King Asoka and Obama--a love of animals in common, it seems.Asoka's Edict 2 of the Fourteen Rock Edicts reads: "...made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals."
Clearly, King Asoka valued the lives of animals and people equally. So, what does a leader look like who exhibits value for all of life, without differentiation? I'd like to explore whether or not this type of leadership is possible in our modern society, where war is accepted by some as having a time and place.
According to Buddhist convictions, animal life is just as Divine as human life. Certainly, then, each human life would be ascribed equal value. Each person would have equal access to health care and medical treatment, without regard for resources. Each person, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other differences, would have the exact same rights under the constitution.
It's good to see our President feels lives go better with pets. It's good to see him working on reforming the health care system. And it's especially good to see he can embrace his spiritual life while separating church from state.
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