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Inner Peace, World Peace: Essays on Buddhism and Nonviolence / Zen Awakening and Society

Edited by Kenneth Kraft / By Christopher Ives

Inner Peace, World Peace: Essays on Buddhism and Nonviolence Edited by Kenneth Kraft State University of New York Press: Albany, 1992. 148 pp. $12.95 (paperback).

Zen Awakening and Society Christopher Ives University of Hawaii Press: Honolulu, 1992. 200 pp. $14.95 (paperback) and $25.00 (library binding).

The question of how  to extend Buddhist practice—in terms of carrying it outside the community of practitioners and into the structures and decisions of the larger society—is not a new one. The books edited by Kenneth Kraft and authored by Christopher Ives respectively, however, dig into this problem with a seriousness, depth, and concreteness not seen before. Both Kraft and Ives express concern about the danger that American Buddhists will strive to cultivate “inner peace” but let “world peace” become a cause that is expected to take care of itself. That is, both of these books insist on a Buddhism of engagement with the social and political problems of our world.

Kraft’s volume shows a fine mix of materials and perspectives among its eight contributors. Running throughout is a deep appreciation of the general norms and principles found in the Buddhist tradition but also a candid admission that those prin­ciples are not always easily transla­ted into an exact knowledge of how to act in specific situations. As Luis O. Gomez notes,

ideals such as “respect for life” or “fulfilling the aspirations of all living beings” do not provide an unambiguous guideline for behavior … After all, the best way to make a tiger happy may be to feed it a lamb. Buddhist ethical thought, at least in its early stages, did not investigate this kind of problem.

Most of the writers here, however, chose to work not so much with theories as with what Donald K. Swearer calls “exemplars” of nonviolence. King Asoka, the present Dalai Lama, and Thich Nhat Hanh, understandably, are selected by many of these writers as fitting that category especially well. Robert A. F. Thurman’s exploration of linkages between monastic ideals and modern Tibet’s experience with nonviolence pre­sents an especially cogent “exem­plar,” and Gene Sharp, simply by quantitatively showing how often nonviolence has already worked well, deflates the criticism that it is only an unrealizable ideal.

Although Kraft’s book intends to help define a Buddhist social ethic, it turns out to be stronger in its provision of such “exem­plars” of nonviolence than in the spelling out of what could be called a Buddhist ethical theory. Is this a failing? Or is it a special kind of success—that is, because even something setting out to be “Buddhist theory” gets more true to the tradition when, sooner or later, there is a choice for exemplars rather than for theories? This becomes an interesting question.

Christopher Ives’  Zen Awakening and Society  is a book showing both concern and tough-mindedness. Like Kraft’s, Ives’ book is clearly written to stimulate North Ameri­can Buddhists to practice more energetically and effectively within the social ambit. Ives’ study is a close look at the resources avail­able within Japanese Zen and a bold scrutiny of many of its fail­ings. Scholarship on the history of Buddhism, sometimes too easily put down within communities of practitioners, here becomes a valua­ble tool for internal watch-dogging.

Japanese Zen during the first half of our century, Ives shows, moni­tored itself badly. As a result it used—and was used by—the brutal forces of fascism and militarism. Many monks put a patina of good intentions on Japan’s wars against its neighbors, referring to them as the physical expression of a deeply “spiritual” struggle going on in the world. Ives’ study does not flinch from these facts. But in order not to stop with a recollection of that sorry epoch, it also considers Japanese Buddhists who after 1945 sought to chart a new course. Ives focuses attention on three individuals.

Shin’ichi Hisamatsu (1889-1980), in the modern world an exemplar of the scholar-practitioner (“Zen practice without study is blind; study without practice is power­less”), threw down a challenge to the Japanese monastic institution (“Zen within a ghostly cave”) for being on the one hand inattentive to societal needs and on the other co-opted too easily by the rally-­the-troops rhetoric of the modern nation-state. Ives lays out the basic themes of Hisamatsu’s philosophy, especially his passion for a non-exclusive vision of mankind and the tools he used to critique the modern nation-state as itself being a form of egoism writ large.

Masao Abe took the insights and energies of Hisamatsu, his mentor, and has translated them into decades of widely influential teach­ing in North America and Europe. Abe has been the principal agent in the formation of ongoing exchan­ges between Buddhists and Christians and Buddhists and Jews in the West. His rich knowledge of Western religious thought also enabled him to frame many of the key questions of such interchanges. Ives notes the importance of Abe’s stress upon the need for “ active  compassion,” although at the same time Ives suggests that Abe skimps on the importance of “justice.”

Hakugen Ichikawa (1902-1986), a figure introduced here by Ives for the first time, is prized by Ives not for theoretical profundity but for the fact that he writes “about ethical issues in greater historical detail.” And that detail involves a concrete critique—from within—­of the actual record, especially in the area of social ethics, of Zen in modern Japan. Ives brings forward twelve key points in Ichikawa’s analysis, many of which, he suggests, would repay any atten­tion given them by Buddhist practitioners in the West as well.

These books are both excellent and important. There is also, I think, a noteworthy level of urgency in them. They imply that, for a variety of reasons, any Buddhism that is “Western” or “American” cannot afford to assume it will have millenia or even centuries to come to clarity about ethical or social issues. Ives sees a danger of Western Buddhists hoping for a “trickle-down ethic,” one that will automatically come along in time if only practitioners get their own individual, personal lives straightened out. Kraft’s book takes in more of the variety of Asian contexts and situations faced by Buddhists from different sub-­traditions, but a similar theme comes through: concern for society and its concrete problems is not something that mayor can be shelved for now.

Although there is considerable agreement within these two books, there is also diversity, even disagree­ment. If I were to choose one issue on which there could profitably be a much deeper debate it would be the problem of relation of the sangha to the state. No one could reasonably fault Robert Thurman for ignoring the need for Buddhists to be active and concrete in the social and political world. However, in his essay, “Tibet and the Monastic Army of Peace,” in the Kraft volume, he maintains the follow­ing: “The Tibetan ideal was the unity of dharma and state, dharma and society, dharma and life. This might at first trouble us because of the American principle of the separation of church and state.”

I confess to being one of the troubled here. And, if I read Ives rightly, the reason for worry need not spring only from the “Ameri­can” principle of separation (al­though I think it important) but also from some fairly sorry episodes in the history of Asia when it was assumed that the Dharma and the state had effective­ly fused. The case of what happen­ed in modern Japan is especially egregious, but the disease of religious “triumphalism”—with all the harms it can bring to others and reactions it can unleash against religion itself—is not one against which Buddhists anywhere can show they have been once and for all immunized. Especially in view of the trials foisted upon contem­porary Tibet, Thurman is surely right to insist that “whether or not a society accepts monasticism is a revealing litmus of that society.” But there is, I suggest, a difference between a society that  accepts  monasticism and one in which state and sangha have become one. The secular state, today under attack from so many, is one I find myself preferring.

Although not the only recent works urging forward the thinking of Western Buddhists about ethics and society, the books by Ives and Kraft are especially probing and rich. Kraft articulates things precisely when he writes that many today wish to explore in Buddhism “a creative tension between withdrawal and involvement, an underlying synonymity between work on oneself and work on behalf of others.”

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Part 2: Human Revolution Chapter 18: Buddhism Is a Teaching of Dialogue [18.1]

18.1 dialogue is the essence of buddhism.

There are two aspects of practice in Nichiren Buddhism—practice for oneself and practice for others. The latter entails sharing the Mystic Law based on deep respect for others’ lives and a heartfelt wish for their happiness. Practice for others is not limited to teaching people about Buddhist principles and ideals. President Ikeda explains that it includes warmly encouraging others through dialogue and thoughtful actions that embody the spirit of respect for all people and the dignity of life taught in the Lotus Sutra. And it means to inspire others by demonstrating real improvement in every aspect of our lives, that is, through our human revolution. President Ikeda has himself engaged people around the world in countless inspiring dialogues, always basing his words on the principles of Nichiren Buddhism. This chapter features selections of his guidance on conducting such dialogue. Buddhism is essentially a teaching of dialogue. Its enormous body of scriptures, known as the “eighty thousand teachings,” originated in Shakyamuni’s candid dialogues with people from all walks of life. Shakyamuni’s first sermon, the “first turning of the wheel of the Law,” was by no means a solitary discourse delivered from on high. It was a frank and open conversation with five old friends, fellow human beings who for a time had pursued the truth of life along with him. These former companions did not immediately accept what he said, just because he claimed to have attained enlightenment. Shakyamuni did not produce any miracle to convince them either. What he did was patiently continue to engage them in dialogue. He spoke with them again and again, over what appears to have been several days, until they were satisfied. Finally, one of his friends, Ajnata Kaundinya, 1 grasped what Shakyamuni was saying, and the other four soon followed. It wasn’t all five at once. Only one person understood at first. This is the important point—whether we can get our message across to one other person and gain their understanding. Everything starts from there. Soon after embarking on his “journey of dialogue,” Shakyamuni encountered a youth who was wandering through a grove of trees and lamenting about his problems. Shakyamuni called to him: “Young man, there are no worries here. Come here and sit down with me.” He urged the youth to sit down beside him and join him in conversation. 2 Shakyamuni was always a friend to the suffering and seekers of the way. One of the meanings of maitri , the Sanskrit word for compassion, is “friendliness.” An early Buddhist scripture describes Shakyamuni’s manner of interacting with people as “welcoming and hospitable, friendly in speech, happy to see others, always pleasant and bright, and eager to greet others before they greet him.” 3 He didn’t receive people with a scowl as if to say, “What do you want?” or a cold superiority. Though dignified, he had an openness that made him approachable. That’s why all kinds of people—farmers, merchants, people of learning, members of the nobility, and rulers—wanted to meet him. Whether it was to share their troubles or to challenge him in debate, everyone eagerly wanted to speak with Shakyamuni. The Soka Gakkai, too, is a forum for dialogue where we can talk with one another about anything. That’s why so many gather for our lively meetings and activities. Speaking on equal terms with anyone was, in fact, quite radical in India during Shakyamuni’s time. The caste system governed society, dividing the population into many classes, with Brahmans at the top. But Shakyamuni was equally respectful to everyone he encountered. For example, when one man of low caste—who had been long despised and reviled—sought to become his disciple, Shakyamuni welcomed him by addressing him with a title conveying his utmost respect. 4 In this world, where all things are impermanent, no one—whether a ruler or an ordinary citizen—can escape the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Shakyamuni always focused on this reality of human existence. Once, the king of Kosala 5 came to see Shakyamuni after a long absence, saying he had been busy with affairs of the realm. Shakyamuni asked what the king would do if he saw a mountain high as the clouds about to crumble and destroy his kingdom, and there was no escape. The king replied that in such a case, no worldly power would be of use, and he would devote his remaining time to doing good. That mountain, Shakyamuni responded, is none other than aging and death. 6 Shakyamuni’s dialogues were a means for seeking, along with the many people he met, the true way to live. A husband who complained about his wife’s practice of Buddhism and a stubborn man with a cantankerous nature both regained the humility to reflect on their lives after meeting and speaking with Shakyamuni. 7 One day, a farmer who had been working in his fields said to Shakyamuni sarcastically: “Why don’t you work as I do, plowing and sowing?” “I, too, am plowing and sowing,” replied Shakyamuni to the farmer’s astonishment. “My seeds are faith, and I cultivate with the plow of wisdom. My harvest is deliverance from all cares.” 8 This superb metaphor would surely touch the heart of anyone doing farm work. On another occasion, Shakyamuni encountered a woman weeping in a forest, calling out the name of her deceased daughter. 9 “Woman, understand yourself,” said Shakyamuni, uttering words that would later be echoed by Socrates, when he said, “Know thyself.” Shakyamuni patiently told her: “There are many daughters of the name you call who were cremated in these woods. Which of them are you calling?” Shakyamuni’s question moved the desolate, grief-stricken woman, helping her realize that she was not alone in her suffering. “Ah, you have drawn out the dart, so hard to find, that was in my heart,” she said, drying her tears and making a fresh resolve to seek the Buddha way. Shakyamuni says in the Lotus Sutra that he widely expounded his teachings “through various causes and various similes” (LSOC2, 56) as appropriate to people’s differing capacities to understand the Law. In this respect, his dialogues were an expression of great artistry. Thus, Buddhism has always been a religion of dialogue and, as such, a religion of genuine humanity. May you all be openhearted experts of dialogue and courageous champions who communicate the truth! These are the honors of practitioners of Buddhist humanism, who will usher in an age of dialogue in the 21st century. Nichiren Daishonin urges: “Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase” (WND-1, 386). Therefore, let us forge ahead, keeping the flame of dialogue forever burning bright! From an essay series “Thoughts on The New Human Revolution ,” published in Japanese in the Seikyo Shimbun , March 8, 2002.

The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace brings together selections from President Ikeda’s works on key themes .

• *1 Ajnata Kaundinya: One of the five ascetics who heard Shakyamuni Buddha’s first sermon and thereupon converted to his teachings. He was born to a Brahman family of Kapilavastu in northern India. When Shakyamuni renounced the secular world, Kaundinya and four others accompanied him at the order of Shakyamuni’s father, King Shuddhodana, and practiced austerities together with him. When Shakyamuni discarded his ascetic practice, however, they abandoned him and left for Deer Park. After Shakyamuni attained enlightenment, Kaundinya and the others again encountered the Buddha at Deer Park and embraced his teachings.
• *2 Cf. The Book of the Discipline (Vinaya-Pitaka) , translated by I. B. Horner, vol. 4 (Mahavagga) (Oxford: Pali Text Society, 1993), pp. 22–23.
• *3 Cf. Sonadanda-sutta and Kutadanta-sutta in Digha-nikaya I , edited by T. W. Rhys Davids and J. E. Carpenter (London: Pali Text Society, 1889). Cf. Nanden daizokyo (The Tripitaka in the Southern Transmission), edited by J. Takakusu, vol. 6 (Tokyo: Taisho Shinshu Daizokyo Publishing Society, 1935), pp. 172, 195.
• *4 Cf. The Elders’ Verses I (Theragatha), translated by K. R. Norman (Oxford: Pali Text Society, 1995), p. 62 (Nos. 620–625/25).
• *5 Kosala: Also known as Koshala. A kingdom of ancient India, in the eastern part of what is now Uttar Pradesh, India’s northern state.
• *6 Cf. The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya , translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi (Oxford: Wisdom Publications, 2000), p. 192.
• *7 Cf. Ibid., pp. 254–55 and 274.
• *8 Cf. Ibid., pp. 266–68.
• *9 Cf. The Elders’ Verses II (Therigatha), translated by K. R. Norman (Oxford: Pali Text Society, 1995), p. 8 (Nos. 51–53).
• Part 2: Human Revolution Chapter 17: Making the Most of Each Day [17.7]
• Part 2: Human Revolution Chapter 18: Buddhism Is a Teaching of Dialogue [18.2]
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The Concept of Peace in Buddhist Philosophy

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

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Juichiro Tanabe

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.

The main aim of Buddhism is to examine how human mind becomes a root cause of suffering and how it can be addressed. This paper explores how this analysis of the human mind develops inner peace. The analysis proposes inner peace as a non-dualistic peace based on the practice of multiple functions of mind– contemplative mind, a deep cognitive transformation framed by an interdependent, interpenetrating understanding of reality, and compassionate mind – in a synergistic way. Put different, inner peace means an awakening to an ultimate inseparability between our own well-being and happiness and that of others, which inspires us to make an effort to gratify the basic needs of all and promote our freedom and justice and that of others equally.

Blue Pine Books

Ronald S Green

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).

kathleen dockett , Kathleen Dockett

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.

kathleen dockett

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.

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in The Ashgate Research Companion to Religion and Conflict Resolution, Lee Marsden (ed). Ashgate, London, pp.79-95, 2012.

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Buddhism and Greater Peace: Conflict, Visions of Peace Term Paper

Introduction, buddhism’s vision for peace, how religions become evil, buddhism relations.

Buddhism has long been associated with theories related to individual and societal peace. Though these are key results of practices in this religion, very few people understand teachings and practices enabling Buddhism to be so successful in the facilitation of peace. This paper thus looks into the framework behind Buddhism’s peace mechanisms, religious practices, and relations with other ideologies, religions, and political groupings. The three subsequent sections of the essay would concentrate on various aspects of religion concerning peacebuilding. A conclusion noting some important points shall follow.

Buddhism holds that peace-building should not come after a war, which is what many individuals tend to think. This religion holds that making peace should serve as a preventative measure against a war that could occur (Kimball 89). In this regard, it is up to individuals in society to ensure that peace is cultivated among themselves, so confrontations can be avoided. This is contrary to what many people in the world would think of peace. Indeed, all peace-building processes being undertaken in the world are a result of war, meaning that world leaders tend to run when harm has already taken place.

The world community should learn from Buddhism that creating foundations for peace during peaceful conditions is the best measure of avoiding confrontations and wars that have come to characterize living conditions in various world regions. The main reason for this Buddhism teaches is that by encouraging people in the communities to live in peace with neighbors, chances of conflicts would greatly be diminished (Narayan 141). Taking such measures would save the world a lot of resources being used in healing processes after conflicts; it has to be considered that creating foundations of peace before the confrontation is way cheaper than subsequent healing processes.

The facilitation of peace during calm periods means that societies would avoid confrontations that characterize peace negotiations after wars. Such nonviolence processes of achieving peace are one of the key foundations for Buddhism’s foundation for peace. This nonviolence approach has a greater advantage of having many people contribute to the process. Indeed, it is likely that individuals would feel more comfortable taking part in the process, meaning that successful decisions agreeable to all parties would be agreed upon. Achieving such high expectations in peace-building processes that take place after violent confrontations can prove to be an uphill task for all participants.

To achieve the best results in the process of peace creation and prevention of conflicts, Buddhism requires the use of all-inclusive approaches (Jayatilleke 58). All stakeholders in communities should therefore be involved in the process. As just mentioned, it is possible that community members would most likely feel obliged to take part in the process. This all-inclusive process avoids infighting that is likely to be found in healing processes. The latter process could be characterized by the blame games on who was the main cause for wars that brought the community to the negotiation table. Such benefits of enabling peace before wars should be encouraged among world societies.

Most religions in the world are established to help adherents to live in peace with neighbors and world communities. Indeed, religions are consistently used in peace facilitation processes. This is not different in Buddhism, a religion that has been famed for its success in creating foundations for peace in and among individuals. The strength of Buddhism in achieving peace is buried in its teachings, which encourage adherents to first establish peace within themselves (Kenneth 101). It is this internal peace in individuals that later spreads to the community; having many individuals with internal calm negotiate peace in the community has a higher propensity to succeed.

However, world religions have the weakness of having adherents believe that only their religion is the right one and none else. Such thoughts lead to prejudice against believers of other fails. As a result, having several individuals in the community with such extreme thoughts in communities could be disastrous in peace-finding missions. Indeed, it sometimes happens that individuals’ extreme beliefs may be the ones resulting in conflicts. Conflicts resulting from such religious beliefs could become as fatal as those caused by other reasons. Religious ones may prove harder to control as it is equally hard to change beliefs or force extremist believers to accept other religions.

Believing that one’s religion is the world’s best could lead to a situation where believers are starting to follow their beliefs blindly. This means that adherents do not care readily about scriptures as and interpreting them in ways that they should be. In some cases,

believers with little skills in interpreting religious texts end up misleading others by looking for other meanings. Instead of reading texts and trying to understand their meaning and relation to world experiences, these individuals happen to take their own beliefs and religious teachings as cover. They then embark on causing aggressions on other religious believers with religious teachings as pretexts.

The just mentioned religious behavior is what causes holy wars between religions. Even religions that have been at the forefront of cultivating peace, such as Buddhism, have not been saved from this problem. This is because believers in such faiths find it important to defend themselves against aggression from extremists from other faiths. Though it can be said that self-protection is justified, some religions go the too far length of causing greater harm to their aggressors. Some other religions could just claim that is being attacked, to use that pretext to attack their purported assailants. This trend has become common in several regions of the world.

Other than inter-relational conflicts described in the above sections, it can increasingly be observed that world religions increasingly gravitate towards developing political interests that result in joining hands with the political class. It is no longer unique to see religions controlling national or local governments. Buddhism has also been affected by this tendency in some Asian regions. Indeed, some Buddhism leaders have been at the forefront of political associations with politicians of similar views. This is however hard to avoid because politics is all about representing interests to authorities, especially legislative houses. In addition, it has to be understood that members of world religions have to exercise their democratic rights.

Buddhism’s relations with other modern and traditional ideologies have been quite positive. This is cultivated rough tolerance seen in this religion. Individuals practicing the faith are encouraged to be tolerant of other individuals’ views. Owing to the tolerance being exemplified by Buddhism, many other traditional religious ideologies exemplify greater acceptance of the faith, meaning that they reciprocate by showing tolerance. This interrelation has resulted in peace and good relation with the faiths. In reiteration, Buddhism has been successful in such endeavors because of its bottom-up approach to relationships in and among communities. In this regard, members of the faith start cultivating peace in their souls before embarking on the larger community. Only then can peace be achieved in straddling world communities. This relation between Buddhism and traditional ideologies has been replicated in with other major religions; the religion has been tolerant of small and big religions. Again, this relationship with other religions has been achieved through the encouragement of adherents to first cultivate peace in their souls before embarking on spreading the same to neighbors, other congregations, and political groupings.

The success of Buddhism in establishing foundations for peace has resulted in the faith being taken as the most peaceful one (Smith & Novak 120). Other religions in the world have a lot to learn from Buddhism experiences. First, they have to learn that successful cultivation of peace starts with individuals, not with leaders. This is considering that other religions have concentrated on relying on leadership to cultivate peace within their congregations and with other faiths. These religions have also relied on senior leadership to cultivate peace with and positive relationships with political groupings. Success in both situations has been minimal. To ensure all religions achieve positive cohesion within communities, they have to start relying on adherents themselves other than the current reliance on leadership. Adherents themselves should feel obliged to shoulder that burden, leading to the establishment of peaceful communities worldwide.

Jayatilleke, Kulatissa. Buddhism and Peace. Budhist Publishers, Delhi, 1969.

Kraft, Kenneth. World Peace and Inner Peace. Sunny, Buffalo.1992.

Kimball, Charles. Inside World Religions. Harper Collins. New York, 2003.

Narayan, Sachindra. Buddhism Contribution to World Peace. Inter-India, Delhi, 1998.

Smith & Novak. Buddhism: An Introduction, Harper Collins, New York. 2004.

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IvyPanda. (2021, October 5). Buddhism and Greater Peace: Conflict, Visions of Peace. https://ivypanda.com/essays/buddhism-and-greater-peace-conflict-visions-of-peace/

"Buddhism and Greater Peace: Conflict, Visions of Peace." IvyPanda , 5 Oct. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/buddhism-and-greater-peace-conflict-visions-of-peace/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Buddhism and Greater Peace: Conflict, Visions of Peace'. 5 October.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Buddhism and Greater Peace: Conflict, Visions of Peace." October 5, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/buddhism-and-greater-peace-conflict-visions-of-peace/.

1. IvyPanda . "Buddhism and Greater Peace: Conflict, Visions of Peace." October 5, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/buddhism-and-greater-peace-conflict-visions-of-peace/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Buddhism and Greater Peace: Conflict, Visions of Peace." October 5, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/buddhism-and-greater-peace-conflict-visions-of-peace/.

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