Download or read book The Political Buddha written by Christopher Titmuss and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2018-04-23 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Political Buddha offers a deep exploration of his dedication to the transformation of society. He addressed leaders, the powerful, the rich and numerous citizens from every area of life. The first section examines the major aspects of the spiritual/social/political teachings of the Buddha. Themes include the wanting mind, money, greed, religion and war. The second section explores the BuddhaÕs teachings, relevant for our major institutions including banks, corporations and democracy. The chapters also include an enquiry into social ethics, mindfulness and spirituality. The third section endorses the Sangha, namely groups and organisations working to apply wisdom for change. This includes the necessity for political action, dissent as a form of healing, and a Charter for Life on Earth.
Download or read book Buddhism and Political Theory written by Matthew J. Moore and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-05-03 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite the recent upsurge of interest in comparative political theory, there has been virtually no serious examination of Buddhism by political philosophers in the past five decades. In part, this is because Buddhism is not typically seen as a school of political thought. However, as Matthew Moore argues, Buddhism simultaneously parallels and challenges many core assumptions and arguments in contemporary Western political theory. In brief, Western thinkers not only have a great deal to learn about Buddhism, they have a great deal to learn from it. To both incite and facilitate the process of Western theorists engaging with this neglected tradition, this book provides a detailed, critical reading of the key primary Buddhist texts, from the earliest recorded teachings of the Buddha through the present day. It also discusses the relevant secondary literature on Buddhism and political theory (nearly all of it from disciplines other than political theory), as well as the literatures on particular issues addressed in the argument. Moore argues that Buddhist political thought rests on three core premises--that there is no self, that politics is of very limited importance in human life, and that normative beliefs and judgments represent practical advice about how to live a certain way, rather than being obligatory commands about how all persons must act. He compares Buddhist political theory to what he sees as Western analogues--Nietzsche's similar but crucially different theory of the self, Western theories of limited citizenship from Epicurus to John Howard Yoder, and to the Western tradition of immanence theories in ethics. This will be the first comprehensive treatment of Buddhism as political theory.
Download or read book Buddhism and the Political Process written by Hiroko Kawanami and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study examines the impact of Buddhism on the political process of Asian countries in recent times. The intersection between Buddhism and politics; religious authority and political power is explored through the engagement of Buddhist monks and lay activists in the process of nation-building, development, and implementation of democracy.
Download or read book Buddhism and the Political written by Matthew J. Walton and published by . This book was released on 1917-12 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Popular participation is one of the hallmarks of modern politics. So why have democracy and democratic norms generally failed to take root in the Theravada Buddhist countries of South and Southeast Asia? This book explores traditions of Buddhist political thought in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Matthew Walton considers each country's trajectory towards independence, the controversial issue of monastic political engagement, the influence of other political forces, and persistent attempts to restrict participation, even in contemporary democratic states. He also contextualises this landscape within the Theravada Buddhist arguments for and against greater political participation, probing the dualistic understanding of human nature that questions ability to self-govern while valuing moral improvement through free action. Secular rationales in favour of democracy are unlikely to be effective unless they consider the logic of the Theravada moral universe. To move forward, South Asian democracy supporters must not only heed Walton's assessment of the region's politico-religious nexus, but also engage with the fundamental ambivalence he identifies in Buddhist perspectives on the legitimacy of mass participation.
Download or read book Buddhism Power and Political Order written by Ian Harris and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2007-06-11 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Weber's claim that Buddhism is an otherworldly religion is only partially true. Early sources indicate that the Buddha was sometimes diverted from supramundane interests to dwell on a variety of politically-related matters. The significance of Asoka Maurya as a paradigm for later traditions of Buddhist kingship is also well-attested. However, there has been little scholarly effort to integrate findings on the extent to which Buddhism interacted with the political order in the classical and modern states of Theravada Asia into a wider, comparative study. This volume brings together the brightest minds in the study of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. Their contributions create a more coherent account of the relations between Buddhism and political order in the late pre-modern and modern period by questioning the contested relationship between monastic and secular power. In doing so, they expand the very nature of what is known as the 'Theravada'. Buddhism, Power and Political Order offers new insights for scholars of Buddhism, and it will stimulate new debates.
Download or read book Buddhism Politics and Political Thought in Myanmar written by Matthew J. Walton and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Walton explains political dynamics in Myanmar through Buddhist thought, providing a conceptual framework for understanding Myanmar's ongoing political transition.
Download or read book Mindful Politics written by Melvin McLeod and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-10-19 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I've studied politics my entire life. It's been because of my time working on this book that I've finally learned what's really important in politics." So says Melvin McLeod, editor of Mindful Politics, a book that transcends Right and Left, progressive and conservative, to get to the heart of what matters: how we can all make a positive difference in our complex political world. This is not your typical political book. It's not written at a fever pitch, it doesn't use a good/bad binary, and it doesn't tout partisan policies. Instead, this timely collection addresses the less-discussed but more important questions about politics: What insight does religion have to offer politics? How can we as concerned citizens move beyond the particulars of legislation and party affiliation, and take direct action? How, amid divisive and challenging times, can personal growth and effective advocacy take place together? In short, Mindful Politics offers the perspectives of 34 important authors and thinkers on how each of us, right now, can make the world a better place. McLeod includes essays and insights from some of the brightest, and most controversial, lights of Buddhism - and beyond. Included are: Thich Nhat Hanh Sam Harris (author of The End of Faith) The Dalai Lama Jerry Brown Pema Chodron Trungpa Rinpoche bell hooks Ezra Bayda Meg Wheatley ...and many more
Download or read book Buddhism and Politics in Thailand written by Arnaud Dubus and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Of Beggars and Buddhas written by Katherine A. Bowie and published by University of Wisconsin Pres. This book was released on 2017-02-21 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An exploration of subversive, ribald variations of the most important story in Theravada Buddhism.
Download or read book Buddhism and Politics in Twentieth Century Asia written by Ian Harris and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2010-07-15 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this study, a team of international scholars assess the manner in which Buddhist organizations and individuals have resisted, come to terms with, or in some cases allied themselves with the forces of war, modernity, westernization, nationalization, capitalism, communism, and ethnic conflict. By examining issues such as left-right divisions in the monastic order, the rise of organized lay movements, Buddhist social activism, as well as explicitly Buddhist inspired political activity, this book seeks to demonstrate that the emphasis on meditation and mental training is only one strand in this richly complex world historical tradition.
Download or read book If You Meet the Buddha on the Road written by Michael Jerryson and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-03-27 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is said that the famous ninth century Chinese Buddhist monk Linji Yixuan told his disciples, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him." The deliberately confounding statement is meant to shock people out of complacent ways of thinking. But beyond the purposeful jolt from complacency there is another intention. This axiom suggests that, for liberation, one should seek the Buddha nature that resides within, rather than a mere Buddha exterior. The metaphor of killing the Buddha dislodges a person from the illusion that enlightenment lies outside the body. The proclamation also highlights the power of violence, even on a symbolic level. Violence abounds in Buddhist thoughts, doctrine, and actions, however unacknowledged or misunderstood. If You Meet the Buddha on the Road addresses an important absence in the study of religion and violence: the religious treatment of violence. In order to pursue an understanding of the relationship between Buddhism and violence, it is important to first consider how Buddhist scriptures and followers understand violence. Drawing on Buddhist treatments of violence, Michael Jerryson explores the ways in which Buddhists invoke, support, or justify war, conflict, state violence, and gender discrimination. In addition, the book examines the ways in which Buddhists address violence as military chaplains, cope with violence in a conflict zone, and serve as witnesses of blasphemy to Buddhist doctrine and Buddha images.
Download or read book The Buddha s Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony written by Bodhi and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-12-13 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a world of conflict and strife, how can we be advocates of peace and justice? In this volume acclaimed scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi has collected and translated the Buddha’s teachings on conflict resolution, interpersonal and social problem-solving, and the forging of harmonious relationships. The selections, all drawn from the Pali Canon, the earliest record of the Buddha’s discourses, are organized into ten thematic chapters. The chapters deal with such topics as the quelling of anger, good friendship, intentional communities, the settlement of disputes, and the establishing of an equitable society. Each chapter begins with a concise and informative introduction by the translator that guides us toward a deeper understanding of the texts that follow. In times of social conflict, intolerance, and war, the Buddha’s approach to creating and sustaining peace takes on a new and urgent significance. Even readers unacquainted with Buddhism will appreciate these ancient teachings, always clear, practical, undogmatic, and so contemporary in flavor. The Buddha’s Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony will prove to be essential reading for anyone seeking to bring peace into their communities and into the wider world.
Download or read book The Politics of Buddhist Organizations in Taiwan 1989 2003 written by André Laliberté and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-08-21 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Laliberté looks at a relatively unexplored aspect of modern Taiwan: the influence of religion on politics. This book offers a detailed survey of three of the most important Buddhist organizations in Taiwan: the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China (BAROC), the Buddha Light Mountain (or Foguanshan) monastic order, and the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Association (or Ciji). It examines their contrasting approaches to three issues: state supervision of religion, the first presidential election of 1996, and the establishment of the National Health Insurance. This study analyzes the factors that explain the diverse paths the three organizations have taken in the politics of Taiwan. Based on an in-depth examination of Buddhist leaders' behaviour, The Politics of Buddhist Organizations in Taiwan compels us to question conventional views about the allegedly passive aspect of religious tradition, deference to authority in societies influenced by Confucian culture and the adverse legacy of authoritarian regimes.
Download or read book Saving Buddhism written by Alicia Marie Turner and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work explores the dissonance between the goals of the colonial state and the Buddhist worldview that animated Burmese Buddhism at the turn of the twentieth century. Alicia Turner traces three discourses set in motion by the colonial encounter: the evolving understanding of ssana as an orienting framework for change, the adaptive modes of identity made possible in the moral community, and the definition of religion as a site of conflict and negotiation of autonomy.
Download or read book The Power of the Buddhas written by sem Versmeersch and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2020-03-17 with total page 523 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Buddhism in medieval Korea is characterized as “State Protection Buddhism,” a religion whose primary purpose was to rally support (supernatural and popular) for and legitimate the state. In this view, the state used Buddhism to engender compliance with its goals. A closer look, however, reveals that Buddhism was a canvas on which people projected many religious and secular concerns and desires. This study is an attempt to specify Buddhism’s place in Koryo and to ascertain to what extent and in what areas Buddhism functioned as a state religion. Was state support the main reason for Buddhism’s dominance in Koryo? How actively did the state seek to promote religious ideals? What was the strength of Buddhism as an institution and the nature of its relationship to the state? What role did Confucianism, the other state ideology, play in Koryo? This study argues that Buddhism provided most of the symbols and rituals, and some of the beliefs, that constructed an aura of legitimacy, but that there was no single ideological system underlying the Koryo dynasty’s legitimating strategies."
Download or read book Gautama Buddha written by Vishvapani Blomfield and published by Quercus. This book was released on 2013-10-01 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The words and example of Gautama (often known by the title, "Buddha") have affected billions of people. But what do we really know about him? While there is much we cannot say for certain about the historical Gautama, this persuasive new biography provides the fullest and most plausible account yet. Weaving ancient sources and modern understanding into a compelling narrative, Gautama Buddha places his birth around 484 BCE, his Enlightenment in 449 BCE and his death in 404 BCE, a century later than the traditional dates. Vishvapani Blomfield examines Gautama's words and impact to shed fresh light on his culture, his spiritual search and the experiences and teachings that led his followers, to call him "The Awakened One." Placing Gautama in a credible historical setting without assuming that he was really just an ordinary person, this book draws on the myths and legends that surround him to illuminate the significance of his life. It traces Gautama's investigations of consciousness, his strikingly original view of life and his development of new forms of religious community and practice. This insightful and thought-provoking biography will appeal to anyone interested in history and religion, and in the Buddha as a thinker, spiritual teacher and a seminal cultural figure. Gautama Buddha is a gripping account of one of history's most powerful personalities.
Download or read book Buddhism and Political Theory written by Matthew J. Moore and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work provides a comprehensive survey and analysis of Buddhist political theory from the time of the Buddha to the present.
