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label for political parties actually limit their own development as   Religious  leaders  should  ensure  that  the  resources  in  an
 they will have difficulty reaching out to the non-adherents, and in   organisation  are  used  in  accordance  with  the  original  objectives
 some cases, result in chaos and conflict in those countries.  they  were established.  Otherwise, it  will  be an abuse or misuse
        of these resources. When members of the public make financial
 The 3  rule: “A religious organisation should make a clear stand   contributions to a religious organisation, such donations should be
 rd
 against oppression and injustice” includes Buddhist organisations   used only for the purpose they were requested. Religious leaders
 as well. They should state their stand on certain public issues that   have no right to convert resources received for religious purposes
 affect the rights of Buddhists in society, as well as issues that may   into political donations.
 create disharmony due to misconceptions about Buddhism among
 non-Buddhists. As pointed out by Prof. Liu Yu Guang, “When a   When  religious  leaders  mobilize  its  devotees  for  certain
 Buddhist organisation involved itself in religious activities,  as   projects, it should not deviate from the original purpose why they
 provided for under the constitution, it actually enters into a scenario   were mobilized. Otherwise, it becomes  a form of inappropriate
 of exercising its rights, and hence the responsibility of protecting   mobilization. For instance, if religious leaders mobilize devotees
 the rights of civil society when the situation demands”. Another   to support a political party, it is likely to attract a negative response
 scholar, Dr  You Xiang  Zhou  (of  Taiwan)  pointed  out  that  if  a   from the public, especially in today’s society that upholds the value
 religious organisation chooses to ignore public issues, it is either   of separation of politics and religion.
 closed-minded or hypocritical.
            The respect a religious leader receives is derived from his many
 The  4  rule:  “A religious organisation  should  strive  to   actions in society. He is expected to lead the devotees from the
 th
 transform the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.” This   “mundane” to the “supra-mundane” in terms of their understanding
 rule is a test on the wisdom and skills of Buddhist leaders. It is   and practice of the religion. He must not degrade the sanctity of
 not easy to make changes without causing partisan conflicts. To   the religion by encouraging or mobilizing the devotees to support
 reduce partisan conflicts, Buddhist organisations should address the   any political activities. Furthermore, he must not impersonate any
 issues objectively, without considering the interests or views of the   divinity or claim to have received any divine message from some
 political parties involved.    supernatural beings. Finally, he must understand that he is not a
        saint but a human with faults on the path to perfection.
 Apart from the above rules, Dr. You Xiang Zhou of Taiwan (See
 You Xiang Zhou: The Development of Global Engaged Buddhist-   Religious leaders are supported by devotees because of their
 its Political Approach to Public Affairs. 游祥洲:论全球入世佛  faith in them. While faith tends to be emotional, it does not mean
 教之发展进路--兼论其涉及公共事务之政治取向)opined   that it is irrational. However, devotees should not blindly follow
 that there should be five additional rules to this code of ethics.  religious leaders, especially when they have exceeded the boundaries
        of their roles. It is for this reason that all religious leaders should be




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