a) Outline three things Buddhists might do to promote justice.

(3 marks)

Punish criminals.
Campaign for changes to unjust laws.
Work for charities reducing poverty.

b) Explain two reasons why Buddhists might consider crime to be unskilful.

(4 marks)

Crime is unskilful because it causes suffering to the victim. Most laws

protect people from harm. When a criminal breaks them, they are going
against the dhamma, hurting others through greed or anger, which is the
opposite of skilful action.
Crime is also unskilful because it causes suffering for the criminal.
Buddhists believe our actions have karmic consequences, so when you act in
harmful ways because of negative motivations (i.e. the three poisons), this
will have negative consequences for you. Prison could be seen as an example
of this.

c) Explain two reasons why reformation is the most important aim of

punishment for Buddhists. You must refer to a source of wisdom and
authority. (5 marks)
Reformation is essential for Buddhists because it is the only way to
reduce suffering in the long term. If criminals are not reformed, they will
either reoffend or they will have to stay in prison for the rest of their lives,
causing distress for them and their families. This is expressed in dhammapada
201; ‘victory breeds hostility, for the defeated dwell in pain’. Buddhists think
we should not try to ‘defeat’ criminals, but help them.
An emphasis on reformation also expresses the Buddhist belief that all
beings are capable of overcoming their negative mental states and moving
towards enlightenment. This is the third noble truth of ‘nirodha’, which the
Buddha taught in the dhammacakkappavattana sutta. It is also shown in the
story of Angulimala, a vicious criminal who said he was reformed ‘not by the
hook or the whip, but by the kind words of the compassionate Buddha’.
 a) Outline three things Buddhists might do to promote justice. (3 marks)

Punish criminals.
Campaign for changes to unjust laws.
Work for charities reducing poverty.

b) Explain two reasons why Buddhists might consider crime to be unskilful.

(4 marks)

Crime is unskilful because it causes suffering to the victim. Most laws

protect people from harm. When a criminal breaks them, they are going
against the dhamma, hurting others through greed or anger, which is the
opposite of skilful action.
Crime is also unskilful because it causes suffering for the criminal.
Buddhists believe our actions have karmic consequences, so when you act in
harmful ways because of negative motivations (i.e. the three poisons), this
will have negative consequences for you. Prison could be seen as an example
of this.

c) Explain two reasons why reformation is the most important aim of

punishment for Buddhists. You must refer to a source of wisdom and
authority. (5 marks)
Reformation is essential for Buddhists because it is the only way to
reduce suffering in the long term. If criminals are not reformed, they will
either reoffend or they will have to stay in prison for the rest of their lives,
causing distress for them and their families. This is expressed in dhammapada
201; ‘victory breeds hostility, for the defeated dwell in pain’. Buddhists think
we should not try to ‘defeat’ criminals, but help them.
An emphasis on reformation also expresses the Buddhist belief that all
beings are capable of overcoming their negative mental states and moving
towards enlightenment. This is the third noble truth of ‘nirodha’, which the
Buddha taught in the dhammacakkappavattana sutta. It is also shown in the
story of Angulimala, a vicious criminal who said he was reformed ‘not by the
hook or the whip, but by the kind words of the compassionate Buddha’.