David Forbes

Wijitha Bandara
RELS 2020

Socially Engaged Buddhism

In the six century BCE there was a young man that sat under a Bodhi tree, reached
enlightenment and became the Buddha. The Buddha gave many teachings about how to better
oneself, end suffering and to reach Nirvana. Centuries later after the Buddhas death, monks
would practice the way of the Bodhigosha. Which is instead of focusing on yourself and reach
enlightenment right away you would help the community and as many people has possible to
make life better and once you have done that then you can reach enlightenment. Since there is so
much suffering in the world monks recognized this and began what is known as Socially
Engaged Buddhism.
Socially Engaged Buddhism is to see that there is suffering in the community/world and
not just in yourself. Buddhism is hugely based on peace and tranquility and what better way to
bring the peace by helping to end suffering in the world first then end the suffering within
yourself? Socially Engaged Buddhism started with all these crisis and genocides happening in
Asia and this not only effected the person but the community as well. This is where helping
society first came to be. It is better to help society and end the suffering that is happening in
everyday life than to have ignorance and only help yourself in others time of need.

In India there is a man name Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkra who was born an untouchable in
the Hindu caste system. After so much suffering from being an untouchable, Ambedkra moved
religions to be a Buddhist and on October 14, 1956 he and his wife took the three refugees.
(Buddhism) Because of this action Ambedkra paved the way for three million untouchables to
leave the caste system and join Buddhism and ultimately his death six weeks later of doing so.
From this great action many of the followers that did what Ambedkra did and have started many
organizations to help ex-untouchables. One organization called Trailokya Buddha Mahasangha
or TBM, which means Buddhist Order of the Three Realms, have started what they call the
Dharma Revolution which new Buddhist can transform their own lives and work together to
make a better society. (Buddhism) This organization takes out casted people and works to make
them feel like they belong to a society that cares. It will help them become a better person to
reach a higher level of living in this life and into the next. TBM has developed three ways of
putting together their Dharma Revolution. First is through public centers in these huts that have
one or two rooms that will have classes on the teachings of the Buddha and on meditation.
Secondly, is by rural retreat centers which is intended to deepen the subjects in the public
centers. Lastly, work is done in residential communities where members of TBM learn to build
an ever-lasting friendship, to live harmlessly with each other and to work together for the
common good. (Buddhism) This is a society built off the companionship of everyone willing to
be a part of something bigger and to have nothing but love for their fellow neighbor.
A young Vietnams boy named Thich Nhat Hanh, was first introduced by Buddha school
of Theravada and Thien practices which mainly focused on mindfulness. (Buddhism) After going
to school at Princeton University, Hanh came back to Vietnam and started his own Buddhism
Youth School for Social Services which was huge for social engagement during the Vietnam

War. Hanh was hugely against in picking a side during the war and choosing between North and
South Vietnam, instead he wanted talk the issues through and not with war. (Buddhism) This
Buddhist way of living helped countless people during the war to survive and to keep their lives
moving forward. Because of the effects of the Vietnam War it destroyed countless villages and
killed hundreds of civilians caught in the cross fire so Hanh and the Buddhist activist worked
hard to evacuate villages, rebuild fallen buildings and to relocate most of those villages as well.
Overall because of these Buddhist they helped the common people of Vietnam to be put back
together and taught them to help one another in there time of need. Hanh continues to share his
Buddhist spirituality through his Order of Interbeing. Interbeing of life is a concept of one of the
Buddhas teachings of dependent arising and in a simpler sense there is no self. Hanh
recommends people to get this insight of interbeing from mindfulness for the present; to be
living in the here and now. According to Hanh one of the ways to be more in the present is to
attend to ones breathing. (Buddhism) Much like breathing in meditation you can focus and be
aware of much more things happening around you in your environment when you are able to
relax, breath and simply take everything in at that present moment. With this insight to just
breathe you can see the suffering happening all over you and you will be overcome with sorrow
but the more you realize the more you would want to help those around you. To bring peace to
someone else you can bring peace into your own heart. With inner peace ones mind and heart
should be as one with the body.
In Sri Lanka there is a movement called the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement created
by A. T. Ariyaratne and summed up by Mahatma Gandhi Sarvodaya means the well-being of all
and Shramadana means the gift of sharing one time and labor. (Buddhism) This social movement
works towards to live by the Dharma and to equally share everyones time and effort to make a

society where there is no poverty or suffering. This movement in Sri Lanka can be more like a
utopia if everyone around the world would work together to support one another and to change
the way of living by realizing we all live on the same earth as one. Ariyaratne uses the four noble
truths to help solve issues and to get things done. Through a community project work is done
throughout the day and a positive spiritual atmosphere is created through living together with
planned and concluded work through family meetings each day. This way everyone knows
what they are supposed to be doing and how much work needs to be done. This eliminates any
wrong doing of work and putting the blame on someone when something goes array and when
everyone is being done as one we get personal awakening and social development. (Buddhism)
Ariyaratne continues with the social project to build trust between neighboring villages no matter
the race or ethnic background they may have to help solve problems one another may have. We
are of one species as a human race not to be defined by the color of our skin. Within the
Sarvodaya project there is a global peace center called Vishwa Niketan and every one of all
different ethnic backgrounds are welcome to come in and listen to the teachings of the Buddha,
gather inner peace and spiritual growth for the service of mankind.
In Thailand, a young student of Buddhadasa Bhikkhi named Sulak Sivarksha has sought
out to healthy communities and to give out his teachers teachings. Sulak is concerned about the
countryside of Thailand and the living conditions that those people are in. Overall Sulak is
worried about the forest of Thailand, the natural topsoil, and the destruction of water sources
since forty years ago Thailand was eighty percent forest and today that number has dropped
dramatically. Also the living conditions are so bad and everyone is practically poor; having no
money to feed their families many will sell their daughters to the thriving prostitution ring in
Bangkok, Thailand just to make ends meet. (Buddhism) Thailand has practically became ancient

Rome where fathers would have to give up their daughters as sex slaves to the temples to pay off
their debt. Only this time they are doing it to feed the rest of their family since there is nothing to
be made. In 1977, Sulak created an organization called The Asian Cultural Forum on
Development (ACFD) as an international health fair for human development among the poor in
urban and rural areas. This organization is for the Thai people to come together and provide for
their own economic needs, to conserve their resources, project their environment, and to promote
social harmony. (Buddhism) With so much destruction in Thailand the people living in this
country need to come together and work as one in order to save the place that they call home.
Once all the resources are fully drained out in that area, which will happen if nothing changes,
then the world can see disastrous effects to come. Thailand holds thousands of people, where are
we going to find a place to rehouse so many people? We cant just kill them all off that is
immoral and human genocide that no one will stand for. Sulak is working to stop this from
happening to bring back the peace and better living conditions into Thailand. Sulak interprets the
five precepts into his organization so that Thailand doesnt fall back into the dark pit that it is in
now. To not take a life, to not steal, to not misuse sexual conduct, to not lie to one another, and
finally to not partake in any kind of intoxications. All over the world in different religions do you
see the precepts being used but worded slightly different to fit their religion but never-the-less it
is still all the same. With this organization that Sulak has created he can truly resurrect Thailand
into a better society with peace, love, and generosity for all of the Thai people.
Cheng Yen, a Buddhist nun was ordained when she was twenty-three. She was convinced
that there is so much suffering in the world because no one has awaken to the universal love of
this world. That if everyone was to awaken and act out this love we will see that all creatures of
this planet including ourselves are here as one and should have nothing but love and kindness for

each other. We could live in a Pure Land of peace and joy once we are all awaken. (Buddhism) In
1966, Cheng Yen founded the Tzu Chi Compassion Relief Association to help the poor. Then
about fourteen years later she founded the Tzu Chi Foundation with its eight missions. Firstly,
with charity work to help the community in any project that needs to be done such as feeding the
poor. Second, with medical care and hospitals doctors will treat their patients as if they were their
own family. Third, in the education system and to teach them about how precious life is and to
care for others. The fourth mission is related to the third with education but this is the
development of books, magazines, newspaper, and even T.V. stations. Fifth mission is about the
transportation of bone marrow for people around the world that need it, currently it is the third
largest transplant network in the world. The sixth mission is for relief work such as sending
people out during disasters to help clean up and to provide care where it is needed. The last two
missions are about environmental protection and community volunteerism to maintain an overall
status of healthy living. (Buddhism) The Tzu Chi members of this foundation seek to first better
themselves to then turn around and help others. Within just a short time this foundation went to
thirty members to over four million around the world.
The world is consumed with suffering and too few people work to make it a better place.
Socially Engaged Buddhist work nonstop around the world to bring peace and harmony to
everyone. This way of living has brought joy and love to so many people that if we can all just
learn to live as one and to end the suffering this world will be a much better place and not on the
brink of destruction. The human race has always been on the path of destruction and needs to
come to the light before we all perish away. Socially Engaged Buddhism helps with the starting
blocks of that path to end suffering and to have more joy and sympathy for all creatures that live
on this planet.

Bibliography
Mitchell, Donald W. Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience. Second edition. 2008.
Oxford. Oxford University Press.