OPINION

Follow Buddha's wisdom

In her May 25 article, "How our education sustains dictatorship", Sanitsuda Ekachai outlines clearly how the militarisation of Thai education harms not only education, infamously failing for decades, but also how the pernicious effects of the centralised command over young minds oozes out to pervade all of Thai society, to the great harm of society, politics and morals. The malaise does indeed start in the official Thai education hierarchy.

I would like to suggest one part of a solution to this chronic illness: the wisdom of the Buddha as set forth in his Kalama Sutta. In this work, apparently little known by Thai Buddhists, certainly not encouraged reading by Thai Buddhist monks or in Thai schools, the Buddha himself advises the citizens of Kesputta on guidelines for seeking right understanding, for acquiring knowledge of substance and for working towards opinion of real worth.

As the Buddha sagely argues in this short sermon: "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumour; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher'" (Kalama Sutta, trans. Soma Thera, 1994).

The Buddha shares the same insight as Socrates, Plato and of other great thinkers: namely, that questioning in open discussion is a necessary condition for knowledge. When censorship and repressive authority criminalise free speech and free association, the aim is always to enforce ignorance of truths that would embarrass the lawmakers who create such rule of law that is not only anti-democratic in its rejection of the good morals on which democratic principle is founded, but is also un-Buddhist, rejecting the Buddha's wise teaching that progress depends on right understanding.

Absent understanding that has been solidly tested by having to defend itself, by having to rebut dissenting ideas, by having to acknowledge and answer contradictory evidence, there can be no knowledge or opinion of worth, only myth, fantasy, deceit and bigotry masquerading as authoritative knowledge. These, the Buddha wisely teaches, are not paths to a good life.

But would Thai teachers, not to mention monks in positions of power and other political leaders used to blind, unquestioning conformity to their unsupported claims, allow such radical reform as advised in the Buddha's excellent teachings? Indeed, were the Buddha to arrive in Thailand in 2017, could his critical search for truth, his respect for honesty and his demands for solidly founded understanding not land him in accommodation next to the likes of Jatupat Boonpattaraksa (Pai Dao Din) and the internationally respected academics of Thai history, society and politics forced into exile for seeking to follow the wisdom of the Buddha?

Difficult as it may be to admit, Eric Bahrt in his May 25 letter, "The real terrorists", is right to draw attention to the connection between the Iraq War and Muslim terrorism, and it should be more widely acknowledged.

We did not see graphic images or read harrowing reports of the many thousands of completely innocent men, women and children who met horrific deaths in the American bombing of Baghdad. We did not see, in the heavily biased Western media, the mangled bodies of children being dragged from fallen masonry, together with those with missing limbs and terrible injuries, but their fathers and brothers did, as well as most of the Muslim world.

Muslims will also be aware that the self-serving politicians who deliberately produced concocted evidence to perpetrate this heinous crime, George W Bush and his despicable supporter Tony Blair, have survived to boast of their achievements. We have to see it as it is.

Eric Bahrt is on the march again. His claim that Israel is stealing Palestinian land is not only disputable but despicable. In 1948, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem urged all his followers to flee the land in what is now Israel, telling them of the most dire consequences and horror stories if they remained. (I was there, Mr Bahrt, although only eight years old). So most of the Arab population fled. In Thailand, unoccupied land may become state property if no former ownership may be traced. In Israel, unoccupied land simply reverted to those who laid claim to it.

I have many Arab friends in the Affula area. They are Muslim Arabs who stayed, not listening to the Grand Mufti and his threats. My friends are thriving Israeli citizens with educated children and grandchildren. They are proud of who they are and what they are. Perhaps Eric Bahrt should visit these areas instead of mouthing off like some armchair professor, lecturing others about things he's never seen, places he's never been to and subjects he knows nothing about with any accuracy.

Re: "Plight of pensioners" (PostBag, May 24).

I have to say I find it a stretch of the imagination to believe anyone could live here retired on the full British state pension, let alone any less. The "triple lock" might well go, but if you don't receive any increase as you have retired outside Britain, it cannot make much difference.

The Labour Party is making promises it knows it can't keep -- renationalisation for this, that and the other, billions for health and education. It seems famous mathematician Diane Abbott has done the costings again.

I suspect if it were not illegal, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would be giving away £50 notes too. Considering the last two Labour governments left Britain bankrupt, it seems they are planning to make it a hat-trick.