socially engaged buddhism

Question 1

what is socially engaged buddhism?

Answer 1

socially engaged buddhism is a movement which aims to engage with and improve society, movement argues buddhists should not solely be concerned with their one journey, but also help others

Question 2

why should buddhists help others?

Answer 2

buddhism teaches compassion (metta) and generosity (dana) towards others. and some buddhists argue that they focus too much on personal quest and neglect the need to care for others.

Question 3

where did socially engaged buddhism begin?

Answer 3

it began with Thich Nhat Hahn in Vietnam, as he witnessed the Vietnam War and in 1964 established school of youth and social care, for buddhists to go to Vietnam.

Question 4

how did Thich Nhat Hanh introduce buddhism to the west?

Answer 4

in 1969 travelled to the USA to campaign to end the war and also met MLK and persuaded him to join the campaign

Question 5

why was Thich Nhat Hanh refused back into Vietnam?

Answer 5

because he campaigned to end the war

Question 6

how did Thich Nhat Hanh help the boat people?

Answer 6

they were refugees who had fled Vietnam and were stranded at sea, he organised a rescue and secured refuge for them in Singapore

Question 7

what is plum village?

Answer 7

set up in France in 1982, which is a buddhist community that teaches mindfulness

Question 8

what does Thich Nhat Hanh say about helping others?

Answer 8

“should we continue to practise in our monasteries? or leave in order to offer spiritual help” he decided to do both

“what is seeing, without doing”

Question 9

what did Thich Nhat Hanh say on compassion?

Answer 9

“its not enough to talk about compassion, we must do the work of compassion”

Question 10

who is the founder of buddhist environmentalism?

Answer 10

the Dalai lama

Question 11

what did the Dalai lama campaign for?

Answer 11

campaigned for peace after china invaded tibet, he was awarded Nobel prize for non-violent struggle

Question 12

what did the Dalai Lama present to the US congress?

Answer 12

a 5 point peace plan, to restore tibet and the abandonment of nuclear weapons

Question 13

what did the Dalai Lama say about kindness?

Answer 13

“my religion is simple, my religion is kindness”

Question 14

who is Stephen Batchelor?

Answer 14

became a Tibetan buddhist monk but had lost faith in the dogmatic and metaphysical aspects of the religion

Question 15

what does Stephen Batchelor practise?

Answer 15

tried to return to the original teachings of the buddha in the first sermon, based on action, he reformed the 4 noble truths to be undertaken rather than accepted

Question 16

what did Batchelor help establish?

Answer 16

the Gaia House which teaches buddhism with a strong environmental and social focus

Question 17

what arguments are there that buddhists should change there world around them?

Answer 17

• buddhism is based on ethical values that promote helping others such as metta, right action and right living
• the buddha helped those in need, helping the sick monk and created pattimokka
• the buddha spoke against injustices of society, such as sexism of India and caste system

Question 18

what arguments are there that buddhists should not change the world around them?

Answer 18

• the dasa sila teaches non harm, but they do not require buddhists to go beyond this and help those who are suffering
• buddhism is about preventing individual dukkha, when the buddha saw the 4 sights he did not help the sick man, but cured all suffering