Sunday Times 2
Aggañña Sutta: Migration of humans since evolution and present day violence
View(s):By Satharathilaka Banda Atugoda
Humans since their evolution, from the earliest times, had been on the move, in search of food, pasture lands for herds, farmlands for agriculture, better shelter to protect themselves, water to drink and other human needs, and more comforts. This trend continued with new expectations, and desires and wants, as humans became sedentary. This is a simplistic explanation for lay-persons, like us.
Migrants being rescued from a dinghy off the Libyan coast in the international waters between Malta and Libya. AFP/Italian Red Cross/Yara Nardi
Relevant sections of Aggañña Sutta
The great philosopher and teacher of non-violence, the Buddha speaks of this phenomena in the Aggañña Sutta; He lucidly analyses, to Vasettha and Bharadwaja the two Brahmins, how humans evolved, lived contentedly in their environment until private ownership developed in the community based on production of grains, and agricultural plots, when conflicts arose about how equitably their distribution should be effected. In order to settle such disputes a leader was chosen from among them who later acquired for himself powers, to execute decisions; the earliest seeds of the concept of kingship commenced thus and Maha Sammata was selected with the free will of these humans. They themselves, underwent a whole cycle of evolution after descending from Abhassara, another Brahma Loka. The Maha Sammata or the leader chosen with the consent of the wider grouping of beings, ruled over these independent societies. Eons later these came to be known as empires, kingdoms. The beings in these entities moved from one to the other for occupations, and the leaders eventually, expanded their economic territory. Some among these humans became land owners, (Khattiya), some agriculturists and merchants, entrepreneurs (Vaishyas), some manual-workers,(Shudras), and those who were in search of spiritual attainments, Brahmanas. These groups were called castes in India later; but they were really econo-spiritual-socio segments in society.
These humans were in search of better worldly lives, and in the process there arose, inter and intra-quarrels, when the interests of one impinged on the other,- between and among these societies. As humans grew in numbers these conflicts graduated to wars and later world wars. The greed and ignorance in persons in these societal-entities, led some to move from one community to the other, which seemingly were better equipped to satisfy them. (Aggañña Sutta in Digha Nikaya )
What is termed as ‘migration’ is thus, moving out from their habitat seeking more comforts. They could be social, economic, educational, and other facilities. Due to the controls and safeguards, governing varied communities, those who migrate had to force their way surreptitiously, and in secrecy, and in the case of some others their environs encouraged them to do so. The present terms refugee and asylum-seekers are persons who are forced to move out, due to war, famine, or persecution. Those who yearn for a better life in the process are called economic refugees. All of them are termed migrants.
Explanation in modern science.
Modern science has studied this phenomenon of migration in relation to the evolution of humans. There are varied theories propounded, by eminent scientists, biologists, archeologists and naturalists. One of the theories generally, talked about is that the earliest migration took place from Africa, around 77,000, years ago. They were the hominids who migrated North who are called Neanderthals, and also called Homo Sapiens, and Homo Erectus in East Asia, and Hobbits in South East Asia. These findings have been corroborated by DNA tests of persons, in the present different continents. Different approximations of dates of how long ago these migrations have taken place are given by scientists, ranging from 30,000 to 90,000 years. Migration from present day Europe to America has occurred approximately, 30,000 years ago from Alaska to Bering Strait. The knowledge has advanced in this field since our student days, that young researchers could undertake further studies. The humans in different environments changed physical structures and there came into being, indices like Cephalic Index, of the equation between the head and the rest of the body. There is certainly a core-relation of these findings to the philosophical teachings of the Buddha.
An aspect that the pure-scientists, leave for social scientists is the trends of migration in the world, known to us. They were infact due to the worldly reasons propounded in the teachings of the Buddha, ignorance and lust. The emperors and kings or the Maha Sammatas, overwhelmed with greed and ignorance, ignored the Dasa Raja Dharma, taught in the Dhamma. The rulers in the present day world are bereft of any of the ethical codes of governance. It has been so from the time of the nation state’s emergence. They try to expand their territory for self aggrandisement. It is almost the same with all those who rule the present States. There would not have been two world wars, regional wars, religious and ethnic conflicts, mass displacements of people, hunger, deprivation, inadequate shelter, migrations at the risk of-lives, refugees and all the evils, if the world leaders were humane. The emergence of world bodies for preservation of peace, and economic advancement and social and cultural resurgence have been necessary because of man’s inhumanity to man.
Dasa Raja Dharma
The Buddha taught the leaders to follow the ten royal ethics in the Kutadanda Sutta in Digha Nikaya which are as follows:
Liberality, generosity, charity (dana), morality (sila), loyal service (parichchaga), honesty (ajjava), kindness, gentleness (majjava), non attachment – mainly to power (thapas), non-hatred (akkhoda), non-violence, non political victimisation (avihimsacha), and non-opposition to people’s will (avirodha). When these virtues are translated to world politics today, and domestic politics, it is easy to comprehend that the varied administrations are responsible for the human problems and sufferings engulfing the nations.
Migration and violence
Leaving aside the individual national problems, the major crises spots of the world are sufficient testimony to the unethical governance in most countries. The migration and the refugee crises in the Middle East and the violence in the region is due to the non-conformity to any human ethics by the ruling classes. As space is inadequate, only the violence perpetrated in Europe during the last month are referred to in this essay. The political causes are well-known to the readership.
There was an exodus of humans from the Middle East due to non-ending violence, caused firstly, by the ruling classes, and secondly, due to the violence by armed groups on the respective governments and their forces. The fleeing of millions of people to safe places on earth, commenced over a year ago. This was mainly to Europe, and Europe welcomed them. The violence armed groups perpetrated on the people of Europe due to hatred-based wrong concepts, are spreading violence in various parts of the world. One continuing saga of this phenomenon of inhumanity of man to man, are the attacks, by armed groups on civilians. Therefore, this immigration to Europe from the Middle East is viewed by the Europeans, with a certain amount of suspicion mainly due to the terrorist attacks in the varied cities in Europe. In the month of July alone, there were attacks in Germany in a train at Wurzburg, Munich, in France, in Nice on Bastille Day, in a Christian Church in St. Etienne, and other sporadic violence. The debate in Europe is whether, the sympathy shown by them to the immigrants especially, from the Middle East had been adequately reciprocated. Since the time European leaders allowed the refugees to enter European countries in 2015, the terrorist violence they had to undergo seems to tell the immigrants that they are no more welcome.
Similar massacres continue in the name of ethnicity, religion, race and false concepts of freedom and sovereignty in other parts of the world, forcing populations to flee such regions. The onus of reducing this inhumanity by man on man stems from rulers and descends to the commoners. The rulers therefore, should follow a code of ethics, based on whatever, doctrine they follow. When such a world will be born is however, beyond comprehension.
(The writer was an Ambassador for Sri Lanka.)