Buddhism and Peace Theory: Exploring a Buddhist Inner Peace

2016

Through its history, Buddhism has deepened its analysis of the psychological dynamics of suffering including conflict and its resolution. This paper explores how this analysis of human mind elaborates inner peace. It is proposed as a nondualistic peace based on contemplative practice, a cognition of reality as interdependent and interpenetrating and exercise of compassionate mind in a synergistic way. It is an awareness of an ultimate inseparability between our well-being and happiness and that of others' and an effort to gratify basic needs of all, promote freedom, and justice for all equally.

This chapter presents the Buddhist approach to the attainment of peace in three dimensions of life—inner peace, social peace, and ecological peace. It offers a Buddhist perspective on the causes of human suffering, conflict, and violence, and the contributions Buddhism can make to their solution. Commonalities between Buddhism and peace psychology are found in the realm of engaged Buddhism with its focus on reforming our relationship with each other and with the ecological world.

2014

Infactis Pax, 1 (2), 2007

Connecting inner dimensions of peace education to outer dimensions of peace education is critical for transformative peace efforts aimed at curbing a cultural of violence and moving toward a culture of peace. The cultivation of inner peace can contribute to knowledge paradigms that are supportive of peace and can provide a foundation for social action toward supporting peaceful attitudes, dispositions, values, action-orientations, behaviors and social structures. Contemplative practices/meditations  In Factis Pax 1 (2) (2007): 120-157 http://www.infactispax.org/journal/ 121 are essential to education for peace because inner and outer worlds are not mutually exclusive, rather they mirror and reinforce one another. Therefore, inner violence correlates with outer violence; inner peace correlates with outer peace. Aligning both nonviolent means with nonviolent ends is essential for building sustainable, renewable peace. The connection between being peace and doing peace needs to be more deeply fostered and explored in the field of peace education.

2017

While violence and conflict are the main problems that must be tackled for a peaceful world, they are caused and sustained through our own thoughts. Though external causes must not be ignored, the most fundamental problem is an epistemological one – our way of knowing and understanding the world. Since its beginning, Buddhism has deepened its analysis of the dynamics of human mind, both as a root cause of suffering and as a source of harmony. This paper explores how Buddhism's analysis of human mind can be applied to conflict dynamics, conflict resolution, and building a sustainable peace.

PhilosophyAbstractYou yourself have to get rid of your miseries. Nobody else will come to help you in this matter. Lord Gautam Buddha has given this beneficiary sermon to this world. He has tried to ignite the hidden humanity of peoples by introducing the principle of ‘live and let live’. Because in absence of humanity, the word ‘universal fraternity’ has no meaning and the preaching of Gautam Buddha is full of humanity. This is the reason that the religion established by him got asylum in foreign countries since ancient times and maintained the

Blue Pine Books, 2013

The seventh in the series on Buddhism and peace published by Blue Pine Books. The series collects academically sound essays on the topic. It is hoped that the collection will shed light on various movements in Buddhism and peace, and provide grounds for thinking about the issues involved.The series has published articles by Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926), who founded the Plum Village in France, by A. T. Ariyaratne (b. 1931), who started the Sarvodaya practice of conflict management in Sri Lanka, and the writings of numerous other Buddhist activists and scholars of Buddhist Studies. The seventh volume continues in this vein by offering fourteen admirable essays toward our continuing goal of sharing the spirit of compassion and thereby transforming conflict.For this volume, the editors chose articles that reflect Buddhist peace activism around the world, that characterize their regional activities, and that are presented from a variety of perspectives. Included are those about Korean Buddhism and peace (Mun and Koo), Japanese Buddhism and peace (Ogi, Satōand the Shōgyō-ji Archives Committee), Chinese Buddhism and peace (Lee),Indian Buddhism and peace (Huynh), and Myanmar Buddhism and peace(Long). Readers will also find the topic approached from a variety of perspectives including literary (Holt), comparative (Powell), political (Huynh),philosophical (Thompson), doctrinal (Varghese), and from perspectives of Socially Engaged Buddhism (Long). There are articles that describe actions of ecumenicists (Mun and Powell) and those that reflect the actions of specific Buddhist traditions (Long).

Buddhist contributions to creating peace occur at multiple levels—from cultivating an inner transformation through meditative practices to cultivating a social transformation within the structures of organized society through socially engaged Buddhism. In combination, pursuing self-enlightenment and taking social responsibility for the well-being of others and for the world are essential aspects of the Buddhist path to peace. The Lotus Sutra, one of the most widely read and revered of the Mahayana Buddhist teachings, contains the essence of the Buddha’s lifetime teachings and will likely become an important guide in the 21st Century for a peaceful coexistence. Nichiren stated, “The heart of the Lotus Sutra is the revelation that one may attain supreme enlightenment in one’s present form without altering one’s status as an ordinary person. This means that without casting aside one’s karmic impediments, one can still attain the Buddha way” (p. 410). This presentation examines the wisdom of the three main messages of the Lotus Sutra: (1) the dignity of all life, (2) the diversity of all life, and (3) the profound interdependence of all life. From the perspective of Buddhism and psychological science, these principles offer an alternative view of self and other that hold promise for bringing humanity together and contributing to a peaceful world.

Philosophy Study, 2017

While addressing global problems including conflict and violence is a common human agenda, they are human-caused: They are created and sustained through our thoughts. Though external causes and conditions cannot be ignored, the most fundamental problem is an epistemological one-our way of knowing and viewing the world. As the shape of the global conditions relies on our thoughts or ways of thinking, it is imperative to make a critical analysis of our mind. This paper explores how the Buddhist philosophy of human mind develops a model of global mind to achieve a peaceful future. Firstly, the analysis offers the concept of "the conditioned mind"-mind shaped by socially constructed frame of reference and examines how it becomes a cause of trouble. Secondly, it proposes the concept of "the unconditioned mind"-mind-state transcendent of an attachment to any form of frame of reference as an antidote to the potential danger of the conditioned state. Then, global mind is explored. It is characterized as the mixture of the conditioned and the unconditioned mind with the practice of multiple functions of mind-mindful practice, dialectical philosophical contemplation, and compassionate mind. The appreciation and enacting of both the conditioned mind and the unconditioned mind underpinned by the multiple functions of mind empowers us to touch universal humanity and inherent dignity of all human beings and to co-create new values, norms, and visions with those having different frames of reference to embody interdependent and interconnected human relationships.