Violence Prevention in Theravada Buddhist Concepts

Abstract

There are three objectives in this research; firstly, to analyze the definition, type and the cause of violence in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy, secondly, to analyze the method of management and prevention to violence in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy and thirdly, to provide suggestion for preventing violence in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy. From the study it is found that the violence, according to Buddhist Philosophy, is emotional element occurred beneath the mind affected by bodily and verbal action which cause the effection of suffering and turmoil to one’s self and others. The violence which is found in Buddhist Philosophy has three steps namely; a primary violence a middle violence and a heavy violence. The causes of violence are occurred by the defilement (Kilesa) that are the root of wholesomeness which are desire, hatred, and delusion that encouraged out from the mind led to bodily and verbal action which effect to one’s self and others caused suffering and turmoil. As researching, it is found that the way for solution of violence in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy by using the seven settlements of legal process (Adhikaranasamatha VII), the seven conditions for community welfare (Aparihaniyadhamma VII) ,the six states of conciliation (Saraniyadhamma VI), and the state of the Four Noble Truth (Ariyasacca IV). According to Theravada Buddhist Philosophy, the violence can cause the effection and the discrimination of association that evidently appeared that mostly are occurred because of lack of the equality of moral conduct (A-sila-samannata), lack of the equality of view (A-ditthisamannata) and lack of unity leading to confliction one another for influence of absorption in acquisition, honour and worship. Therefore, the method of solution and prevention of violence in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy is cultivation of mindfulness for knowing emotion which happened in the mind, whenever any emotion happened one has to know, by this way it can prevent of violence that would happen from body, speech and mind. This method of prevention violence in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy can be applied to the prevention of political violence in Thai society nowadays.