Buddhist Worldview Research Articles

Индивидуальное и универсальное «я» с точки зрения буддийской философии – на примере анализа причины «ухода» Л.Н. Толстого

The development of Buddhist thought is characterized by the existence of many schools and a variety of approaches while maintaining ideological integrity. The doctrine of no-self (Skt. anātman) is considered one of the key tenets of the Buddhist worldview. However, this idea needs significant clarification. Due to the fact that initially the Buddha’s sermons did not contain dogmatic principles, but were addressed to different people in relation to different circum­stances, the doctrine of anātman received many interpretations – from the com­plete denial of the Self to the consideration of the individual Self as a “small self”, which must be harmonized with the “universal self”. The article examines the differences in understanding of the Self, in particular conceptions about the individual and “universal self” using the example of reflections on the rea­sons for Leo Tolstoy’s escape from his home, put forward by thinkers who expressed the points of view of various branches of Buddhism – Hinayana and the Far Eastern schools of Mahayana. The author focuses on the fact that Buddhism carries enormous potential for the development of philosophical thought, since its very basis contains a polemical impulse and the possibility of discussing problems at different levels with the involvement of heterogeneous cultural and historical experience

Interpretation of Euthanasia in the Buddhist Worldview

Religious interpretations of the moral aspect of euthanasia arouse serious scholarly interest in the problematic field of bioethics. The article is devoted to the explication of the Buddhist approach to the ethical assessment of euthanasia based on the material of Encyclopedia of Abhidharma with Commentary, an exegetical work by the famous educator Vasubandhu (4th–5th centuries) . A thematic analysis of the text reveals two different types of euthanasia discussed by Buddhist exegetes. One of them is characterized as the foreign practice of killing terminally ill parents in order to save them from severe suffering. In the context of the Buddhist worldview, this type of euthanasia belongs to the category of murders committed on the basis of ignorance. Killing is not a method of getting rid of suffering, because suffering is an attribute of samsara. Ignorant Gentiles do not understand the true difference between sin and virtue. By interrupting the lives of terminally ill parents, they commit the mortal transgression of killing a benefactor. Another type of euthanasia is described as a Buddhist ritual of premature end of life. The ritual is performed by an elderly arhat (the enlightened guardian of the Buddha’s teachings) when he has already prepared a worthy successor. An arhat interrupts his own life through a special mental method sanctified by the canonical tradition. This type of euthanasia was defined by Buddhist exegetes as a phenomenon of the domination of an enlightened person over life and death.

The Influence of Buddhism on the Traditional Rituals of the Buryats of the Eastern Sayan Region

The article, based on field materials, examines the transformation of the worldview of the Buryats of the Eastern Sayan region under the influence of Buddhism. The relevance of the study comes from the need to clarify the value matrices of the traditional society of this region nowadays. The purpose of the study is to identify the key features of the interaction of traditional rituals with later beliefs among the bearers of these values. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to solve several problems: modern scientific ideas about the influence of Buddhism on traditional beliefs were systematized; the specific relationships of Buddhism, traditional shamanism and beliefs are highlighted; the dominant values of Buddhism reinterpreting the heritage of religious practices combined with it are clarified. Further, based on the analysis of field research, the most significant differences in the interpretations of such reinterpreted values were revealed, distinguishing them from traditional Buddhism. Using examples of existing customs, the modern development of the process of integration of the Buddhist worldview into the already existing ritual culture of the Sayan Buryats is traced. The research methodology includes comparative historical and religious studies and hermeneutical approaches. The field study used the method of interview. As a result, the role of Buddhism was confirmed as a way of adaptively rethinking the heritage of traditional culture in light of the modern crisis of values, associated, among other things, with the forgetting of traditions, consumer attitudes towards the environment, nature, society and even loved ones. Turning to Buddhism in the Eastern Sayan region today, as in the past, is becoming one of the ways to overcome such negative phenomena. Buddhism in the region not only absorbed beliefs that existed at different stages of the history of ethnic Buryatia, but also adapted them to its religious practice. A Buddhist worldview of this type corresponds to the concepts of vernacular religion accepted in modern religious studies. Forming a syncretical holistic picture of the world that corresponds to local conditions and the historical period, vernacular Buddhism defines a wide range of existing values that ideologically and practically incorporate the ritual culture that has developed over centuries.

Storytelling in the Anthropocene

This article examines the 2015 book Love in the Anthropocene and storytelling in relation to ecological collapse. Climate fiction may engage elements of craft, in particular Enlightenment iterations of selfhood, that may contribute, regardless of a story’s content, to destructive dynamics of the Anthropocene. This article proposes that writing fiction is both an act of bearing witness and of creating reality. It explores how the “post-development” (Kothari et al. 2019) framework of the Pluriverse might inform the way fiction is told and consumed in the twenty-first century, and to what ends. Stories that offer humans hope and justice, and help us navigate ecological collapse, may have less to do with realistic and cautionary apocalyptic and dystopian fictional worlds than with a view of the world the Pluriverse helps describe: one that emphasizes relationality (as is fundamental among many Indigenous and Zen Buddhist worldviews, for example) and understands reality as constituted by many worlds, kinds of worlds, and ways of being.

Zen-informed Spiritual Research Paradigm: A Buddhist Approach to Decolonizing MSR Research

In this article, I introduce a “Zen-informed spiritual research paradigm” rooted in an Eastern Buddhist worldview that fundamentally transcends Western mainstream functionalism. I first propose a definition of “spiritual research” and discuss its philosophical and methodological implications. I then elaborate on the features of a Zen-informed spiritual research paradigm concerning ontology, epistemology, axiology, and methodology. Furthermore, I use a field study to demonstrate the application of Zen methodologies in research design, data sampling, data collection, data analysis, theorizing, and report writing. Finally, I propose six evaluation criteria for spiritual research along with applicable methodological strategies to meet each criterion. This research is pioneering in decolonizing MSR research paradigms through Zen-informed approaches in response to the urgent call for a paradigmatic shift to enable global consciousness.

Chrześcijański argument „z sensu życia i świata” wobec buddyjskiego poglądu na rzeczywistość

The starting point of the article is the „argument from meaning” used in fundamental theology. The authors referring to it argue that only religion can give meaning to human life and the world. A man who does not want to run away from ultimate questions is faced with an alternative: faith in God or nihilism. Among religions, however, there is one that rejects belief in God and in any transcendence, and yet claims to be a source of meaning in life for its adepts. This religion is Buddhism. In this study, an attempt was made to confront the theological argumentation "from the meaning of life and the world" with the Buddhist worldview. The aim of such a confrontation is to locate potential weak points of this type of argumentation, which can help refine it so that it is also convincing for people outside Western culture.

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Armenian religious thought has conducted little research related to Buddhism. In existing studies, the teachings and religious practice of Buddhism are not fully represented. The features and ideological foundations of Buddhist religious practice are presented within the framework of the article. The main methodological approach is that in a comprehensive and systematic analysis of Buddhism, it is essential to consider the religious-philosophical and worldview approaches that have become the basis of Buddhist teachings and have evolved into religious practice. In general, Buddhist religious practice has a more emphasized cultic nature, with doctrinal aspects sometimes taking a back seat. Dogmatics is replaced by the concept of "dharma", the full description of which is one of the most complex phenomena in Buddhism. Within the framework of the article, we consider the concept of dharma as Buddha’s doctrine. This approach allows dharma to be studied in the context of the Buddhist religious system, emphasizing its religious and behavioural significance. "Dharma" is a collection of ideas, views, and beliefs followed and believed by an ordinary Buddhist. It represents the Buddhist worldview, rooted in the Four Noble Truths formulated by Buddha. Typically, each branch or school of Buddhism offers its interpretation of Buddha's teachings, professing its own version of Buddhism. Nevertheless, there are certain principles, approaches, and ideas that are present in one form or another across all branches of Buddhism. Among these, the teaching of the Four Noble Truths stands out, serving as the foundation of Buddhist religious practice. Thus, the religious practice of Buddhism is primarily based on the teachings of the Four Noble Truths. The ideological foundation of this doctrine draws from ancient Indian religious and philosophical perspectives on the world, the universe, human beings, life, death, eternal life, and more. Buddha also relies upon ancient Indian concepts of samsara and karma, introducing entirely new solutions through the Four Noble Truths regarding suffering, its causes and end, as well as liberation and salvation from suffering. The ultimate goal in Buddhist teachings is the attainment of nirvana, which becomes the central objective of Buddhist practice. The awareness, understanding, and practical application of the Four Noble Truths are fundamental features of Buddhism. This is why Buddhism can be regarded as a doctrine of the path to salvation

Atheism and spirituality in the USSR: Can atheists be spiritual?

Is atheist spirituality an oxymoron and, if so, did Soviet citizens brought up in a definitively atheist environment have no spiritual pursuits? The author asks this question, drawing on Dostoyevsky’s dark prophecy and interrogating Yuri Levada’s model of a Soviet simple person as a distinct anthropological type. Taking on board Riegel’s concept of political religion and testing Marxism–Leninism as a source of wisdom for the Soviet nonbelievers, the author seeks to uncover a version of spirituality compatible with Soviet-style atheism. The discussion also involves the examination of Russian literary tradition and Borodina’s philosophical theory of spirituality, which accords with Sharafutdinova accounting for the phenomenon of inner exile in the late Soviet period and Bekmetov’s reminder that Buddhist world-view had a significant influence on Russian cultural metalanguage.

Буддийская религиозно-художественная целостность: диалектика традиции

Using the example of Buddhist religious and artistic integrity, the article reveals the implicit dialectic of the tradition that asserts the meanings of the teachings of Buddhism and methods of conveying them in art. The tradition contributes to the consolidation of the corpus of Buddhist culture, preserving and clarifying the meanings of the teaching in the visual arts and the art of words. The significance of meanings and the high level of artistic skill are converted in the cultural forms of the countries of the Christian region, for example, in the works of French Impressionist artists and in Russian poetry. The dialectic of the tradition of Buddhist art is hidden in the skill of image detailing, laconism, decorativeness, symbolism and codification of elements — all this allowed us to reveal the complexity of the Buddhist worldview.

Buddhism and Tourism: A General Review

Everyone in the world is Buddhist because every heart has love, peace, and compassion. This is a study to find out the gap in knowledge between Buddhism and tourism. Buddhism pursues happiness by using knowledge and practice to achieve mental equanimity. In Buddhism, equanimity, or peace of mind, is achieved by detaching oneself from the cycle of craving that produces suffering and travelling broadens horizons and provides patience. It relieves stress and unwinds the mind to develop tolerance and empathy. Travelling helps to discover self. It helps to be open-minded, offers break from routine life, and provides patience. It relieves stress and unwinds the mind. It discovers human strengths and weaknesses. This article examines the social connectivity between Buddhism and tourism in Nepal. Methodologically, it is desk based qualitative study. It is a general review of Buddhism and tourism. The study finds a Buddhist worldview, plays a significant role in shaping attitudes toward Buddhist tourism.

Space and the Gods of Space in Japanese Myths

This article focuses on the concept of space and two different structures of space in the mythological chronicles Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. It considers two main invisible divine gods of space, probably connected to Chinese mythology and appearing in the mythological chronicles first – Ame-no-minaka-nushi and Kuni-no-tokotachi. It traces their evolution in history and also deals with obtaining by some of Japanese gods, within the Buddhist worldview, a fantastic appearance and the key role in cosmogenesis. It also deals with the connection of the first verbal descriptions of the appearance of the Japanese lands as a living creature or a symbolic thing seen from above with the ritual of “viewing the realm” (kunimi), and also with a technique of Chinese-Japanese painting wherein an object is portrayed as seen from above (for the purpose of which, in the cases of indoor scenes, a building is depicted without a roof), etc.

Embodying Morality in Management Theory and Practice: A Buddhist Perspective

This article explores the interactions among ethics, spirituality, and business management from a Buddhist perspective. In recent decades, scholars have made substantial contributions to reintroduce spirituality into business ethics and Buddhist values to business management. This paper argues that some core Buddhist concepts and practices could uniquely contribute to identifying moral agency and responsibility, and addressing the practical challenges related to business ethics in a market economy. This article attempts to dissect the Buddhist worldview, as proclaimed through the three marks of phenomenal existence: 1) impermanence, 2) suffering, and 3) non-self, and evaluate its relevance to the theories and practices of business ethics. The significance of this worldview in contemporary society is further explored through the lens of epistemology, ontology, soteriology, and a six "I"s strategy. Two case studies are presented to illustrate possible frameworks of moral decision-making inspired by Buddhist ethics.

Buddhist Modernism and the Piety of Female Sex Workers in Northern Thailand

This paper highlights Thailand’s distinctive form of Buddhist Modernism through an exploration of religious piety among female sex workers in the city of Chiangmai. The generally accepted key basis of Buddhist Modernism, as depicted by certain Western Buddhist scholars, is interaction and engagement with modernity. More specifically, it is seen as incorporating modern science into the Buddhist worldview, and as regarding meditation as a core practice of ‘true Buddhism’. Crucial components of popular Buddhism, such as magical monks and mystical rituals, are excluded from this depiction of Buddhist Modernism, and even decried as ‘false Buddhism’, despite their canonical basis and long-term acceptance. Using ethnographic methods, this paper argues instead that the result of interactions with modernity by popular Buddhists always includes engagement with and mythologizing of traditional cosmology. That is, rather than solely involving global networks and scientific rationalism, Thai Buddhist Modernism is the product of complex patterns of interaction among local beliefs, mystical practices, and modernity. The purpose of this integration of modern and popular Buddhism in the religious practices of sex workers is to create loving-kindness (metta). Metta, in turn, is held to bring luck and attractiveness to practitioners, allowing them to earn an income to support their impoverished families and live well in modern society, as well as to accumulate good merit (bun) to improve their religious lives.

CHINA’S TRADITIONAL HOUSING TYPES: EVOLUTION AND DIVERSITY

The article examines the evolution and diversity of traditional Chinese dwellings, Which are due to the multinational composition of the population and the natural conditions of different parts of the country.
 The syncretism characteristic of China also had a great influence on the formation of the dwelling. Confucianism formed the forms of family structure and norms of behavior, and Taoist principles and Buddhist rules – interaction with the world.
 The most common type of dwelling is the siheyuan, which is based on Chinese tradition and philosophy. This term is the key to creating an ensemble, regardless of the hierarchy and location of the settlement. The country has a very large variety of landscape and climatic territories, a rich historical heritage, a huge number of nationalities, which in interrelation have formed an equally rich historical typology of residential buildings. However, China has its own special differences that played a crucial role shaping the typology of housing. These are, first of all, inviolable forms of family structure and norms of behavior based on centuries-old dogmas of Confucianism, developed by the Taoist principles of interaction with the Buddhist worldview.
 In general, in different regions of China there were various modifications of the traditional type of house Siheyuan, which is certainly due to the peculiarities of climatic, economic and social conditions. The peculiarities of Chinese architecture have made the concept of siheyuan key in creating any ensemble in settlement. All buildings are subject to the rules of siheyuan (si – the four corners of the world, he – the environment, yuan – the garden, in this case, the garden with the yard). Its essence is that any complex is created around the yard, if there are several, then the main yard.
 All buildings are strictly symmetrical along the longitudinal axis.

Buddhist Values for Creating Mindful Markets

The ultimate goal of Buddhist life is to reach enlightenment and put an end to suffering. From this perspective, the goal of human life can be defined as inner development – that is, ethical and spiritual growth that requires only a minimum level of material comfort (food, clothes, shelter, education, and medicine). This paper introduces principles and guidelines for individual behavior and business organizations derived from the Buddhist worldview. The paper argues that the realization of Buddhist values is needed for creating mindful markets in which mindful consumption and mindful entrepreneurship are mutually reinforcing. Mindful consumption can be defined as conscious consumption that is (i) wise (it supports the genuine well-being of individuals), (ii) non- violent (does not involve hurting other sentient beings), and (iii) compassionate (it helps others to satisfy their needs). Mindful entrepreneurship involves the application of Buddhist values and virtues in business activities, including production and trade.

БУДДИЗМ В МИРОВОЗЗРЕНИИ ПЕРСОНАЖЕЙ В ПРОИЗВЕДЕНИЯХ ГАЙТО ГАЗДАНОВА

In the historical context of the total disintegration that occurred in Europe between 1920 and 1940, the Russian community abroad was particularly interested in Buddhism and the Buddhist worldview. This is connected with the general pessimistic atmosphere among Russian emigrants. Because of their disillusionment with harsh reality, many of them find consolation in Eastern religion to escape from the whirlwind of earthly existence. Such an unusual phenomenon wasnoticed by the young writer Gaito Gazdanov. The writer described this psychological phenomenon in his fiction. The main purpose of this article is to discover in Gazdanov's characters a psychological mindset closely linked to Buddhism. Accordingly, the aim of the study is to highlight the main characteristics of the Buddhist worldview in Gazdanov's characters, analyse the writer's perception of some Buddhist concepts and examine Gazdanov's attitude to the Buddhist teaching on life and superrealism. The material for the study is the novels An Evening at Clare's and The Return of the Buddha, meaningful in the early and mature periods of the writer's work. The analysis of the «Buddhist text» in Gazdanov's novels reveals a number of psychological traits in the characters that are similar to the category of Buddhism, such as detachment from the major history, deliberate alienation from the real world and dreamlike meditation as the main way of perceiving the world. At the same time, a number of Buddhist concepts, such as metempsychosis and nirvana, become the theme of the writer's work as well. This shows the mystical side of Gazdanov's work. However, the article concludes that the writer also warns of the danger and harm of the nihilism and indifference to life inherent in this Eastern religion, which eventually leads to the disappearance of the personality

БУДДИЗМ ТА ІДЕЯ ПРАВ ЛЮДИНИ: ВЗАЄМОЗВ'ЯЗОК ЧИ ВЗАЄМОВИКЛЮЧЕННЯ

The peculiarities of the Buddhist approach to the understanding of human rights in the context of current challenges and discussions on this issue are analyzed; the potential of Buddhism in defending human rights has been clarified; the features of the relationship between Buddhism and the concept of human rights in the context of today's realities are considered. The emphasis is placed on the question of existence within the Buddhist worldview and the traditional value system a basis for understanding the dignity of a free human personality which must be respected and protected. It is established that the desire to eliminate suffering, to get rid of them can be seen as a point of contact between the content of Buddhist teachings and the idea of human rights, as a kind of bridge between the two positions; at the same time the language of human rights within the Buddhism consciously distances himself from the rhetoric of self-assertion in favor of rhetoric and practices of selfless compassion. It can be stressed that a Buddhist understanding of rights never opposes a human good to the good of other living beings in contrast to the anthropocentrism of Western liberal theories of human rights where man rises above the rest of the world. Buddhism faces the challenge of using the language and practice of human rights so that it does not contradict the dharma and the very spirit of Buddhist teaching and, on the other hand, it helps people to be free from suffering. In the context of clarifying the specifics of the relationship between the Buddhist value system and the concept of human rights it is important to avoid overemphasizing the universality of human rights and to find a kind of middle ground between these two positions. In the modern world to combat injustice in the countries of Buddhism it is necessary to use the potential of the Buddhist tradition and the practical achievements of human rights defenders in Western democracies.

Шар шаҗн болн лам-гелңгүдин дүрмүд хальмгудын амн үгин түүклəнд

Article reviews the Kalmyk oral stories about Buddhist deities and Kalmyk monks. Studying of the features of folk texts (epic “Jangar” and religious songs) shows that the Kalmyk folklore is unusually rich in its content. Considered religious oral stories reveal the spiritual culture and Buddhist worldview of the Kalmyks.

МОТИВ ПРЕОДОЛЕНИЯ ИСТОРИИ И СУДЬБЫ И БУДДИЙСКОЕ МИРОВИДЕНИЕ В РОМАНАХ А. Л. ИВАНЧЕНКО «МОНОГРАММА» И МО ЯНЯ «УСТАЛ РОЖДАТЬСЯ И УМИРАТЬ»

The article analyzes the motives of overcoming history and fate in the novels by A. L. Ivanchenko “Monogram” and Mo Yan “Tired of Being Born and Dying” in the context of the Buddhist worldview of both authors. The images of the main characters, the chronotope, the themes and problems of the works are examined through the prism of the Buddhist attitudes presented in the books; and life strategies and escape strategies of the Russian and Chinese characters are compared. The reborn Ivanchenko and Mo Yan's characters overcome their karma and their family's karma by conquering affective conditions and coming to the end of the life cycle. They discover the conventional nature of a human's existence through the motif of mirroring (the Russian author) and proximity to the wildlife (the Chinese author). The protagonists in the Russian and Chinese novels are characterized by a complex structure of consciousness, which tends to multiply and reveal its illusory nature. Time in both novels is cyclical and virtually devoid of movement, despite the presence of the characters in the actual political history. The space of both books tends to turn into a myth, revealing images of eternity through the earthly specifics of the place: the heroine of “Monogram” is in the Buddhist “looking glass”, while the hero in “Tired of being born and dying” is in the manor, which is a model of mythological cosmos. The controversial history of China and Russia of the previous century, A. L. Ivanchenko and Mo Yan's political extremes become a starting point for unfolding the internal plot, the plot of the heroes' Buddhist transformation and finding their Buddhist peace.

What can Buddhism offer evaluation? Applying Buddhist concepts in evaluation

Buddhism and evaluation share many things in common: They both help people make progress towards their goals by overcoming problems and challenges with the understanding of their strengths and values and the relationship between causes and effects. This paper explores what Buddhism can offer evaluation by discussing five aspects of evaluation for which there is a distinct Buddhist perspective. A Buddhist worldview sees an equal and interdependent relationship between the evaluator and the evaluand, gives certainty to cause and effect, and is mindful and respectful of the subjective nature of knowledge. This Buddhist perspective brings an evaluator closer to a deeper understanding of causality for judgement and action. Through focusing on inner change, Buddhism provides a way for the empowerment of individuals and the transformation of society. The author concludes that looking at evaluation through a Buddhist perspective supports evaluation to be more honest, thoughtful, and inclusive as a discipline. The remaining task is putting theory into practice.