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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 25

future for the new generations. care of possessions. The giving to constantly evaluate their actions
Some of these problems are up of most material possessions (bodily, verbal and mental) and
repeatedly addressed by other is a main feature of the Buddhist consider if the motivations behind
entities, websites and popular monastic community, but even them are greed, hatred or delusion.
opinion. The most mentioned social though, the Buddha talked about It is, of course, naïve to think that
issues nowadays are: wholesome ways to ear wealth and this course of wholesome action
how to handle it to bring up the will be taken by society at large, but
Africa, aging, health, energy beneficial results for oneself and the more people do, the safer the
sources, climate change, children, others. Generosity, the fulfilling of society will be.
democracy, food security and duties and the respectful treatment
malnourishment, migration, human of co-workers, associates and Many spiritual seekers nowadays,
rights, international law and justice, all members of society are key tired of social movements and
peace and security, population, characteristics of the advice given the contradictions within them,
gender, government corruption, by the awakened one regarding focus their attention on the “Inner
substance abuse, and violence. economical wealth. He also Revolution” as a mandatory step
separated the kinds of happiness towards the evolution of society at
A Dharmic approach to face the and gave utmost importance to large.
challenges of the future. spiritual development to develop
The teachings of the Buddha a deep and stable inner peace and To face the current problems of
encourage us to carefully observe the profound happiness not concerned our society, a shift in the common
causes and conditions that give rise with sense gratification, which is narcissistic views about the world,
to any specific phenomena. This can usually the goal of accumulating and the egoistic ways of dealing
empower people to clearly see the wealth. with it is indeed crucial. But this
origin of a particular problem and to change has to take place personally
diligently look for a way out of it. In the early Buddhist texts, we find and as a group in order to be deep
the Buddha addressing most of the and sustainable.
Of the problems mentioned before, problems we still face today, such
many are an ancient problem that as poverty, discrimination, and The Buddha was well aware of
the humankind has had to deal with. violence. By teaching his Middle-way, this. In many of his discourses
The interconnections between them He didn´t only provide his disciples he advised lay people on how to
all, are not too difficult to see. with a training method to free behave in their personal intimate
themselves of negative emotions and relationships, such as friendships,
From a Buddhist point of view, all wrong views but an art of living in marriages, and family life, and on
these issues, have greed, hatred, harmony with each other. more socially oriented topics such
and delusion as their cause, and as the management of economics
it is by not seeing this clearly that When someone starts practicing and social order.
humanity has got caught in a vicious the Dharma taught by the Buddha,
cycle of emerging empires or that person starts a personal re- A Dharmic approach to social
societies and the crisis that ended programming training, were all issues.
them with turmoil. his/her beliefs and behaviors are A Dharma practitioner is training
scrutinized from a new light, where to purify his words, deeds, and
The Buddha spoke about poverty the trainee evaluates if his actions thoughts from greed, hatred, and
and the role it plays in causing are for his own welfare, the welfare delusion. The practitioner is given
many other social problems, but of others or for both ends welfare a training method to do this, and
also spoke of the inherent problems as recorded in the discourse of the there are many aspects of this
that emerge regarding the taking advice to Rahula. The disciple has method that, I would say, including