His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama:
Message Supporting the Moratorium on the Death Penalty
In general, death is something none of us wants, in fact it is something we don't even
like to think about. When death takes place naturally, it is a process beyond our control
to stop, but where death is wilfully and deliberately brought about, it is very
unfortunate. Of course, within our legal systems there are said to be certain reasons and
purposes for employing the death penalty. It is used to punish offenders, to prevent them
ever repeating their misdeed and to deter others.
However, if we examine the situation more carefully, we will find that these are not real
solutions.
Harmful actions and their tragic consequences all have their origin in disturbing emotions
and negative thoughts, and these are a state of mind, whose potential we find within all
human beings. From this point of view, every one of us has the potential to commit crimes,
because we are all subject to negative disturbing emotions and negative mental qualities.
And we will not overcome these by executing other people.
What is deemed criminal can vary greatly from country to country. In some countries, for
example, speaking out for human rights is considered criminal, whereas in other countries
preventing free speech is a crime. The punishments for crimes are also very different, but
usually include various forms of imprisonment or hardship, financial penalties and, in a
number of countries, physical pain. In some countries, crimes that the government
considers very serious are punished by executing the person who committed the crime.
The death penalty fulfills a preventive function, but it is also very clearly a form of
revenge. It is an especially severe form of punishment because it is so final. The human
life is ended and the executed person is deprived of the opportunity to change, to restore
the harm done or compensate for it. Before advocating execution we should consider whether
criminals are intrinsically negative and harmful people or whether they will remain
perpetually in the same state of mind in which the committed their crime or not. The
answer, i believe, is definitely not.
However horrible the act they have committed, I believe that everyone has the potential to
improve and correct themselves. Therefore, i am optimistic that it remains possible to
deter criminal activity, and prevent such harmful consequences of such acts in society,
without having to resort to the death penalty.
My overriding belief is that is is always possible for criminals to improve and that by
its very finality the death penalty contradicts this. therefore, I support those
organizations and individuals who are trying to bring an end to the use of the death
penalty.
Today, in many societies very little importance is placed on education or the development
of human values through social programs and entertainment. In fact, if we take television
programming as an example, violence, including killing, is regarded as having a high
entertainment value. This is indicative of how misguided we have become.
I believe human beings are not violent by nature. Unlike lions and tigers, we are not
naturally equipped to kill with sharp teeth and claws. From a Buddhist viewpoint, I
believe that the basic nature of every sentient being is pure, that the deeper nature of
mind is something pure. Human beings become violent because of negative thoughts which
arise as a result of their environment and circumstance.
I wholeheartedly support an appeal to those countries who at present employ the death
penalty to observe an unconditional moratorium. At the same time we should give more
support to education and encourage a greater sense of universal responsibility. We need to
explain the importance of the practice of love and compassion for our own survival and to
try to minimize those conditions which foster murderous tendencies, such as the
proliferation of weapons in our societies. These are things even private individual can
work towards.
This statement was read by Kobutsu Malone, Zenji at the "Creating a Legacy"
event on Friday night, April 9, 1999 at Laurie Auditorium
Source:
http://www.engaged-zen.org/HHDLMSG.html
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