/r/EngagedBuddhism

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A subreddit for discussing socially engaged Buddhism, including but not limited to the movement started by Thich Nhat Hanh and spread throughout the West. Instances of social engagement from all over the world throughout time are encouraged for inspiration and discussion.

1.Posts must be relevant

Posts must relate to Buddhism and social, political, environmental and economic suffering, and/or injustice.

2. No spam/self-promotion

Please read the reddit guidelines about spam.

3. No trolling or personal attacks

No harassment of others, trolling, personal attacks or sea-lioning will be tolerated on this sub. Please be respectful of others.

Please read the Anti-Oppression Policy and the No Platform Policy as they both apply here.

5. No sectarianism

Any posts or comments containing inflammatory remarks or content disparaging a tradition/school/sect of Buddhism will be removed.

5. Don't block mods

Transparency matters. Mods need to know if you are here in good faith so your other contributions need to be viewable. If you block one of the mods, you will be banned.

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Matthieu Ricard: The Path to a Compassionate Society

0 Comments
2024/12/17
14:21 UTC

10

Engaged Buddhism and Attachment to Outcomes

Hi, all. Peace be upon you.

So, i am overwhelmingly angry these days, and of course there are any number of things to feel angry about. Obviously, holding onto my anger is an unskillful act, so i looked into the cause, and i think the cause in me is attachment to outcomes. I try hard to do what i think to be right, and it costs me. Part of what i do in doing what i think is right is helping people. If people are seemingly determined to be unskillful, then am i acting unskillfully when i help them?
If a man says he broke his stick and asks for mine, i have no reason to refuse him. If a man is beating a dog with a stick and breaks it and then asks for mine, i have no reason to give it to him. If a man says he broke his stick and wants mine, and i no longer feel confident that the use he will put it to is skillful, do i have a reason to give it to him?
in other words, in a world where so many act unskillfully, do i bear responsibility for encouraging these actions?
My first thought is to practice Metta to calm my anger and let me think more clearly, while at the same time trying to work on letting go of "what if i inadvertently help someone do harm?" Does this make sense to others? Do you have any advice?

14 Comments
2024/12/11
17:34 UTC

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