ABSTRACT

This final chapter provides the Lamrim interpretation of the sustainable political theory established in Chapter 7, that is, the interpretation from the perspective of the stages of the path to enlightenment. The principles of worldly conventions, separation of a political rule and a religious rule, democracy of common people, and the socialist free market principle are laid out from the Lamrim framework. The rationale and role of a Buddhist sangha is explained within the sustainable political economy framework. The pursuit of the stages of the path towards perfect enlightenment by individuals is only effective when the sustainable political economic framework elucidated in this book is always reminded. Without it, all practices and studies will fail to achieve the intended goal of the Lamrim teaching. From the Lamrim framework, multiple stages of the path must be trodden. Similarly, a practitioner’s understanding of the nation’s political economy should also evolve stage by stage.

Keywords: Sustainable Political Economy; Lamrim; Worldly Conventions; Separation of a Political Rule and a Religious Rule; Democracy; Socialist Free Market; Buddhist Sangha; Stages of the Path.