AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF ONTOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF EVIL (PĀPA) IN THERAVADA BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY

Abstract

The purposes of this research were the analytical study of the ontological concept of Evil (pāpa) in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy. There were 3 objectives 1) to study the concept of ontology, 2) to study the concept of evil (pāpa) in Theravada Buddhist philosophy, and 3) to analyze the ontological concept of evil (pāpa) in Theravada Buddhist philosophy. This is documentary research.

          The result of this research

          Has 2 subjects for study 1) the ontology in western philosophy has referred to two aspects: 1.1) the ontological subjectivity and 1.2) the ontological objectivity, 2) the ontology in Theravada Buddhist philosophy has embraced two aspects: 2.1) the conventional truth, and 2.2) the ultimate truth. Particularly, the concept of evil in Theravada Buddhist philosophy has considered in 3 issues:        1) evil as desires 2) evil as karma, and 3) evil as the consequence of one's action. Similarly, the ontology of evil in Theravada Buddhist philosophy was considered in 4 subjects: 1) the objective evil has two aspects: firstly, the characteristics of an absolute individual and non-absolute individual. Secondly, to commit absolute evil and non-absolute evil unintentionally, 2) subjective evil has two aspects; the first one was characteristics of the absolute individual and non-absolute individual. The second one was to commit absolute evil and non-absolute evil. 3) conventional truth evil, and 4) ultimate truth evil. Furthermore, Theravada Buddhist philosophy has emphasized on a person who has an intention or no intention, and mind; those would have been bringing to body action, speech in action and mind in action. Meanwhile, the ultimate goal of life is to get rid of ego with understanding life and the world both of conventionally and ultimately or called as a way of the world and way of the noble life.