Enacting the Violent Imaginary: Reflections on the Dynamics of Nonviolence and Violence in Buddhism

In this paper, I explore the complex ethical dynamics of violence and nonviolence in Mahayana Buddhism by considering some of the historical precedents and scriptural prescriptions that inform modern and contemporary Buddhist acts of self-immolation. Through considering these scripturally sanctioned...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
1. VerfasserIn: Davis, Leesa S. (VerfasserIn)
Medienart: Elektronisch Aufsatz
Sprache:Englisch
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Veröffentlicht: Springer Netherlands [2016]
In: Sophia
Jahr: 2016, Band: 55, Heft: 1, Seiten: 15-30
RelBib Classification:BL Buddhismus
KBM Asien
NCB Individualethik
weitere Schlagwörter:B Non-duality
B Self-immolation
B Mahayana Buddhism
B Violence and nonviolence
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:In this paper, I explore the complex ethical dynamics of violence and nonviolence in Mahayana Buddhism by considering some of the historical precedents and scriptural prescriptions that inform modern and contemporary Buddhist acts of self-immolation. Through considering these scripturally sanctioned Mahayana ‘case studies,’ the paper traces the tension that exists in Buddhist thought between violence and nonviolence, outlines the interplay of key Mahayana ideas of transcendence and altruism, and comments on the mimetic status and influence of spiritually charged texts. It is the contention of this paper that violent scriptural metaphors can create paradigms of enactment that are paradoxically illustrative of the core ‘non-violent’ Mahayana virtues of compassion (karuṇā), giving (dāna), patience (kṣānti), and vigor (vīrya). The discussion will show that these virtues are underpinned by the Mahayana philosophical mainstays of non-duality (advayavāda), bodhisattvic transcendent altruism, skillful means (upāya), and dependent co-origination (pratītyasamutpāda).
ISSN:1873-930X
Enthält:Enthalten in: Sophia
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/s11841-016-0524-2