A Nation's Welfare In the Buddha's Words ..

In the Buddha's Words ..   Conditions of a Nation's Welfare

; .. At that time the Venerable Ananda was standing behind the Blessed One, fanning him, and the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ananda thus:

"What have you heard, Ananda: do the Vajjis ..

1. have frequent gatherings, and are their meetings well attended?" ..

2. assemble and disperse peacefully and attend to their affairs in concord?" ..

3. neither enact new decrees nor abolish existing ones, but proceed in accordance with their ancient constitutions?" ..

4. show respect, honor, esteem, and veneration towards their elders and think it worthwhile to listen to them?" ..

5. refrain from abducting women and maidens of good families and from detaining them?" ..

6. show respect, honor, esteem, and veneration towards their shrines, both those within the city and those outside it, and do not deprive them of the due offerings as given and made to them formerly?" ..

7. duly protect and guard the arahats, so that those who have not come to the realm yet might do so, and those who have already come might live there in peace?"

"I have heard, Lord, that they do."

"So long, Ananda, as this is the case, the growth of the Vajjis is to be expected, not their decline."

And the Blessed One addressed the brahman Vassakara in these words:
"Once, brahman, I dwelt at Vesali, at the Sarandada shrine, and there it was that I taught the Vajjis these seven conditions leading to (a nation's) welfare. So long, brahman, as these endure among the Vajjis, and the Vajjis are known for it, their growth is to be expected, not their decline." ..'

Source : Maha-parinibbana Sutta DN 16
www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html