Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-8, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Possible Methods for Resolution of Social Conflicts: An Analysis from Buddhist Perspective

Tran Duc Nam Ph.D Research Scholar, Acharya University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India

I. Introduction of the mind, so that eventually one might be teaches that whether we have enlightened and gain the insight or wisdom of global peace or global war is up to us at every seeing things, as they really are (pañña or prajña). moment. The situation is not hopeless and out of Buddhists call this the realization of total our hands. If we don't do anything, who will? Peace awakening or enlightenment (bodhi). or war is our decision. The fundamental goal of Conflict is the systematic use, or Buddhism is peace, not only peace in this world but threatened use, of violence to intimidate a peace in all worlds. population or government and thereby effect The Buddha taught that the first step on political, religious or ideological change. Acts of the path to peace is understanding the causality of terrorism are not intended to merely victimize or peace. When we understand what causes peace, we eliminate those who are killed, injured or taken know where to direct our efforts. No matter how hostage but rather to intimidate and influence the vigorously we stir a boiling pot of soup on a fire, societies to which they belong2. the soup will not cool. When we remove the pot To answer these questions, let us look first from the fire, it will cool on its own, and our at the Buddha's vision of the world, including the stirring will hasten the process. Stirring causes the causality of its operations. Then, in that context, we soup to cool, but only if we first remove the soup can trace the causes of war. When the causes are from the fire. In other words, we can take many identified, the Buddha's suggestions for dealing actions in our quest for peace that may be helpful. with them and eliminating them can be discussed. But if we do not first address the fundamental Finally, having developed a Buddhist theoretical issues, all other actions will come to naught. framework for understanding the nature of the Among them the conflict is exceptional in problem and its solution, we can try to apply the the present world. Many religions give justification basic principles in searching for concrete for the conflict in some occasions. But in applications that we can actually put into practice Buddhism no any justification for conflict. In many in our own daily lives. religions we can see concept of ‘Just war’ or ‘jihad’ II. Contents but in Buddhism Buddha never encourage his 1. Concept of Conflict disciples toward conflict at least for their life. The Citing a review of definitions Buddha advices to avoid that kind of troublesome of organizational conflicts in 1990 by Robert A. environment without associating. Once when Baron 3 , Rakhim notes the following common Buddha lives in Nigrodharama two groups of elements in the definitions of conflict: monks started to quarrel based on rule. They a. There are recognized opposing interests did not obeyed to Buddha’s advices. Then Buddha between parties in a zero-sum situation; did not involved to that trouble and went to b. There must be a belief by each side that Parileyya forest. Then those monks knew their the other one is or will act against them; weakness. They understood uselessness of the c. This belief is likely to be justified by conflicts and make an apology from the Buddha. actions taken; Lord Buddha said, “There is no greater happiness than peace.” 1 The ultimate goal for a d. Conflict is a process, having developed Buddhist is to reach the peaceful state of from their past interactions; and the means to reach this goal must be peaceful. To be a Buddhist, one is first of all required to observe the , to ensure that one does 2 . Meenakshi Chhabra, Spiritual Empowerment not take advantage of oneself or others. Being and World Peace: Humanity Struggles Against The neutral towards all beings, one can embark on the Many Faces of Terrorism, p.24. spiritual journey of meditation and reach tranquility 3. Robert A. Baron . "Conflict in Organizations". In Kevin R. Murphy; Frank E. Saal. Psychology in Organizations: integrating Science and Practice. 1 . Dh.v.197. Psychology Press. pp. 197–216.

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-8, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

The Oxford dictionaries defines conflicts what the actor thinks, feels or wants, he/she is as “a serious disagreement or argument, typically a frustrated by the other actor.” 9 protracted one: the eternal conflict between the sexes; a state of mind in which a person H & B: “A process which begins when experiences a clash of opposing feelings or needs: one party perceives that another party has bewildered by her own inner conflict, she could negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, only stand there feeling vulnerable a serious something the first party cares about.”10 incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or interests: there was a conflict In general, violence connotes an intense between his business and domestic life”4 manifestation of strength, usually involving some The Merriam-Webster dictionaries severe physical effects as in the violence of a defines conflicts as :5 thunderstorm, earthquake, explosion, stampede, a. competitive or opposing action of and so on. Clearly, it is a manifestation of nature's incompatibles : antagonistic state or balancing of powers. action (as of divergent ideas, interests, or persons). 3. Buddhist Theories for the Solution of b. mental struggle resulting from Social Conflict incompatible or opposing needs, drives, a. The Precept of Non-killing: wishes, or external or internal demands. Conflicts can occur between individuals, In a number of contexts, the discources groups and organizations; examples include of the Buddha that have come down to us in the quarrels between individuals, labor strikes, four Pāli Nikaya present the act of killing being as competitive sports, or armed conflicts. an un wholesome (akusala) act and , as such, to be 2. Conflicts from Scholar’s Perspective avoided. The first of the ten courses of Kriesberg: “Social conflict is a unwholesome action (akusala-kammapatha) is “to relationship between two or more parties who (or kill living being”. The third of the eight elements whose spokesmen) believe they have incompatible that makes up the Buddha’s eightfold path is “right goals.” 6 action”; one of the three forms that right action takes is “refraining from killing living being”. The Brown: “Conflict is incompatible first of the five precepts or “rules of training” behavior between parties whose interests differ.”7 (sikkhāpada) that are undertaken by all lay Buddhists takes the form, “I undertake the rule of Thomas: “Dyadic conflict will be training to refrain from harming living being”. The considered to be a process which includes the ten courses of unwholesome action, the eightfold perceptions, emotions, behaviors, and outcomes of path, and the five precepts are all standard elements two parties . Conflict is the process which begins in the teaching of the Buddha as presented in the when one party perceives that the other has Pāli Nikaya . frusttrated, or is about to frustrate, some concern of 8 his.” b. Paticcaṣ Summupada or Dependent Origination F. Glasl: “Social conflict is an interaction between actors (individuals, groups, The Buddhist doctrine of dependent organizations....), where at least one actor perceives co-origination or paticcasamuppada is usually a difference in perceptions, cognitions, emotions, understood as strictly applicable to one’s or will with the other actor, such that in fulfilling individual path of purification. Judging by the standard formulation of the teaching it is understandable that one gets this kind of impression about the teaching. In fact it is quite 4 The Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition true to say that in the teaching of the Buddha (20 Volume Set), A. Bazouki, Clarendon Press – the idea of dependent origination has been used Oxford, 1991. mainly to explain how suffering arises and 5 . http://www.merriam- ceases, based on various causes and conditions, webster.com/dictionary/conflict. in the individual. This, however, must not be 6. Louis Kriesberg,The sociology of social taken as the exclusive use of the explanation in conflicts, p.17. 7 . Bert R. Brown, The Social Psychology of Bargaining and Negotiation,p.4. 9 . Friedrich Glasl,Konfliktmanagement : Ein 8 . Thomas, K. W.,Conflict and conflict Handbuch für Führungskräfte, p.12. management, p.981. 10 .op.cit.,p.651.

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-8, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Buddhism. The purpose of this essay is to show 100% responsible for my life, my reality (like it or that the teaching can also be used as a way of not). approaching problems we are facing or forms of suffering we experience collectively in today’s e. Eightfold Noble Paths world. Buddhism has elements of all of these, but adds the further, and central, doctrine of causality c. Four Brahma Viharas which ties the others together and gives us moral efficacy. As for violence, violence is caused, and This psychological attitude tending to causes more violence, depending on conditions. peace in society is further analysed in Buddhism This understanding of not just the morality of non- into four cardinal states of thought and feeling violence but also of the world in general puts the called the four sublime moods (). question of morality on par with that of any other These four appear the same in all schools of phenomena. The causality of violence is not Buddhism. In they are listed as metta, karuna, something that can be supervened or suspended, is and upekkha, while the Buddhist not to be put aside as mere window dressing in the sources give the equivalent forms face of "political realities". The fact that violence as maitri, karuna, mudita and upeksha. makes for suffering is not limited to the victim, but Etymologically and conceptually they are the same, also touches the perpetrator; thus the recognition of and mean friendly feeling, sympathy, "sympathy" is not merely an altruistic act. The congratulatory benevolence, and equanimity, analysis of violence in Buddhism is of a piece with respectively. All social relationships, according to the rest of the dhamma. the Buddha, have to be based on these four moods or attitudes, and thus they are regarded as representing the highest (brahma) conditions for III. Conclusion social well-being. In fact, it may be rightly asserted that the concept of the sums up the In general, Buddhism holds the opinion whole of Buddhist social philosophy and gives it in that extreme violent activities, such as war and a nutshell. Psychologically considered, these four conflict among groups arise due to sensual desires. sublime moods (or moral attitudes of the individual The Mahadukkhandha Sutta, in particular, towards his fellow-creatures) are only partial identifies sensual desires as the leading factor in aspects of a single basic orientation of the creating disputes among various segments of individual mind with respect to humanity and non- society: human sentient beings, and can correctly be subsumed under the generic term 11 “Monks, when sense-pleasures are the benevolence. This spirit of benevolence is the cause, sense-pleasures the provenance, sense- origin and source of all peace and goodwill among pleasures the consequence, the very cause of sense- men, according to Buddhist social philosophy. pleasures, kings dispute with kings, nobles dispute with nobles, brahmans dispute with brahmans, d. Kamma Theory householders dispute with householders, a mother disputes with her son, a son disputes with his One aspect of the that quickly father, a brother disputes with a brother, a brother becomes apparent to most Buddhists is the notion disputes with a sister, a sister disputes with a of cause and effect or kamma: I am the creator/the brother, a friend disputes with a friend. Those who source of my own reality. This is not just referring enter into quarrel, contention, dispute and attack to my reactions to situations but to the situations as one another with their hands and with stones and well. Kamma refers to my past actions which plant with sticks and with weapons, these suffer dying potencies in my mind stream that ripen into my then and pain like unto dying. This too, monks, is a present and future experience. Kammic law is peril in the pleasures of the senses that is likened to the laws of nature: it is impossible to present...the very cause of pleasures of the experience a result without creating the cause; senses.”12 wholesome actions always lead to happiness and destructive actions always lead to suffering; The Sutta suggests that as long as human kammic potentials expand exponentially; and the beings are driven by sensual desires, violent effects of karma are never lost. In essence, I am activities such as using sticks and weapons to harm one another, verbal and physical abuses of each

11 . S. Tachibana, The Ethics of Buddhism,p.32 12 M. I. 113.

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-8, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in other, are unavoidable. The total overcoming of human revolution. This human revolution is your violent activities seem to be impossible as long as mission now as it will be throughout your life.”13 human beings have not completely eliminated their sensual desires. In violent circumstances, generating a relatively peaceful state is the only lasting possibility for creating peace.

Because of the inter-dependent nature, various forms of conflict are also conditioned by other activities. By analyzing those causes which lead to conflict and transforming violent contexts into non-violent social realities, Buddhism shows a way out of the vicious circle of violence.

There is a close link between righteous rule, fair distribution of wealth and providing adequate ways of earning a living for the masses. Once unemployment is grown, poverty leads to stealing and all other forms of violent activities which bring the downfall of the social, religious and cultural aspects emerge.

In examining the nature of terrorism from a Buddhist perspective, another important factor is seeing the role of psychological factors within the violent climate.

As the states human mind precedes all verbal and physical actions. Thus, the leading factor even in an extremely violent event can be an unhealthy psychological state of mind. From a Buddhist point of view, thoughts of violence and violent activities are defilements. They defile oneself and others. Once defiled, they lead to severe conditions. From a Buddhist point of view transformation of defilements for positive thinking is very much needed. This transformation is essential for healthy communities.

Finally, I would like to close with these lines by SGI (Silicon Graphics Incorporated) President Daisaku Ikeda, “You will pass through various storms and heavy rains and at times you may suffer defeat. The essence of the creative life however is not to give up in the face of defeat, but to follow the rainbow that exists within your heart. Creativeness means to push open the heavy groaning doorway to life. This is not an easy struggle. Opening the door to your own life is in the end more difficult than opening the door to the mysteries of the universe. At the same time, it makes life worth living for you. To be human is not merely to stand erect and manifest intelligence or knowledge. The fight to create a new life is a truly wonderful thing. In it, you find for the first time a wisdom that causes your intelligence to shine. I myself think of this creative life as a 13 .Kenneth Kraft, Inner Peace, World Peace: Essays on Buddhism and Nonviolence,p.50.

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