someone a father, someone a child, someone an unborn infant.... What's this debris of the corpses? Are these marks of victory or defeat? Are these vultures, crows, eagles the messengers of death or evil? What have I done! What have I done!"

After that the new repackaged ashoka sprung forth, like spring chicken, waved his magic wand and ordered a brave new "India". Of course Buddhist priests instantly forgave him on the spot (like all good priests do in any religion when their interests are met by the mighty) and ashoka, as he glared with newborn eyes towards the horizon of a new Buddhist India in perfect harmony with other Hindu traditions, he could almost smell the sweet winds from the other shore of Nibbana.

Said and done, all this happened, and later buddhism like any religion, selling its "soul" to the powers that be, regressed into pure corruption the coming millenium and barely survived to the comforting shores of China where it again blossomed by the diligent effort of wise chan masters and simple monks doing the hard work of spreading the good word about the spiritually healing powers of the buddhadharma.

Today, buddhism no longer exists as originally intended. It is corrupted by powerful electronic "ashokas", whom they too seek to build electronic empires with their version of the dharma.

Countless kindspirited but condused souls seek their advice and are seduced by big names, and of course, would rape or kill their neighbour if their King and master would say that the Buddha truly advocated such deeds (after all, why read a good sutra or discover your self nature if your priest and saviour assures you that a nice sharp ax on your aggressive neighbours head will one day serve a greater cause. After all it works for the muslim extremists so why not the brave neo-buddhists?) - grins.

Zeenix

[Kojizen]

King Ashoka converted to Buddhism only after his sizable military victories. King Ashoka showed remorse for his actions by first converting to the principles of Buddhism, and then by turning his country into a prosperous peace loving country.

[zeenix]

Bodhiratna wrote: "Ashoka was smart. If he killed his troubling neighbors to ward off future suffering, then he was wise to do so."

How wonderful it is to finally see the true colors of genuine "buddhism" blossoming online. To think that someone finally dares to claim that true buddhist wisdom equals the freedom to slaughter your troubling neighbor like cattle, before they might attack yourself, now that indicates the highest wisdom. Now if you could point out where the Buddha also advice us to rape the wives and children of said neighbours, behead their elderly and shove this supreme dharma down their throats, much like the jesuits did to the indians in america during the 15th century then I would be really happy because then I would initiate my own crusade.

Ashoka was wise in many ways but as Frank wrote he was also at a certain stage all those things I just wrote about.

Cudos to the author whom seem to breed such wonderful and wise students with his unique way of professing the american interpretation of what the true dharma is.

I am really impressed.

Zeenix