The Criteria for Judging Extrajudicial Killings in Buddhist Ethics

Abstract

This academic article has the following objectives: 1) The concept of extrajudicial killings found that every human being has the right to their own life, which is guaranteed by law. No one shall violate the right to life of others. State officials have a duty to maintain peace and order in society and to control crimes from occurring. However, if any state official acts beyond the limits specified by law, he/she shall be held individually liable. 2) The concept of Buddhist ethics found that actions that have ethical value, the judgment of whether such an action is right or wrong, is considered by the main criterion of evil intention and the secondary criterion of conscience. 3) The criteria for judging extrajudicial killings in Buddhist ethics found that extrajudicial killings are considered killings that officers perform in the performance of their duties or are under the control of officers while performing their duties. In the law, officers are exempted from guilt. In Buddhist ethics, it is considered that there is no intention to kill with evil intentions, but it is the performance of duties to maintain peace and order for the people and to protect oneself. It is not considered wrong in Buddhist ethics. But it may violate the first precept, killing, which can be forgiven by making merit and dedicating the merit to the deceased, whom one did not intend to kill with evil roots, but rather to protect oneself and maintain peace and order for the people.