According to a Sutta in the Anguttaranikaya (9) the King has to be righteous himself and all his actions in the administration of his authority should be governed by righteousness. When he sets the pattern of righteousness the ministers of state, all officials in the lower range of the machinery of government as well as the people in the country will live and carry out their duties righteously. Prosperity is said to reign in the country where righteousness prevails.

The King also has to see that there is security of person and properties in his kingdom (10), when the governing body is righteous crime gets reduced & society becomes stable & secure. It is also the duty of the King to provide employment to the able bodied people in his kingdom. It is said that if there is unemployment the king should launch subsidy schemes and also should provide employment according to the talents and the aptitudes of the people.

Rulers (as well as the elite in Society) are expected to have a disposition of genuine love & care for the people at large. The king should occupy the position of parent to his subjects (11).

The King should satisfy the needy with generosity. This does not mean just doling out provisions but launching well coordinated welfare Schemes to alleviate poverty and raise living conditions (12).

The four hospitalities spells out the detail way a king should care for his people (13), they are generosity (dana), kind words, commitment to the welfare of the people and a sense of equality with the people. The sense of equality requires that the king be able to asses issues from the point of view of the people. These four together ensures that the King works for the betterment of the living conditions of the subjects.

The Buddhist texts also speak of ten fold code for the guidance of Kings called Dasa Raja Dhamma and it is noteworthy that dana ‘generosity’ and paticcaga ‘selfless service’ two of them. The function of these two principles is the alleviation of poverty and the liberation of the poor.