What in the World is "Socially Engaged Buddhism"?
(The 3-Minute Weekly Insight from Spirituality U.)
Actually, in an important sense, "Socially Engaged Buddhism" is Buddhism "in the world."
Buddhism can be thought of as a philosophy rather than a religion, per se, especially because it is non-theistic or neutral about the existence of God. And more specifically, Buddhism may be seen as a philosophy of life that provides a roadmap for how to live a meaningful life.
The Buddha (a title meaning "Awakened One") was born as Siddhartha Gautama in what is now Nepal in the 6th century BCE. Legend has it that his wealthy father tried to shield him from pain, illness, poverty, suffering and death. When the Buddha discovered the dark side of life, he began an exploration of solutions to the world's problems. Through ascetic practices he almost starved himself to death. He finally decided to sit under a tree until he found out the answer to life's ultimate questions. After a while he came to some realizations that now serve as the core of Buddhist belief and practice.
Among these realizations were four "Noble Truths": 1) The key problem in life is suffering, especially emotional pain; 2) Suffering arises from our trying to hang onto things that are constantly changing and beyond our control; 3) Emotional suffering can be ended permanently; and 4) There are eight steps we can take along a path that can lead to an end to our suffering. These eight comprise "right" view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration.
But over the last few decades, some Eastern and Western Buddhists leaders have realized that this emphasis on eliminating our own suffering sometimes leads Buddhists-and practitioners of other religions--to turn their eyes away from the suffering of others.
American Buddhist leader Joanna Macy writes, "In the major religions, the spiritual journey seems to be presented in two ways. One is like a journey out of the messy, broken, imperfect world of suffering, into a sacred realm of eternal light. At the same time, within the same tradition, the spiritual journey is also experienced and expressed as going right into the heart of the world-into this world of suffering and brokenness and imperfection-to discover the sacred."
This way of looking at the spiritual journey has led Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh, Macy, and others to create a movement sometimes referred to as "Socially Engaged Buddhism." Those who are part of this movement address their own suffering, but also actively address social, political, environmental, and economic problems in the world around them.
Socially engaged Buddhists address these problems through their meditation practices, and also by speaking out on issues, taking part in public actions, feeding the hungry, standing side by side with those who are oppressed, and occasionally through acts of civil disobedience.
And, finally, some Buddhists address the world's problems by taking something called the "Bodhisattva Vow." Those who take this vow agree to postpone their own achievement of Nirvana (ultimate liberation from suffering) to work diligently for the moment when suffering for all beings is eliminated and all beings can enter Nirvana.
For more information about Socially Engaged Buddhism visit Joanna Macy's web site:
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