Common Grounds In Buddhism & Islam For Promoting Peace
Mass Usuf
From
the bleak prospect of a total nuclear engagement, to communities living
as diverse minorities, the existential sentiment is the same. It is one
of Furcht (fear).
Was man born to live only in fear or, in peace and happiness, also?
Barring eschatology, living the present, now and here, though ephemeral,
is man’s natural disposition. Then the time has come to stop doing one
thing and start doing the other thing. Meaningfully, to cease dialoguing
on which is the dominant and start discoursing on which are the
commonalities. Yes, commonalities which bind religions together in the
sphere of universalism; Contextually, between Buddhism and Islam.
The abundance of knowledge and the interrelated hermeneutics embedded
within the wombs of the Islamic ‘Salam’ (peace) and the Dharmic ‘Ahimsa’
(non-violence) are repositories less explored. The underlying
etymological harmony in both these terms is as if they have been
deliberately designed by Providence to facilitate hope, joy and
happiness in man. ‘Peace’ means the absence of violence and ‘non-violence’ means peace.
The disassociation of each of these terms from the position of dominant
claim to the absolute truth should form the bedrock of an honest pursuit
for peace. Seeking the commonalities between Buddhism and Islam,
neither means evangelising nor debating but scholarship and
appreciation. The objective undertaking would be to map the common
denominators to yield the amazing result of promoting global peace.
Equality
‘Othering’ based on compartmentalised perceptual reflections not
conforming to one’s individual or collective preferences is an epidemic
level disease of the mind in this modern era. In Islam, equality of
mankind is of primary essence. There is, therefore, no room in Islam for
‘othering’ since all are God’s creations and the children of one mother
and one father. The Quran reminds:
“O mankind, We have created you male and female, and appointed you races
and tribes, that you may know (ta’arafu) one another. Verily, the most
honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous” (Chapter 49
Verse 13).
It is significant to note that this verse in the Quran is not addressing the Muslims. It is an address to the entire mankind. Life
will be boring if all of us are of one colour and having the same
feature. Diversity is an inherent longing in man inbuilt in him not to
dominate his compatriot but to experience the variety of life.
Pluralistic society feeds into this natural desire of man. The Quran
emphasises that pluralism is to know each other (ta’arafu) with
understanding, obligation, tolerance, accommodation etc.
A good example of othering that the Buddha himself experienced is in the
Vasala Sutta. Going on his usual alms round, Gotama was nearing the
residence of a Brahman. The brahman seeing the Blessed One some way off,
said this: “Stay there, you shave ling, stay there you wretched monk,
stay there you outcast.” Gotama asked the brahman: “Do you know who an
outcast is?” and explained thus:
“Not by birth is one an outcast; not by birth is one a brahman. By deed one becomes an outcast, by deed one becomes a brahman.”
(Sutta Nipata – Sn 1.7: Vasala Sutta — Discourse on Outcasts)
The Good Against Evil
Religions have inspired man to stand against injustice and to exalt
human dignity with his moral excellence. Therefore, all religions and
philosophies have always taken the side of good against evil. The Quran
says:
“Rectitude has become clear from error.”
(Chapter 2 Verse 256)
“… help one another unto righteousness and pious duty. Help not one another unto sin and transgression, .. ” (Chapter 5 Verse 2).
In the discourse with the Brahmans of Sala, Gotama in relation to righteous and unrighteous actions (kamma) said:
“Householders, it is by reason of conduct not in accordance with the
Dhamma, by reason of unrighteous conduct, that beings here on the
dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in states of deprivation,
in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell.
It is by reason of conduct in accordance with the Dhamma, by reason of
righteous conduct, that some beings here on the dissolution of the body,
after death, reappear in a happy destination, even in the heavenly
world.” (Majjhima Nikaya – MN 41- Saleyyaka Sutta).
Mara And Shaytan
Buddha had to battle against Mara (Sutta Nipata 425 – 449, Padhana
Sutta: The Great Struggle) and Prophet Muhammed against the Shaytan see
for example (Chapter 35 Verse 5). Both Mara (Pali) and Shaytan (Arabic) are depictions of the English term, ‘Satan’, ‘Devil’, the symbol of evil.
Instructing the monks on the manipulations of Mara through the senses of
a person, Gotama said: “If a monk relishes them, welcomes them, and
remains fastened to them, …. He has gone over to Mara’s camp; he has
come under Mara’s power. The Evil One can do with him as he wills.”
(Samyutta Nikaya SN 35, Marapasa Sutta: Mara’s Power).
Prophet Muhammed, the Messenger of Allah, (peace and blessings be upon
him), said, “Verily, Satan flows through the human being like the
flowing of blood.” (Sahiḥ Muslim No. 2174).
Interdependent Existence
The reality is that we are living in the same planet and are
interdependent for our existence. Man has to move away from the
inherited obsession of absolute exclusivism vis a vis race and religion.
He has to search within the notions of assertive exclusivism and timid
inclusivism, the delicate balance which archetypes commonalities. Thus,
build the edifice of peace, equality and happiness in the sense of a
truly pluralistic society.
In addition, to building bridges of co-existence, there are other priorities which also would help man to come together. There are global issues which impact on every man irrespective of race or religion. An
earthquake or a tsunami or a viral pandemic does not distinguish
between a person’s race or religion when it strikes. Our human wisdom
should therefore, direct us to work in cooperation on issues which is of
concern to every human some of which are the environment, health,
education, food security, human conflict, natural disasters etc.
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