Introduction

The guest authors conceived this weblog as a consequence of their personal difficulties in applying Buddhist principles in situations involving the resolution of conflict.

We aim for this weblog to be a source of guidance and inspiration for those people following the dharma who seek to resolve confict situations. Effective resolution is characterized by finding an agreement between two opposing ideas which engenders commitment, avoids harmful emotions and actions, and safeguards principles and relationship.

This weblog has been created to present material and information on conflict resolution from a Buddhist perspective. This is a new project that we have just started and so there is very little information on it at the moment.

You will be able to monitor, track and comment on our entries as the project develops. Our aim is to update this weblog and keep the findings fresh and current.

Comments

[Claire]

May I recommend a book called 'Spirit of Survivors: Occupational therapy without borders'. Although the focus of this book is on occupational therapy interventions, the various contributors often work in conflict areas and whilst the book is not written specifically with buddhism in mind much of their work has a buddhist ethos. The editors are Frank Kronenberg, Nick Pollard and Sal Salvadore.

[Mike Fitter]

I'm pleased to see that you are doing this, I imagine it resulting in some interesting resources and summaries of experiences.
Below is a list of some books I have that are relevant to this subject, some are explicitly Buddhist in approach, others sympathetic in their ideas. I've added a brief commentary on each book:

1. John McConnell "Mindful Mediation: a handbook for Buddhist Peacemakers", Buddhist Research Institute, Mahacula Univ, 1995. Well grounded Buddhist perspective, drawing on 4 Noble Truths,Skanda cycle,3 poisons, plus some practical applications that bring in relevant quslities for a mediator. Has a section entitled 'The Buddha as Mediator' which draws on some parables in the suttras.

2. Bernie Glassman "Bearing Witness: a Zen Master's Lessons in Makng Peace", Bell Tower, 1998. Glassman's story of setting up the peacemaker order and commuinites internationally, after leading a visit of Buddhists to Auschwitz for a retreat. Draws on the Buddha's teachings. Stories of their expereinces with a strong emphasis on relating to world systems.

3. David Chappell (ed.) "Buddhist Peacework: creating cultures of peace", Wisdom Publications, 1999. Chapters on peacework by Buddhists around the world. Includes chapters by Thich Nhat Hahn, Dalai Lama, Robert Aitken.

4. John Paul Lederach "Building Peace: sustainable reconciliation in divided societies", United States Institute of Peace Press, 1997. Clear presentation of peacemaking processes in war situations around the world. A focus on creating structures that support peacebuilding, seeing it as a long term, social change process. Principles can also be applied in other, non violent, contexts.

5. John Paul Lederach "The Moral Imagination: the art and soul of building peace", Oxford University Press, 2005. Same author as (4), this book more reflective, exploring what it is that mediators actually bring to the situation in addition to skills and techniques; this a more spiritual exploration, of interest to Buddhists I think - Lederach is a mennonite pastor.

6. Arnold Mindell "Sitting in the fire: large group transformation using conflict and diversity", Lao Tse Press, 1995. Process Oriented Psychology book focusing on the qualities, meta-skills and skills of conflict facilitators. Strong on linking personal with social systems.

[Peter]

I welcome this timely intitiative. I hope it will ground itself in the everday experience of conflict, as we encounter it in our daily practice - the mundane round - as much as (perhaps even more than) in a wider and perhaps more abstract analysis, interesting as that may be. I'm interested in my own conflictual emotional reaction to the recent UNICEF finding about the unhappiness of British children, for example. I shall be interested in seeing what accommodation/agreement develops out of the tangled mass of apparantly opposing energies this has set up in me. I may report back later.

[Kristina]

Hey guys,

Sorry that I disturb.
My name is Kristina, and I'm a student from the Netherlands. By a task of my English, I became interested in Buddhism.
When I read all the responses, I see you guys know a lot of it. I would appreciate it if one of you could answer my questions.

I have heard that aspects of Buddhism are used a lot in psychology, why do they do that?

Buddhism brings a lot of culture with itself, is it necessarily to know about the history or know much about the original culture, before you can become a Buddhist?

A friend of my lives in China. She's Buddhist, and in her kitchen she has a Buddha. When she has to slaughter a chicken in the kitchen for the evening meal, she first lays a screen or a towel concerning the head of the Buddha, because he may not see that the chicken is being slaughtered. If the chicken is slaughtered, she takes away the screen or towel off the head of the Buddha. Why does she do that? Why may the Buddha not see the slaughtering of the chicken?

Thank you for reading,
I hope to see a reaction of someone.

Greetings and good luck,

Kristina

[plum]

Oh dear! This is the pattern of all the 'ists' and 'isms' in the world. Buddhism is a man-made concept that can differ greatly between groups and individuals. A true Buddhist will do anything to experience their true Buddha nature within... that is everyone's true nature... peaceful, complete, pure nature.
I'm no expert- just a long-term practicing mediator.

Now I ask you- why may the Buddha not see the slaughtering of the chicken when the Buddha may be the chicken itself?

[plum]

I meant meditator (but a rather inconsistent long-term one).

[Meditation]

I Also Agree With you Meditation is not contemplation. Meditation is not concentration. Meditation is a state of being. It is a state of awareness. Meditation is not about doing something; rather it is about doing nothing. So Check out more Intresting techniques and Guidene about Maditation only at [Gurumaa.com]