A Level Religious Studies - Does Engaged Buddhism affect the stereotypical view of Buddhism as inward looking?

Does Engaged Buddhism affect the stereotypical view of Buddhism as inward looking?

Engaged Buddhism is a part of Buddhism for people who want to apply the insights from meditation and the dharma to current social, political and environmental situations, as well as other social issues. Is this compatible with Buddhism – a religion that deals with fear, pain and violence through looking inwards to help us live in peace with others? Whilst it could be argued that Engaged Buddhism does affect the stereotypical view of Buddhism, this essay will argue that it does not.

It can be argued that Engaged Buddhism does affect the stereotypical view of Buddhism. This is because Engaged Buddhism nurtured and encouraged Buddhism to take a stance in political issues and show Buddhist involvement. Many Buddhists now take to social media or even to the streets to protest and voice their thoughts on social issues. An example of this is the Sokka Gakkai school of Buddhism. In Japan, there is a political movement where a political party has been created to unite and stand strong against various issues concerning Japan. This is the “Clean Government Party”, and whilst other religious groups have created their own political parties, statistic scholar Petter Lindgren states that “none have however been more successful than Sokka Gakkai”. This suggests that Engaged Buddhism does affect the inward looking nature of Buddhism because it is bringing the religion to new, larger platforms which branch out to more people than ever before. Addressing social issues like the Clean government Party do requires an outward looking approach and an understand of the current affairs and political climate around them.

However, Engaged Buddhism does not actually affect the inward looking nature of Buddhism because, as Thich Nhat Hanh says, “meditation is about awareness of what is going on… all around you”. The sheer nature of meditation in this sense means that an outward looking approach is a component of looking inwards, as ultimately these are the things you can reflect upon when you are alone. David R. Loy writes that “enlightenment includes realising that we are part of the world”. Buddhist practice and social engagement go hand in hand with one another; trying to achieve liberation while ignoring the rest of the world is an example of what needs to be overcome – ignorance. Spirituality is something that can be used to work against social issues, and Engaged Buddhism uses the inward looking nature of Buddhism to do so, and does not affect the stereotypical view of Buddhism.

It can be said Engaged Buddhism affects the stereotypical view of Buddhism because taking an active role in society goes against the traditional views of monastic life. Traditionally, monks spent a long time withdrawn in meditation and so by introducing Engaged Buddhism, this would go against the routine and practice of these monks and take away one of the things many people stereotypically associate with Buddhism. The Buddha achieved enlightenment when meditating which emphasises how important it is for monks to continue to become withdrawn and meditate as it will aid them in their spiritual journey. Engaged Buddhism was not around when the historical Buddha was alive which raises the question – is it needed? If enlightenment has been achieved before without consideration of it, then should it just be ignored? Engaged Buddhism therefore does affect the stereotypical view of Buddhism because of the effect it can have on meditation.

Emperor Ashoka is a prime example of a figure from Buddhism’s history who paid close attention to social issues. This shows that Engaged Buddhism does not affect the stereotypical view of Buddhism, because the attitudes have been present for thousands of years. An example of this is how he created a welfare state and promoted vegetarianism, something which is still a topic of debate today. H.G. Wells wrote that “for eight and twenty years Asoka worked sanely for the real needs of men”. This shows that there were elements of Engaged Buddhism present in the past so to say that it affects the stereotypical view of Buddhism is incorrect.

It can be argued that Engaged Buddhism does affect the stereotypical ‘inward looking’ view of Buddhism because it allows for the creation of ‘wego’. This is a word coined by David R. Loy which means that people look to groups for identity which retracts from the inward looking nature of Buddhism. The establishment of a collective identity arises from recognising differences between one group and another which creates room for conflict. Suffering can be caused because of this. Loy explains how he believes the three poisons have become institutionalised as a result of our obsession with consumption. If we are constantly looking to affiliate ourselves with a particular group then it can be argued that the stereotypical inward looking nature of Buddhism is affected, and is affected in a negative way as it gives rise to suffering.

This said, Thich Nhat Hanh’s fourteen precepts of Engaged Buddhism instructs us to not lose ourselves in dispersion and in our surroundings. Therefore, the inward looking nature of Buddhism is not affected. Essentially, this seventh point of Thich Nhat Hanh’s fourteen precepts puts an emphasis on right mindfulness. This encourages meditation in daily life and isn’t a new idea as it originates from the eightfold path which is one of the most traditional teachings associated with Buddhism. Thich Nhat Hanh said that “action should be meditation at the same time” which shows the importance of getting the balance between mindfulness and social justice right. To completely abandon meditation in favour of Engaged Buddhism would be wrong and Engaged Buddhism does not advocate that. The Dalai Lama said that “we can never obtain peace with the outer world until we make peace with ourselves”, showing how important it is to look inwards, when trying to look outwards.

To conclude, Engaged Buddhism does not affect the stereotypical ‘inward looking’ view of Buddhism, and if anything, it builds upon it. Engaged Buddhism should not be seen as a practice that is separate from the traditional Buddhism we know today; as explored above, elements of it can be observed dating as far back to Emperor Ashoka. Wapola Rahula said that “Buddhism arose in India as a spiritual force against injustices… It denounced the caste system and advocated the equality of all men”, which shows how the religion was used as its own means of Engaged Buddhism. It is also important to consider how, in order to work on the social system, we need to work on ourselves too which indicates a sense of interdependence between the two concepts – and interdependence is something that lies at the heart of Buddhism. Ultimately, looking inwards is part of fighting social issues. It takes reflection on a cause to understand it and it takes reflection for one to decide whether they want to take a stand.