Page 7 - Applied Buddhism

Preface faith (śraddhā), or meditation for material gain. Another example
is the emergence of new knowledge or technologies, as in the case

“Applied Buddhism”, as the term implies, is the application of biotechnology, which were unheard of during the Buddha’s time.
of Buddhism to every aspect of our daily lives. But isn’t that what To all these issues we have to apply the Dharma to deal with them.
Buddhism should be in the first place? Why then the need for the
word “applied”? During the time of the Buddha there were many religious teachers
and doctrines. Religious discussions and debates were common

Well, new terminologies always surface to denote new those days. Such discussions are still been carried out globally but
understanding, new approaches, and new emphasis. Traditional interfaith encounters today have taken on new trajectories due to
application of Buddhism to daily life is very much different from increasing intolerance, advocacy for violence, supremacy over non-
today. The Buddha introduced his teachings in an agricultural believers, and fierce competition to gain converts using unethical
society in India more than 2,500 years ago, whilst we now live in a means of conversion. Here again we have to learn how to apply
modern or postmodern society. The time and the cultural setting in Buddhism in ways when there was no precedence to follow.
which the Buddha preached were very different from today. While
the Dharma preached by the Buddha are truths that are timeless One of the biggest development in modern society is the
(akåālika), and hence applicable any time, how they might be emergence of the nation-state run on the principles of democracy and
applied today in a society that is dissimilar or non-existence during civil society. During the time of the Buddha, there were numerous
the Buddha’s time requires a new approach and a new emphasis. kingdoms and some republics. Regardless of the political systems,
Hence the need for “Applied Buddhism”. the affairs of the countries then were run by the ruling elites and
there was no participation from the subjects. Today, most countries

Conventionally, when we say applying Buddhism in daily lives, are run on the principle of democracy with participation from the
it usually means observing the five precepts, devotions such as puja citizens. New issues have thus arisen. Monastics are also citizens
or chanting, offering of material requisites (dāna) to monastics, of the nation – so can they participate in the affairs of the state? If
charitable work and meditation. Applied Buddhism, while covering so, to what extent? Buddhist organisations are corporate citizens -
the above, places greater emphasis on a much wider spectrum of can they or how should they participate in the affairs of the state?
areas arising from our living in a modern and complex society. Take How do we view secularism and theological states? These were
a simple case of drinking water. It was simply “drinking water” issues non-existence during the Buddha’s time, but are issues that
during the Buddha’s time, but today we have to deal with issues we have to deal with head on now.
of water shortages, water pollution, conservation of water, cost of
water supply, etc. Likewise, a simple case of individual practice of “Applied Buddhism” also means we have to learn how to apply
meditation has many new issues today. We have to deal with secular the Dharma to Buddhism as an institution today, or the Buddhist
meditation as taught in the corporate sector, meditation without

i Applied Buddhism Applied Buddhism ii