Buddhist
Responses to Modern Violence
Violence and how to deal with violence is a perennial theme in Buddhism. The first precept against killing, the Buddha’s discourse in the Mahanidana Sutta on the dependent origination of communal violence, the Buddha’s mediation of the communal conflict over water resources at the Rohini River all show Buddhism’s basic commitment to non-violence and how to respond to violence.
In the modern age, this commitment is not so clear. Japanese Buddhism has a very ugly record of supporting its government’s war in the Pacific. The Sri Lankan Buddhist Sangha has been equally supportive towards its government concerning the ongoing civil war with the Tamil minority. Still further, what does one make of Burma, a very vibrant Buddhist society that is ruled oppressive military dictators? Indeed, the modern age has brought new challenges to traditional Buddhist teachings. The events of September 11th in the United States have shown how the economic injustices and structural violence of globalization are breeding desperate acts of terrorism, often fueled by religious sentiments. At the same time, new levels of modern awareness are bringing to fore issues previously ignored, like gender and domestic violence.
What can Buddhism offer in response to these forms of violence in the modern world? Can it offer something beyond erudite philosophy and simplistic ethics? Can Buddhism itself face the challenge of renewing its teachings to be an integral part of the solution (and not the cause) of these contemporary forms of violence? As we face the everyday news events of violence which are justified by religious teachings, these questions are not ones for idle philosophers. Rather they are ones which are urgent to confront with vision, practice and action.
Continuing and Deepening the Movement
The 3rd International Think Sangha Meeting
February 4-9, 2003
Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Think Sangha held a five day meeting in February, 2003, assembling a small group of socially engaged Buddhists active in these issues to reflect, interact and help one another envision and enact Buddhist responses to the violence they face in their respective regions and fields. The three basic goals of the meeting were: 1) to deepen the understanding of the nature of violence and how to respond to it in non-violent ways, specifically from a Buddhist standpoint; 2) to develop a series of papers based on our conversations and the reflections of certain key participants to publish as a resource for other Buddhist non-violent practitioners; and 3)empower the individual participants to return to their native regions and deepen their work for peace and non-violence. For more, visit these links below:
NEW! Book Project on Karma and Social Justice
Contemporary Buddhism in Japan & Asia 