Buddhist Ethics and Human Rights: Compassion and Moral Philosophy

Buddhist ethics is a Dharmic system of role responsibilities rather than an ethic of rights. The essence of Buddhist moral theory is compassion, but that Buddhist compassion is not necessarily incompatible with human rights. Compassion brings three important considerations  to discussions of the nature of human rights: that human relations are determined by more than rational, external and private domains considerations :  that human relationships include rights and duties but also a broader range of choices ; and that compassion entails a dynamic, moral development view of human nature. While  compassion grounds Buddhist ethics (especially Mahayana Ethics), human rights builds a framework for extending the reach of natural compassion and for serving the goods that compassion affords to all persons in society. The most constructive contribution Buddhism has to make to international human rights debates because it allows the possibility of incorporating distinctive ethical frameworks for example, Buddhist compassion and Western liberal democracy – into a quest for an enriched and broadened understanding of human rights.