Enacting the Violent Imaginary: Reflections on the Dynamics of Nonviolence and Violence in Buddhism
In this paper, I explore the complex ethical dynamics of violence and nonviolence in Mahayana Buddhism by considering some of the historical precedents and scriptural prescriptions that inform modern and contemporary Buddhist acts of self-immolation. Through considering these scripturally sanctioned...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
[2016]
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| In: |
Sophia
Year: 2016, Volume: 55, Issue: 1, Pages: 15-30 |
| IxTheo Classification: | BL Buddhism KBM Asia NCB Personal ethics |
| Further subjects: | B
Non-duality
B Self-immolation B Mahayana Buddhism B Violence and nonviolence |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | In this paper, I explore the complex ethical dynamics of violence and nonviolence in Mahayana Buddhism by considering some of the historical precedents and scriptural prescriptions that inform modern and contemporary Buddhist acts of self-immolation. Through considering these scripturally sanctioned Mahayana case studies, the paper traces the tension that exists in Buddhist thought between violence and nonviolence, outlines the interplay of key Mahayana ideas of transcendence and altruism, and comments on the mimetic status and influence of spiritually charged texts. It is the contention of this paper that violent scriptural metaphors can create paradigms of enactment that are paradoxically illustrative of the core non-violent Mahayana virtues of compassion (karuṇā), giving (dāna), patience (kṣānti), and vigor (vīrya). The discussion will show that these virtues are underpinned by the Mahayana philosophical mainstays of non-duality (advayavāda), bodhisattvic transcendent altruism, skillful means (upāya), and dependent co-origination (pratītyasamutpāda). |
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| ISSN: | 1873-930X |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Sophia
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1007/s11841-016-0524-2 |