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Societies of Buddhist Law

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Legal Traditions in Asia

Part of the book series: Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice ((IUSGENT,volume 80))

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Abstract

This is a chapter about societies in Southeast Asia where law rests on inherited tribal customs and Buddhist understanding of morals, values, the individual and law. The first unit clarifies basic terms in order not to confuse Buddhist law with the laws of Buddhist societies and then explains the complex relationship of these societies to Hindu India and its reach cultural heritage, law included. Next, a detailed legal history of Southeast Asian countries follows, concentrating on Burma, Thailand and Kambodia. The second unit is about the laws of the Mon people and their legacy on Burmese laws which is studied at some length highlighting its important sources, such as the dhammathats of Dhammavilasa, Wagaru and Manugye to be followed by basic principles of Burmese legal thinking. Next, Burmese legal institutions are scrutinised, concentrating on criminal law and family law. The next unit has the Thai-Lao legal culture in focus, first telling the story of the settlement of the Thai-Lao people, their early history and cultural heritage, customary laws included, which is followed by the analysis of the Three Seals Code, the last important compendium of Thai customary laws, with an eye on indigenous legal terms such as chōn and lamoet. The fourth unit tells the story of the Khmer law and its institutions, a curiosity because Khmers were followers of Hinduism and not Buddhism in the Middle Ages. The chapter comes to its end with a demonstration of the role Buddhist law has in contemporary Southeast Asian countries and their constitution.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Huxley (2002a: 142), Forchhammer (1884: 106).

  2. 2.

    Stargardt (1990: xxix; 6–40; 343–373).

  3. 3.

    SarDesai: (2013: 31–32).

  4. 4.

    Tarling (1992:165–168), SarDesai (2013: 32–33).

  5. 5.

    SarDesai (2013: 22–30), Taylor (1992: 157–168).

  6. 6.

    Taylor (1992: 168–173).

  7. 7.

    Modelski (2000: 63) has further data about the global changes in urbanisation.

  8. 8.

    Church (2009: 66–79), SarDesai 177–179.

  9. 9.

    SarDesai (2013: 68–70, 98–110).

  10. 10.

    SarDesai (2013: 118–124; 160–164).

  11. 11.

    SarDesai (2013: 114–115, 176–177).

  12. 12.

    Chandler (2008: 22).

  13. 13.

    Huxley (1996a: 109–114).

  14. 14.

    Okudaira (1986: 23–27; 31).

  15. 15.

    For more on the Sparks Code see Okudaira (1986: 44–45).

  16. 16.

    An almost complete catalogue of the most important Burmese legal collections is in Okudaira (1986: 30–35).

  17. 17.

    Okudaira (1986: 35–38) has a complete list of hpyathons.

  18. 18.

    Huxley (1996a: 109).

  19. 19.

    French (1995: 91–97).

  20. 20.

    Wagaru: II: I.

  21. 21.

    Okudaira (1986: 59–67).

  22. 22.

    Manugye (1847: 4–23).

  23. 23.

    Manugye Book V. 1.§; Okudaira (1986: 68–71).

  24. 24.

    Manugye Book IV.: 9, 13–14.§; Okudaira (1986:106–112).

  25. 25.

    Manugye Book IV: 1; 21.§.

  26. 26.

    Manugye Book VI: 5.§; Book VII: 26.§; Okudaira (1986: 75–79; 123).

  27. 27.

    Manugye Book V: 24.§; Book VI: 15–22.§ Okudaira (1986: 79–83).

  28. 28.

    Manugye Book V: 11. §; Wagaru: III: 38–40.

  29. 29.

    Wagaru III: 33–46; Manugye Book V: 17§; Book VI: 20–21; 30.§; Book VII: 2.§. Okudaira (1986: 84–90).

  30. 30.

    Manugye: Book X and Wagarau VI; see Okudaira (1986: 90–100).

  31. 31.

    Wagaru VI: 75; Huxley (1996b: 107).

  32. 32.

    Ngaosyvathn (1996: 73).

  33. 33.

    Ngaosyvathn (1996: 74; 76–78).

  34. 34.

    Engel and Engel (2010: 56–76).

  35. 35.

    Ngaoshyvathn (1996: 75–76).

  36. 36.

    Ireson-Doolittle and Moreno-Black (2004: 43–45; 57).

  37. 37.

    Maspero (1978: 109–110).

  38. 38.

    Ireson-Doolittle and Moreno-Black (2004: 57–62).

  39. 39.

    Swearer (2010: 58–62).

  40. 40.

    Ireson-Doolittle and Moreno-Black (2004: 42–44).

  41. 41.

    The differences are summarised by Ngaosyvathn (1996: 78).

  42. 42.

    Wichienkeeo (1996: 21–34).

  43. 43.

    Wichienkeeo (1996: 39–40).

  44. 44.

    Laws of Mangrai 1.

  45. 45.

    Wichienkeeo and Wijeyewardene (1986: 13).

  46. 46.

    The Laws of Mangrai 76.

  47. 47.

    Hooker (1978: 25–26), Ishii (1986: 143), Vickery (1996: 146; 174–175).

  48. 48.

    Engel (1975: 6–8), Hooker (1978: 28–30).

  49. 49.

    Turning the wheel is common in Buddhism as well as in Brahmanism and also in Jainism, while the origin and exact meaning of this symbolism remain obscure to this day: it may refer to royal power, or to the dharma as well: Gethin (2014: 70–71).

  50. 50.

    Hooker (1978: 31), Engel (1975: 1–5). Engel believes in Khmer influence on political thinking in Ayutthaya while Vickery challanges this view: Vickery (1996: 140).

  51. 51.

    Based on Lingat’s classification, see: Hooker (1978: 26–27), Ishii (1986: 146–147).

  52. 52.

    Ishii (1986: 159–164).

  53. 53.

    Ishii (1986: 164–166).

  54. 54.

    Ishii (1986: 172–173).

  55. 55.

    Ishii (1986: 166–170).

  56. 56.

    Ishii (1986: 175–178).

  57. 57.

    Ishii (1986: 183–187).

  58. 58.

    Chulalongkorn’s reforms are analysed in Engel (1975: 33–95), Harding and Leyland (2011: 7–12).

  59. 59.

    Wichiencharoen and Netisastra (1968: 89–98).

  60. 60.

    Kasemsup (1986: 292–293).

  61. 61.

    Chandler (2008: 53–56), Ishizawa (1986: 209–210).

  62. 62.

    Ishizawa (1986: 210; 215).

  63. 63.

    Ishizawa (1986: 229).

  64. 64.

    Hooker (1978: 33–34); Ishizawa (1986: 210–211).

  65. 65.

    Ishizawa (1986: 222–224).

  66. 66.

    For more on the new countries’ constitutional systems see Hassal and Saunders 2002, Chen 2014, Harding 2001: 217–218

  67. 67.

    Huxley (2014: 181–182).

  68. 68.

    For an analyses of Buddhism’s role in politics see Swearer (2010: 109–128).

  69. 69.

    Schonthal (2014: 158–164).

  70. 70.

    To the practice of the constitutional court see Harding and Leyland (2011: 178–179).

  71. 71.

    Whitecross (2014: 362–365).

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  1. Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary

    Janos Jany

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Jany, J. (2020). Societies of Buddhist Law. In: Legal Traditions in Asia. Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice, vol 80. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43728-2_9

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