Morality as Social Law : The Sangha and the Ordering of Civilization in Suvarnabhumi

Abstract

This academic article aims to examine the role of the Sangha in establishing Buddhist ethical foundations to organize society in the Suvarnabhumi region. The study reveals that the propagation of Buddhism in Suvarnabhumi officially commenced following the Third Buddhist Council under the patronage of King Ashoka the Great, who dispatched missionaries led by Venerable Sona and Venerable Uttara via maritime trade routes. The Sangha acted as social engineers, facilitating the transition from traditional animistic beliefs rooted in supernatural fear to a society driven by Buddhist wisdom and the law of cause and effect.

 This article that the Sangha established Buddhist Justice by utilizing the Five Precepts as a fundamental social constitution to govern citizen behavior and by promoting the Dharmaraja (Righteous King) concept in governance. This ensured that the relationship between the state and its people was grounded in compassion and equity. Buddhist ethics thus functioned not merely as religious practices but as a social law that reduced inequality and fostered sustainable peace. Archaeological evidence, such as Stone Dhamma Wheels and Ye Dhamma inscriptions found extensively across Suvarnabhumi, serves as a vital witness to the acceptance of Buddhist wisdom as the foundation of a civilization deeply rooted for over 2,300 years.