Hindu Beliefs about Peace and Conflict » Just War and Weapons of Mass Destruction: Hindu Views

Just War in Hindu thought

The lesson Just War Theory, Holy War and Passive Resistance explained Just War theory and its usual conditions, such as just cause, last resort and proportionate force. In one line: it is a set of tests for deciding when a war is right and how it must be fought. This lesson asks how Hindus use these ideas.

Hindus do not usually say "Just War". The idea is close to the dharma yuddha from Hindu Attitudes to Conflict, Duty and Holy War, a war fought to uphold dharma under fair rules. Some Hindus call this a righteous war. Hindu epics, the Mahabharata above all, and traditional law books describe such a war.

Key terms:

• Righteous war: the Hindu idea of a war fought to protect dharma and the innocent, by fair rules. It is close to the Just War idea.
• No first use: a promise never to be the first to use a nuclear weapon in a conflict.

The conditions of a righteous war

Hindu texts do not give one fixed list, but many Hindus point to ideas like these:

Notice how closely these match the Just War conditions of right cause and right conduct. Many Hindus say that this shows that Hindu teaching and Just War thinking agree.

Is a Just War possible? Bhagavad Gita 2:31

The Bhagavad Gita is a famous Hindu text set on a battlefield in the Mahabharata. The warrior Arjuna does not want to fight his own relatives, so Krishna advises him. In Gita 2:31, Krishna tells Arjuna that, for a warrior (kshatriya), there is nothing better than a righteous war. Hindus who say a Just War is possible use this verse. They say that a warrior who fights fairly to protect others is doing his duty and not a wrong.

Not all Hindus read it this way:

• Some say the verse is about Arjuna's own duty on that day, and not a rule for every war.
• Some read the battle as a picture of the fight within each person against greed and anger.
• Many, such as Gandhi, put ahimsa (non-violence, not harming any living being) first and said violence is never the answer. You met his non-violent protests in Avidya and Maya: Why People Go Wrong in Hinduism.

So Hindu teaching on Just War holds two ideas together: do not harm any living thing, and do your duty to protect dharma. Many Hindus say war is only a last resort, and that it must follow fair rules.

Weapons of mass destruction

The lesson Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism explained that these are weapons that can kill huge numbers of people and damage the environment, such as nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. In one line, some support them as a deterrent and others want them banned. Here are the problems and benefits in short:

Hindu attitudes to WMD

Many Hindus oppose using WMD, for these reasons:

• Ahimsa. WMD kill huge numbers of living beings, each with an atman.
• Fair rules. A righteous war protects the innocent and does not attack those who are not fighting. WMD cannot do this.
• Warnings in the epics. The Mahabharata describes divine weapons of terrible power and tells of the harm done when they are misused.

Other Hindus accept them only as a defence. India is a country with nuclear weapons and has a policy of no first use. Some Hindus support this as protecting the country and its people, and as a deterrent that keeps the peace. Others say that even owning them goes against ahimsa. As always, Hindus hold different views.

Atheist and Humanist attitudes

An atheist does not believe in God, and Humanists base their morals on reason and human welfare. Neither uses scripture. Many atheists and Humanists oppose WMD because of the human suffering they cause and the harm to civilians. Some accept them as a deterrent, if that saves lives. So their arguments are about human life and not about dharma, but they often reach a similar conclusion to many Hindus.

Terrorism

Terrorism, the use of violence against civilians to frighten people for a political or religious aim, breaks ahimsa. It also breaks the rules of a righteous war, because it attacks the innocent. Hindu leaders condemn it.

Exam-style question

(a) Identify three weapons of mass destruction. [3 marks]

(b) Choose one religion. Outline two teachings about Just War in this religion. [4 marks]

(c) Choose one religion. Explain why there are different attitudes to weapons of mass destruction in this religion. [6 marks]

(d) 'Weapons of mass destruction can never be justified.' Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks]