The concept of political or the origin and evolution of kingship

The origin of kingship given in Agganna Sutta indicates that there arose due to the social
condition accordingly kingship originated according to a mutual contract a great upon by
the king who elected and the people who were the electors.
He was the head of the state there was a code of duties for him. He was in charge of the
economic system, the production, security, maintaining of law and order. The Agganna
Sutta relates that the most capable person was chosen on the king. The words dassaniya,
pasadika, abhirupa are used to describe this person of high caliber. These words indicate
not only beauty proportionate bodily feature and compleion but also popularity
influence and appealing nature of the individual. The first king had all these !ualities and
he was unanimously selected.
According to the "uddhist point of view the king is supported to help on wealth, balance
!uality of mind heart and body. He should have two sets of !ualities. #ne is the aesthetic
aspect of human personality the other is the mental and physical power. At the end of
Aggannna Sutta these names are given to the selected ruler.
$. %hattiya &ord of the field the main aim was to look after the field.
'. (a)a *harms it means one who charms others )anam ran)atiti ra)a
+. ,ahasamatha selected according to the consent of people.
-ith the development of kinship two systems of government eisted in .ndia. #ne was
monarchical and the other was republican. The monarchical government was carried on
in ,agadha, %osala, /atsa, Avanti the /a))i and ,alla constituted republican
government.
0uring the 1
th
century ".* in .ndia there arose a new twist in the development of the
state. A new concept of kingship with a king who rules over the whole .ndian sub
continence arose. .t is the "uddha who liberated this idea of the wheel rolling monarch
(a)a *akkavatti.
.n the *akkavattisihanada Sutta the practice carried of by such a king is given. According
to the "uddha there are two great men in the world. #ne is the "uddha himself and the
other is the wheel rolling monarch. The "uddha is the simple of super mundane
spirituality while the wheel rolling monarch signified the culminant result of world life.
2ven though there had been uni!ue speculation of a kingship of this nature. "efore the
"uddha developed this concept of (a)a *akkavatti according to the "uddha3s teaching he
is the ideal king the "uddha infused his ethical, political useful to this ruler. This kingship
was on a new path devoid of corruption and cruelty that had creak into the monarchical
system.
According to #liver Abhenayake, if the "uddha did not refuse the monarchical system to
the republican system he would not have come forward with the system of (a)a
*akkavatti mentions in many Suttas. "uddha wanted to reshape state on new time.
According to various !uotations given in the 4ali *anon the basic characteristics of (a)a
*akkavatti are as follows5
$. He is the wheel rolling monarch,
'. A righteous king of 0hamm,
+. con!ueror of the four corners,
6. -inner of the stately of his realm,
7. owner of seven treasures,
1. more then one thousand sons will be with him,
8. he is hero,
9. he is famous,
:. he crushes enemies,
$;. conger the earth up to the ocean boundary,
$$. rules without punishment and abandon,
$'. (ules without the <<<<<<<<<.
(a)a *akkavatti is born to the world for the profit and happiness of not only human
beings but also of the gods. He is an etraordinary man acchariyamanussa endowed
with five !ualities and seven treasures. The five !ualities are
$. righteousness,
'. he knows what is good,
+. he knows the measure in punishment,
6. he knows the time for pleasure,
7. He knows about the assemble people.
This king maintains a decadal system of government a loving the religion to en)oy their
position as their customs. He provides maimum security to protect the people. %ing
*akkavatti provides right war akkha world avarana protection gutti not only for
his own people even for birds and beasts protection is given protection of life a guranti
to all men and women living in his kingdom. He did not favour any castes and religions.
He is not the not protect only the army but for both army and people.
He abandons sanctuaries because his whole kingdom is sanctuary for the beasts and birds
animals, not shrouded for any purpose, protection etended to "rahmin and recluses.
There is no state of religions. All religious has e!ual opportunity. %ing *akkavatti
consulted leader of all religions on moral and ethical matters. He always keeps religion
and politic apart. He has four !ualities
$. forgiveness khanti,
'. loving=kindness metta,
+. compassion andya
6. >on=harm avihimsa.
He provides food and clothes to those who needs? his kingdom was full of basic need. He
created and atmosphere in which people can live happily with their children. %ing
*akkavatti had enough resources by eertion which was done righteously. He never in
dull in sense pleasure.
Thus *akkavatti ra)a is a concept relevance to international law. He is a person who
comes at a time when conditions are historically right )ust as the "uddha secure spiritual
welfare of mankind. This king provides an internal political order. Therefore he brings
peace and prosperity for the mankind going up the castes order which were based on
creation. According to "uddhism such a ruler is able to etend his authority over the
whole earth, guarded by ocean.
This is a ra)a *akkavatti which is a man authority of king. According to the *akkavatti
sihanada Sutta, there are ten factors followed by such a king. He should follow the ten
%usalakamma honoring the dhamma proclaiming virtuous should follow the following
ten categories.
$. wife and children,
'. army,
+. khattiyas clan,
6. "rahmins,
7. people in districts,
1. recluses,
8. birds and beats,
9. non=wrong actions in the kingdom,
:. give wealth to the poor,
$;. #bey instruction of recluses.
The kingship which originates as stated in the Agganna Sutta gradually developed taking
various forms of government is monarchical and republican. The *akkavatti Sutta gives
and illustration of the international law base on (a)a *akkavtti the wheel rolling
monarch.