The Principles of Buddhism for Peace and Conflict Resolution

The Principles of Buddhism for Peace and Conflict Resolution

• Article of ALOK MIND (Buddhist Philosophy) No. 5.
• Author: Bhikkhu ALOKA
• Published by ALOK MIND Foundation 
• Issued: 29 October, 2023

Abstract  

The principles of Buddhism for Peace and Conflict Resolution are Non-violence, Compassion, Mindfulness, and Wisdom. Even Buddha taught these principles; they are universal practices. As the universal practices, these are concerned with every single human being to practice in daily life and to make a peaceful society or peaceful world. Non-violence, synonymous with loving-kindness, encourages individuals to refrain from physical harm and embrace ethical and gentle qualities in interactions. Compassion goes beyond empathy, urging us to actively alleviate the suffering of others. Mindfulness promotes self-regulation and a harmonious way of living. If we keep right mindfulness, our action will not be a danger for other, our speech will not be annoying for other, our thought will not be negative emotion such as jealousy, envy.  Thus, we can make a more peaceful society. Wisdom allows us to distinguish the roots of problems and their solutions. These principles deeply align with the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasizing their importance in building a more peaceful world. Regardless of anyone’s belief, culture, color, or class, if we all individually embrace and practice these principles, we can undoubtedly solve our human conflicts and we make a peaceful world.

Introduction

The principles of Buddhism for Peace and Conflict Resolution are: Non-violence, Compassion, Mindfulness, and Wisdom. These are practicable and applicable for every single human being. To implement non-violence or to cultivate loving-kindness in our daily life is a fundamental aspiration. To effectively practice the loving-kindness, we need to be an honest person, an ethical person, and a gentle person, and humble person. There are four key components of loving-kindness: empathy, altruism, forgiveness, and a positive view of others.

Compassion is the alleviation of others’ suffering. There are also four components of Compassion: alleviation of others’ suffering, taking action to mitigate others’ suffering, practicing non-violence, and maintaining a positive view of beings who are suffering. This principle of compassion closely aligns with the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, specifically Article 5.

The last message of Buddha is to live always with mindfulness for a successful life. A successful life is led by one who can control oneself, avoiding actions such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, consuming intoxicating drinks and drugs, and other evils. By practicing right mindfulness, our actions will not pose a danger to others, our speech will not be annoying to others, and our thoughts will not be tainted by negative emotions such as jealousy and envy. As a result, we can create a more beautiful environment and a peaceful society.

Wisdom is defined as the ability to perceive the roots of problems and their solutions. Buddha analyzes the three unwholesome roots of all human problems, which are greed, hatred, and delusion. this philosophy is highly relevant to the global crises we face today. 50% of world’s wealth is possessed by 99% of world’s population and only 1% controls the other 50% of world’s wealth. Greed is also seen in the ongoing exploitation of natural resources, contributing to global warming and climate change.

Hatred is expressed through the powerful arms industries manufacturing weapons of destruction and ongoing conflicts based on differences in ethnicity, religion, beliefs, racial affiliations, and nations such as the domestic conflict in Myanmar, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Climate change is primarily driven by human deluded and ignorant activities, and the consequences of continued carbon emissions pose great dangers to humanity.

Buddha also analyzed three wholesome roots of problem-solving: non-greed or generosity, non-hatred or loving-kindness, and non-delusion or wisdom. In the spirit of generosity, those responsible for global policy must create a policy of generosity among the wealthy and wealthy nations, helping poorer countries alleviate poverty, hunger, malnutrition, women’s oppression, and safeguarding human rights for all.

This way, everyone can enjoy sufficient food, clean water, clean air, and a sustainable environment. To cultivate non-hatred or loving-kindness, we must develop a mindset of kindness and respect toward people worldwide, overcoming antagonisms based on differences in religion, race, and ethnicity. We must recognize that everyone is entitled to a life with dignity and meaning. In cultivating the wholesome roots of wisdom, we must understand the causes of problems and effective solutions and recognize how our personal conduct and national and international policies have global ramifications.

First Principle: Non-violence or Loving-kindness

The core principles of Buddhism for Peace and Conflict Resolution lies in the profound concept of non-violence, often synonymous with the cultivation of loving-kindness. As the deep analysis of the principle, the research discovers that it encourages individuals to move beyond mere avoidance of physical harm and adopt a holistic perspective of non-violence. This encompasses not only refraining from physical violence but also abstaining from actions, words, and thoughts that may inflict harm on others. It signals us to be not just honest individuals but to embody ethical and gentle qualities in our interactions with the world.

The First Buddhist Psychological book called as Atthasālinī[1] expounds on this principle and reveals four essential components of loving-kindness: empathy, altruism, forgiveness, and a positive view of others. Embracing these components, Buddha encouraged individuals to extend empathy to those around them, promoting a deeper understanding of diverse human experiences. In the philosophy, Buddha also illuminated altruism, motivating us to act for the well-being of others and the collective good. Forgiveness, an integral part of this principle, loving-kindness, allows us to let go of grudges and resentments, paving the way for reconciliation and harmony.

This philosophical concept of loving-kindness is closely relevant to the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, particularly in Article 1, which states, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”[2]  Especially, the second sentence of the article exactly says that we all should cultivate loving-kindness and we should build the mindset that “we all are human brotherhood.”

Second Principle: Compassion

The second principle of Buddhism for Peace and Conflict Resolution upholds the profound principle of compassion, an unwavering commitment to alleviate the suffering of others. Compassion, as articulated within the teachings of Buddhism, is a multifaceted concept that transcends mere empathy or sympathy; it beckons us to be active agents in the reduction of suffering in the world. The Buddhist philosophical book Visuddhi-Magga explains that “compassion is the alleviation of others’ suffering.”[3] So, it encourages individuals to act and consider for alleviation of others’ suffering with true compassion and benevolence.

Practicing compassion in our daily lives is a fundamental responsibility as humans. It involves extending a helping hand when we see someone in distress, offering our support. This is the true essence of compassion. Moreover, our words carry enormous power in shaping our interactions. To practice compassion, we should talk right, polite, motivative and helpful words. This verbal empathy is another vital aspect of genuine compassion.

In moments when we see someone enduring hardship, we should to listen to them deeply and we should feel sad together as well as we should connect with their pain, and to share in their sorrow. This empathetic engagement, where we stand by their side and feel their suffering, is the embodiment of compassion. By incorporating these practices into our daily lives, we can create a world that thrives on understanding, kindness, and genuine support.

In Buddhist Psychology, the Atthasālinī describes four essential components of compassion: “alleviating others’ suffering, taking action to resolve their problems of suffering, refraining from violence, and cultivating a positive view of those who are in painful conditions.”[4] This principle of compassion is closely aligned with the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, particularly Article 5, which states, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” This unequivocally underscores the necessity for humanity to practice compassion in their daily lives as a means to foster a more peaceful world.

To facilitate the principles of loving-kindness and compassion, Buddha introduced two additional factors, sympathetic joy (non-jealousy) and equality. The group is called Brahma Vihara (Sublime Attitudes) and this group totally consists of four factors: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy (non-jealousy), and equality. Among them, Among the four, the last factor-Equality is vital importance to implement the first three factors. Furthermore, the factor of equality resonates profoundly with the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, especially. the Article number 7, 10, 16, 21, and 23. https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html.  These 5 articles elucidate that through human equality, resolving and paving the path towards sustainable peace.

Third Principle: Mindfulness

The third principle of Buddhism for peace and conflict resolution is mindfulness, which is a key and important instrument for the existence of every part of humanity: wherever we go, whatever we talk about, or whatever we think.

The final message of the Buddha is, “To live always with mindfulness for a successful life.” The message emphasizes the practice of mindfulness as a vital component for leading a successful life at both the mundane and super-mundane levels of success.

In one of the very famous Buddhist philosophical books called Dhammapada, Buddha said, “The one who can control oneself, avoiding killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, taking intoxicating drinks and drugs, and other evils, leads a successful life.”[5] In this guidance, mindfulness is described as the ability to self-regulate and exercise self-control, steering clear of actions that harm others and oneself. So, Buddhist mindful practice encompasses the avoidance of inhuman actions, injustice, cruel actions, and the other evils, all of which may lead to chaos, mess, and the instability of the mind or a sorrowful state of mind.

Furthermore, In the discourse of mindfulness, Buddha said “to keep mindfulness every moment and everywhere- when we act, when we speak, when we think.”[6] This discourse extends mindfulness beyond the confines of meditation, urging individuals to maintain awareness in every moment and every facet of life, including their actions, speech, and thoughts. When we uphold the practice of right mindfulness, our actions will not be destructive, and our attitude will not be rude toward others; our words will not be a source of annoyance, and our thoughts are liberated from negative emotions such as jealousy and envy. The profound impact of mindfulness is the creation of a more beautiful environment and a more peaceful society.

Fourth Principle: Wisdom

What exactly is wisdom? In the Buddhist philosophical text named Sutta Nipata, the meaning of wisdom is to see the roots of problems and their solutions, known in Pali language as Mūladassavī.[7] In the text, Buddha undertook a profound analysis of the three unwholesome roots underlying all human problems and crises, which are greed, hatred, and delusion.

This philosophy surprisingly has relevance to the global crises that we all face today. If we closely examine all the problems that the global community faces, we can see that they stem from the same unwholesome roots that are responsible for individual personal problems. For example, we see greed manifest in the division of the world’s population into small, powerful, and extremely wealthy groups. According to OXFAN article description, 50% of world’s wealth is possessed by 99% of world’s population and only 1% controls the other 50% of world’s wealth.[8]

We also see greed in the continued exploitation of our natural resources, particularly in the pursuit of new sources of fossil fuels which contribute to global warming and climate change. Despite warnings from scientists and our best policy analysts, powerful fossil fuel corporations continue to amass wealth, even at the expense of the world’s population and human civilization, putting them in great danger.

We see hatred expressed in the powerful arms industries that manufacture weapons of mass destruction or limited destruction. We also witness hatred in the ongoing conflicts based on differences in ethnicity, religion, beliefs, racial affiliations, and nationalities. Examples of such conflicts include the current domestic conflict in Myanmar, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the war between Israel and Palestine.

We see delusion and ignorance in the repeated denial of truth, particularly when it comes to the climate crisis. There is a continuous refusal to recognize that climate change is driven by the deluded and ignorant activities of humans. The consequences of continued carbon emissions are very dangerous for humanity.

So, Buddha’s analysis of these three unwholesome roots is applicable not only to the dual quest for enlightenment and liberation but also to the establishment of a world that is free from the destructive impacts of greed, hatred, and delusion.

In the text, Buddha also analyzed three wholesome roots or three wholesome capacities of the human mind for problem-solving: non-greed or generosity, non-hatred or loving-kindness, and non-delusion or wisdom.

In the spirit of generosity, what do we have to do? For those who are responsible for global policy, it is to create a global policy of generosity. Those in possession of wealth and wealthy nations need to help the poorer countries alleviate poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and the oppression of women. They should provide human rights protection for everyone, ensuring that all people can enjoy sufficient food, clean water, clean air, and a sustainable environment.

In pursuing the root of non-hatred or loving-kindness, we have to develop a mind of kindness and respect towards people all over the world, overcoming antagonisms based on differences of religion, race, ethnicity, and nation. We must also develop our mindset to respect the humanity of every living being. Furthermore, we need to understand that everyone is entitled to live a life with dignity and meaning.

In cultivating the wholesome roots of wisdom, we have to understand the causes of problems and effective ways of finding solutions, as mentioned above. We must see how our personal conduct, as well as our national and international policies, has global ramifications that extend all over the world, which is woven together into an inseparable interconnected totality.[9]

Conclusion

Finally, the author would like to say that these principles are very effective for peace and conflict resolution as well as they are very closely relevant with the Articles of UN, Universal Declaration of Human Right. These principles are practicable and applicable for every single human being. By embracing these principles, we can build a world characterized by empathy, loving-kindness, compassion, and other benevolent qualities. Moreover, these principles are not for a belief system but for daily life practice; they are universal and can be embraced by every human.

As we reflect on the interconnectedness of our global community, it becomes increasingly evident that the teachings of Buddhism, based on wisdom, hold the key to solving contemporary challenges. Greed, hatred, and delusion, the unwholesome roots of human problems, find their solution in non-greed (generosity), non-hatred (loving-kindness), and non-delusion (wisdom). Buddha also illuminated these principles for the practice of redistributing wealth and education, promoting kindness and respect for all, and seeking solutions that address the root causes of global issues.

The timeless wisdom of Buddhism stands as a beacon of hope, offering a path to a more harmonious and compassionate world. By embracing non-violence, compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom, we can collectively contribute to the resolution of conflicts, the alleviation of suffering, and the promotion of a more just and equitable global society.

Regardless of anyone’s beliefs, culture, color, or class, if we individually practice these principles, we all different people can sit together, eat together, discuss together as a human brotherhood and we can absolutely resolve our human conflicts and then we can create a more harmonious and peaceful world the one we have today.

References

[1] Buddhaghosa’s Commentary, Atthasālinī, (London: Pali Text Society, Press, 1979), p.193.

[2] United Nations, “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” accessed [26 of October, 2023], https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html.

[3] C.A.F. Rhys Davids, (ed), (1975) Visuddhi-Magga of Buddhaghosa, London: Pali Text Society Publication. Pp. 314-315.

[4] Buddhaghosa’s Commentary, Atthasālinī, (London: Pāli  Text Society, Press, 1979), p.192.

[5] H.C. Norman, (edit) The Commentary of Dhammapada Vol. II, (London: PTS Publication, 1970), p.227.

[6] Davids, T.W. Rhys; Carpenter, J. Estlin (eds.). The Dīgha Nikāya. Vol.II. London: PTS, 1966. p.290.

[7] Khuddaka Nikaya, Sutta Nipata, MuladassavÎ.

[8] OXFAN, Richest 1% bag nearly twice as much wealth as the rest of the world put together over the past two years, 16th January 2023, Online Resource: https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/richest-1-bag-nearly-twice-much-wealth-rest-world-put-together-over-past  twoyears?fbclid=IwAR2ADjncxlAcLHhvxVkvlpX9U7C8DrdPVZh4t2TP7UqUdyz5bVyONpKJC_U

[9] Bhikkhu Bodhi, Vesak Speech, (New York: UN Center, 2017).