Justice and Peace in Buddhism
This section will explore the concept of justice and peace from a Buddhist perspective. It is essential to initiate an in-depth debate on the universal concept of justice.
The general concept of justice can be defined as the ethical principle of fairness and impartiality, with the primary aim of ensuring that every individual has what is their fundamental human right. To guarantee these indisputable rights, which are an integral part of every human being, laws and legal principles are codified to ensure conditions of fairness, equal opportunities, and a dignified and decent life. These principles are often implemented through legal systems, but they also inevitably extend to the moral and social spheres.
The concept of justice can be defined as the fair application of legal principles to achieve equitable outcomes, thus ensuring that all individuals receive the benefits, and equally the burdens, that constitute the profound essence of their humanity, inseparably linked to the essence of everything that belongs to the earth, the animal, plant, and mineral worlds.
Human beings' pursuit of justice is based on the belief that every individual has an inherent right to live a dignified life and should be given the opportunity to do so.
Fairness and impartiality are fundamental aspects of justice, implying equal treatment in the context of the law and in the social structures necessary for peaceful coexistence, and it is obvious that this implies the total absence of prejudice.
Another fundamental aspect is ‘giving what is due’, a cornerstone principle of Roman law defined as ‘the constant and perpetual will to give everyone what is due to them’. Fairness recognises that individuals have different starting points and aims to achieve equitable outcomes rather than uniform treatment, thus ensuring true equality of opportunity.
It is essential to recognize the central role that legal and moral frameworks play in the pursuit of justice. The philosophical essence of justice can be defined as a profound ideal, while in its practical manifestation it takes the form of a complex system of laws, courts, and institutions. The system has been meticulously designed to ensure that fairness is upheld and wrongs are redressed.
The concept of social justice is based on the principle of fairness, a principle that must be extended to the fundamental structures of society. This approach is designed to ensure that all individuals have access to rights and opportunities.
Among the most widespread interpretations and theories are restrictive justice, which focuses on deserved punishment for crimes committed, and restorative justice, which aims to repair damage and reintegrate offenders by rebuilding relationships. Finally, distributive justice deals with the equitable distribution of resources and opportunities within a society. All of this is well codified at the theoretical level, despite the many difficulties in practical application.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was drafted in 1948 in response to the profoundly unjust human tragedy caused by the two world wars of that century and with the aim of establishing fundamental rights and protections for all, thus providing a basis for global justice. The concept of justice is complex and multifaceted, and is linked to the concepts of harmonious human coexistence, fairness, and equity in the living conditions of every being.
What Justice in Buddhism?
According to the Buddhist view, the concept of “justice” is never based on punishment. On the contrary, it emphasizes the importance of compassionate action, healing, and skillful means to end suffering. Buddhism emphasizes the concept of the possibility and necessity of inner change, defined as the development of qualities such as awareness and wisdom, which are indispensable characteristics and extremely useful means for resolving external issues.
This is attributable to the fact that punitive justice has the capacity to provoke anger and perpetuate harm. However, the pursuit of social and moral justice, such as the protection of the most vulnerable, is pursued through merit and wisdom rather than through the pursuit of revenge.
The ultimate goal is the awakening of true happiness, which is achieved by deeply understanding the nature of karma and cultivating virtue, a condition of authentic inner transformation that could never be achieved through the imposition of external punishment.
The fundamental concepts under discussion include the notions of karma and the principle of cause and effect. It is evident that actions inevitably have consequences, but this phenomenon does not necessarily imply the intervention of a cosmic judge; rather, it is a consequence of natural law. A well-trained mind is able to mitigate negative karmic results, thus demonstrating that such results are neither immediate nor predictable.
The term “karma” is defined as a natural system of justice based on the law of cause and effect. It has been observed that cultivating positive karma and accumulating merit through positive actions can serve to correct misconduct and mistakes. It is essential to recognize that karma does not depend on any external institutional intervention. It is hypothesized that the theory of karma functions within the paradigm of the natural cosmic system, which is presumed to be guided by the energy of the dynamic void, considered intrinsic to every single existence.
The concept of the cosmic system is theorized as existing on three distinct levels:
The first level refers to the concept of external or material tangible reality and is defined by the world perceived by the senses.
The second level addresses the inner or mental world and consists of various forms of thoughts and mental factors.
The third, the spiritual level, can be understood as the most intimate vision of material and non-material realities. It is believed that this spiritual level determines the authentic development of the person, the construction of true happiness or unhappiness, as well as the perception of pleasant or unpleasant experiences, within any form of existence.
These experiences were produced by every movement of a natural phenomenon or action of a person or being, occurring spontaneously. Therefore, it can be concluded that justice is inherent and can be considered a cycle that eventually returns to its original place. The results depend on the intention or motivation behind the cause.
The Buddha's philosophical approach emphasized the supremacy of wisdom over justice as applied by the social legal system, because wisdom cannot exist outside of the profound justice of the self. For this reason, he draws attention to the need to use skillful means to alleviate suffering rather than applying a judicial system that, being imperfect and partial, might even cause further suffering or fuel anger.
For this reason, priority is given to justice as the fruit of compassion, healing, forgiveness, and universal love. This approach implies the recognition of the Buddha nature in all beings, including those who have committed reprehensible actions. The emphasis on review and redemption rather than punishment is a fundamental principle of the program.
Authentic change comes from an intrinsic transformation of the self, that is, from the process of profoundly changing one's cognitive framework through the reduction of greed, hatred, and delusion, for example. It is argued that external actions, such as the pursuit of social justice, can only have a meaningful impact if complemented by a parallel emphasis on introspection and personal development.
In the context of social norms, this principle clearly indicates that seeking revenge is not equivalent to justice. It is essential to recognize that justice should never be anchored in personal revenge or anger, as this is contrary to justice itself and can also generate negative karma.
The concept of social justice is based on the idea of wanting good, which generates merit that becomes an effective means of achieving collective well-being, a concept that differs from that of punitive justice. Despite the absence of any pursuit of revenge, Buddhists support actions that promote the protection of vulnerable people and the prevention of future harm.
How can justice contribute to peace?
The concept of justice is essential to the maintenance of peace, because without justice any conflict or conceptual diversification could degenerate into momentary and repeated violent actions, with an inner, individual, and collective rooting of grudges, intentions of revenge, and inner violence in absolute antithesis to any kind of peace. The principle of justice promotes the maintenance of harmonious stability and long-term pacification.
The establishment of genuine and lasting peace depends on identifying and resolving the root causes of any conflict through the implementation of mechanisms of justice, including truth, accountability, sincere repentance, and reparation for any harm that may have been caused. To illustrate this point, it is interesting to note that in circumstances where violence is not prevalent, the establishment of a just system becomes more feasible and the need to resort to force is greatly reduced.
True peace cannot be defined solely as the absence of war, but rather as the presence of justice in the joyful willingness to equitably satisfy human needs. To create a stable and harmonious future, it is essential to constantly strive to create equitable systems, respect every being, empower individuals, and promote reconciliation.
Gedun Tharchin
Rome: 27.01.2026
