[dushappeaps]

Letting all that go and investigating for myself, reading some of the suttas in the Pali Canon and then eventually listening to and talking to a teacher from a completely different tradition felt almost liberating !

I can share that same experience. To get in contact with the Pali teachings has had a kind of liberating effect and has improved practice and understanding. I have found this teachings sharp and direct to what has to be done here and now. Curiously, when being mindful and with a peaceful state of mind, everything comes to place and there is no need for more than just being present and aware. When not, a bunch of felt needs, ideas, self told tales and fabrications arise ending in the experience of Dukkha.

[Patabeamn]

...
You always could be wrong or just always wrong?

Yes! I'm sure of it! ^^

[Vigeommighica]

How about a Modern Buddhism for Peaceful Problem Solving?
Warmly,
BG

[Junrlaeh]

How about a Modern Buddhism for Peaceful Problem Solving?
Warmly,
BG

Do you mean as in what is often called 'socially engaged' Buddhism? This article may interest you:

"Doing Nothing For Peace"
http://paulvolker.com/fire/doingnothing.html

[katespepach]

I'm not aware of this particular person's engaged Buddhism but I know, at least in the academic and professional world of conflict resolution, that engaged Buddhism is essentially TNH's baby.

[c-cialis]

Do you mean as in what is often called 'socially engaged' Buddhism? This article may interest you:

"Doing Nothing For Peace"
http://paulvolker.com/fire/doingnothing.html

Did you write that article yourself, then ?

[paydayloanfasters]

yes it is my own account. that's me in the pic along time ago. The challenge was, 'how to do something meaningful without getting trapped into taking sides'. Buddha was just as comfortable talking with kings as with beggars. He pointed out the universality of our situation, that we are all fragile beings (meaning drawn to self-destructive tendencies) and, in providing a path that was applicable to all people, in providing a universal answer, showed that basically we are all asking the same question. So, I was trying to bring that out in the context of the moment.

[UvgpXK0J]

I don't see any pic It just says "Image hosted by Tripod "

.

[Barbshowers]

I don't see any pic It just says "Image hosted by Tripod "

.

I have fixed that little problem. Thanks!

[sicheAscems]

Ah I see it now !

Anyway, sorry for my interruption and back to topic !

[cabonuserollyo]

How about a Modern Buddhism for Peaceful Problem Solving?
Warmly,
BG

Well, I think that the teachings of the Buddha are not an instrument for international affairs so to solve highly complex problems about resources, politics, domination systems, etc. We all know about the Dalai Lama preaching here and there about Buddhism in order to promote his concern in the conflict between China and Tibet. Now, it seems that the political lobbying has to be made by a politician skilled in such an art.

The teachings of Buddha are for people that have come to a certain understanding; and are about "self-reliance". The teachings of Buddha are not about a social order through catechism. The Buddha ethical code is more about to set conditions for mindfulness than rules to be obeyed. In order to solve social and environmental problems through the teachings of the Buddha, this teachings have to be imposed over people that, maybe, will not care about.

The ethical frame of the Buddha teachings is built into a much more wide teaching concerned with the not-self experience, meditation and a deep understanding of the unsatisfactory nature of things. Nobody can be forced for this. It is a self discovery, very personal and intimate. Out of this, the Buddha ethics are the same as many other "common sense" ethical frames that can be taught without being called "Buddhist".

The greatness of the teachings of the Buddha is that there are no redeemers, no saviours, no sinful people, no revengeful Karmic realms, no hopeless people, no gods governing, giving and taking out from and about us, etc., so this shows that the teachings of Buddha are not about a kind of imposed religious way of life, while religions are the other way, about a social order or a social ideal. The way of imposing social order (through redeemers and gods, fear, etc.,) has proved to be ineffective since humankind. The teachings of the Buddha are about a personal awakening from a distorted view about things.

If we want a better social order we have to transform through an ethical common sense education where self discovery of our own human nature can happen, and this singular event, in the life of a person, can not be controled or imposed by another one or a given social system.

[plalleste]

KA: The Buddha acted as a mediator or peacemaker himself three times. Two out of the three times resulted in a resolved conflict, and one did not. One success was among the monks of Kosambi and the other between Koliyan and Sakyan states. I do not know the failure but will find out (Source: Mindful Mediation: A Handbook for Buddhist Peacemakers; Pracha Hutanuwatr & Adam Curle, pp.283 ff. Could not find text online).

[dyestymum]

If only three times, recorded, does this suggest we need to be very reticient to become involved in situation which we are not directly involved in?

[nretdjuend]

KA: The Buddha acted as a mediator or peacemaker himself three times. Two out of the three times resulted in a resolved conflict, and one did not.

If only three times, recorded, does this suggest we need to be very reticient to become involved in situation which we are not directly involved in?

Hi BuckyG!

The commitment with the Dhamma main teachings makes me think what Andy has posted here.

I do not think the Buddha was indifferent about conflicts of his time but the aim of his teaching thorugh 40 or more years was about self reliance, renunciation, contemplation, tranquility and insight, awareness of our fabrications, etc., not social problem solving.

The temptation to think about the Dhamma as way to do political lobbying is very big for all us that we have found mental peace giving up to worldly anxiety. But, I insist, to reach this kind of understanding is not so easy. Pace makers are about to teach and practice common sense ethical behaviour which will lead soon or later to a less social differences and less attitudes of domination between human beings.

[cialviagra]

If only three times, recorded, does this suggest we need to be very reticient to become involved in situation which we are not directly involved in?

Absolutely! Even in these cases, Buddha had to be asked three times. A friggin' god had to convince him to even share the dhamma, so reticence is definitely called for. One of my teachers (also a Buddhist) even went so far as to say if she can't mediate a conflict without not owning it at all, she won't mediate (hence her belief in the need for mindful awareness practice by mediators). Impartiality is ethical rule number one for professional mediators (as a conduct guide, not ideal).

BG

[RicardoHun]

...self reliance, renunciation, contemplation, tranquility and insight, awareness of our fabrications, etc....

is, IMO,

social problem solving.

political lobbying

is, IMO, NOT peaceful problem solving. And I totally agree that peace begins within, and is best taught by the examples of our lives. Have I understood you?
Wising you well & happy,
BG

[bxxasxxa]

It is quite possible for one to be engaged in peaceful problem solving, and to be a buddhist, and to have one's efforts at peaceful problem solving influenced greatly by one's dharma practice, and to have one's example as a dharma practitioner influence problem solving, without this constituting directly "dharma used to address peaceful problem solving".

[RilmAlime67]

It is quite possible for one to be engaged in peaceful problem solving, and to be a buddhist [...]

Of course fojiao2

[...] without this constituting directly "dharma used to address peaceful problem solving".

Yes, that is right. And it is the point I tried to underline. Sometimes we can feel so well telling ourselves "Buddhists" that we can become a little bit arrogant believing that just "Buddhists" are about solving problems or the Dhamma "tools" the only best fitting ones to solve social problems.

There are many other means to treat serious social problems. In my personal experience Participatory Systems or means to make people participate toward a problem is not about "Buddhism" at all, it's about the gathering of experience and the aim of democratic participation in a collective way, so to bring tangible solutions to problems of any sort like environmental, violence against women, education, diversity, etc., without being deluded by idealisms about human beings or "ideal societies" based in utopian entanglements.

[Nakforappealp]

KA, fojiao2:
For the record, I reject all idealism & utopianism. It is by far the most annoying aspect of most "peace-nicks" I've ever encountered. I think the teachings of Buddha (properly viewed) are the best medicine for this. Fortunately, there are some peace workers who understand. I just wish there were more. The causes of true happiness come from within, and the world would be a much better place if we could all find true happiness. However, being a Buddhist within any social structure provides opportunities to to spread the teachings.
B@ease
BG

[Brareevor]

KA: The Buddha acted as a mediator or peacemaker himself three times. Two out of the three times resulted in a resolved conflict, and one did not. One success was among the monks of Kosambi and the other between Koliyan and Sakyan states. I do not know the failure but will find out.

The failure as when the Shakyans were all killed; when the Shakyans gave a bride to the neighbouring king he thought was a Shaykan noble but was in reality just a slave or similar lowling.

The Buddha turned back the armies on two occassion, but on the third occassion, the Buddha practised equinimity, regarding the dishonest actions of the Shakyans too severe and the anger of the neighbouring king also too severe to be able to stop.

So the Buddha's former clan was anihilated in his presence.

Here: http://fraughtwithperil.com/ryuei/20...f-the-shakyas/