The Way to Peace

Buddhism has usually regarded as a teaching, which is based on non-violence and peace. This article examines the fundamental principle of the Buddha, which can be used to peace-building and peace-keeping. Need for security is one of the fundamental psychological drives. The Buddhist doctrine of non-violence (ahimsā) is used in this study in order to highlight what the Buddha emphasized instead of violence. The Buddha denounced violence and asked his followers to cultivate and practice non-violence towards all the sentient beings. This sublime principle is accompanied with two other principles. They are loving-kindness (mettā) and compassion (karunā). The Buddha he himself exemplary showed how to spread peace and good-will among all the beings without any discrimination. He also stated that one becomes a noble person only when he becomes a person who is harmless to all the beings. 

In the KosambiyaSutta, the Buddha has mentioned about quarrelling, throwing sharp words at each other, disputes among each other should be eliminated. And the Buddha has mentioned that unity, friendliness and love for each other will be the best way for conflict resolution.

The Buddha has stated on two types of causes of violence and conflicts: internal and external causes. The Buddha stressed that when one avoids harm, then that person gets happiness. When one acts in a contradictory way to this that becomes the causes for the conflicts and violence. According to the Buddha, one should take oneself into account and should not harm others. Violence in the means of physical or verbal harm is taken as the causes for conflicts. The Buddha has mentioned in the Dhammapada that, ‘all fear death, none are unafraid of sticks and knives, seeing yourself in others, don’t kill don’t harm’.

When it comes to the internal causes of violence, it can be stated that the inner mind function reflects through the violence and injustice as the profound causes of conflicts lies in the internal find function of every being. Conflicts arise because people make negative responses which are lead to conflicts, form the negative standing of the mind. This negative standing of the mind is a normal one as feeling fear, hate, anger and dislike would be taken as a natural response. The Four Noble Truths in Buddhism is one of the responses of the Buddha which leads to a peaceful existence and to eliminate conflicts and violence. The Buddha admired peace which is gained by peaceful means and the Buddha has introduced a holistic framework for peace. 

The Buddha used several ways to peace-building framework. The principle of Dependent Origination, open communication and participatory decision-making among social institutions are being used b y the Buddha when stressing on peace. The Buddha emphasized on an ‘inner revolution’ which can be done by every human being to maintain peace and non-violence that is driven form one internal behavior.