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War, Conflict and Healing: A Buddhist perspective

Thích Nhất Hạnh

ABSTRACT

The roots of war and conflict are in us. There are afflictions in us to be recognized, embraced, and transformed: anger, hate, discrimination, conceit, despair … The practice is to look deeply into their roots, understanding them and learn how to transform them. We need to listen to our own suffering and the suffering of our family, community, and nation. We should be able to help each other in our relationship to recognize that these afflictions are there in each of ourselves and we have lived in such a way that have allowed these afflictions to grow, and each of us have to make the commitment not to water the seeds of violence, hate, discrimination and despair that are in us. In our relationship like partner/partner, father/son, mother/daughter, brother/sister, for instance, we should be able to help each other to practice, always learn to listen to each other with compassion, always use loving speech to help the other to recognize the afflictions on him/her. We should also use loving speech to water the seeds of understanding, compassion, joy and brotherhood that are inherent in the other person. We should help each other to heal in the context of our personal relationship before we can expect to help heal humanity and the Earth. Healing is possible with each breath, each step every time we say one thing, produce one thought and take one action, even the action of smiling to the other person. The Earth is ailing, our society is ailing, there is so much despair and violence. The Buddhist practice of right thinking (thinking in the line of non-discrimination, compassion, and understanding, right speech, right action, right livelihood is so crucial for the healing that we all need. The young people should learn to practice the Eight Noble Path in the context of their family and their school, and the use of non-confessional language to teach, it is always possible. Peace negotiation will lead to good result if body parties in conflict have mutual understanding and know how to use deep listening and loving speech.