Abstract:
Universal monarch (Cakkavatti) who is also called the virtuous king (dhammiko dhammaraja)
is a well-known concept in Buddhism. In cakkavatti sīhanadasutta of Dīganikaya Buddha
discusses the Universal Monarch. This idea focuses on the early Buddhist perspective
of kingship and governance and the relationship between the king and his subjects. The
mythical king Dalhanemi has been idealized in the sutta as the dhamma king who rules his
kingdom according to the Buddhist law. The question here is how this concept emerged and
why it was included in the Buddhist scriptures. One significant answer may be the development
of the socio-economic condition of that particular period that led to the emergence of
this concept.
Based on the socio-economic and historical background during the time of Buddha, this
paper attempts to explore the roots of the concept of the Universal Monarch in the contemporary
socio-economic system and why this concept was incorporated into Buddhism.
