The brutal treatment of its people by the Myanmar government does not
befit good old Asian traditions. Asian culture balks at tyranny.
Myanmar is a Buddhist country. The model of good Buddhist rulers lies
in the concept of the "universal monarch" or "wheel-turning monarch"
(raajaa cakkavatti). He is the benevolent ruler who governs with
righteousness, and peacefully unites the world under a reign of
universal justice and prosperity. He rules with virtues and kindness,
not violence and fear. In fact, poverty, ill-will, violence, and
wrongdoings do not exist in his domain.
The teachings of Confucius, the highly revered Chinese philosopher
whose teachings has influenced East Asia for the last two millenia,
also has no place for dictators. The core value of Confucian teaching
is the principle of 'ren', meaning benevolence. A good ruler is a
benevolent ruler, or a gentleman ruler. The ideal ruler is a "sage
monarch", or a sage who governs with benevolence, ethics and trust of
the people. A 'sage' in Confucianism carries no religious
significance, since Confucius is a secular philosopher.