Buddhist Social Conflict Management Approach
Dr. HR Nishadini Peiris
Director, Career Guidance Unit
Head, Public Administration Department
Management Faculty, Uva Wellassa University
Badulla, Sri Lanka
Introduction
Social conflict can be define as struggle for agency or power in society. Some
social scientists identify conflicts as a process which contributes to social evolution.
Buddhism also agrees with the fact that, social evolution occurs due to conflicts of
individuals. But the question one should raise on social conflicts is whether the
evolution of the society, which occurs due to it, is positive or not? Therefore Buddhist
teachings gives more attention to the root-cause and the outcome of social conflicts. On
the other hand it also gives attention to preventing social conflicts and resolving social
conflicts as well. Purpose of this research is to find out the Buddhist approach on social
conflict management, which can also be used as a model for managing social conflicts
in the modern world.
Methodology
Documentary study specially focusing to Pāli Tipitaka is the method used to
collect data, and content analysis is the method to analyze the data.
Results
Buddhist conflict management approach consider three main aspects namely:
causes for conflicts, preventing and resolving conflicts.
Causes for Conflicts
According to Buddhist teachings conflicts occur due to the craving.
Mahānidāna Sutta in Digha-Nikāya explains step by step how the craving leading to
the conflicts due to the mental stages occur in the individuals mind. See Figure One:
Therefore it is clear that the base of social conflicts is craving.1 According to
Aggañña Sutta: the evolution of society was based on the craving of individuals,
making negative effects to the individuals as well as the environment. Sutta explains
1
Mahānidāna Sutta – DN II, p 86-89: “Seeking is dependent on craving, acquisition is dependent on seeking,
ascertainment is dependent on acquisition, desire and passion is dependent on ascertainment, attachment is
dependent on desire and passion, possessiveness is dependent on attachment, stinginess is dependent on attachment,
defensiveness is dependent on stinginess, and because of defensiveness, dependent on defensiveness, various evil,
unskillful phenomena come into play: the taking up of sticks and knives; conflicts, quarrels, and disputes;
accusations, divisive speech, and lies.”
the state of the individual and the environment at the beginning of the world. Then it
explains how the changes occur in the individual’s physical and mental states and the
environment due to the actions taken by the individual based on the craving in his mind.
The steps explain in this Sutta gives detailed illustration for the steps given in the
Mahānidāna Sutta regarding the relationship craving has with social conflict. (Figure:
2). It shows that even though society evolves due to the individual’s actions which
caused social actions and conflicts, it negatively effects the mental and physical state
of the individual and the environment. So it is clear that social evolution occurs due to
craving’s negative effect towards the individual and environment.
Therefore prevention of conflict in the society is needed. For that there should
be a clear understanding of how the craving effect to the individuals behavior? The
basic mental components of the person: Rāga - Passion, Dōsa - Hate, Mōha – Delusion
derived from craving. The Vivādhamūla Sutta in the Aṅguttara Nikāya give six causes
for social conflicts which based on these three mental components.
1. Angry and grudging
2. Merciless and spiteful,
3. Selfish and envious
4. Crafty and deceitful with evil
5. View and wrong view,
6. Holding on to his view and giving it up with difficulty2.
Therefore it is clear that to prevent the social conflicts, individual should overcome
those three mental states.
Prevention of the Social Conflicts
Most conflicts occur due to a misunderstanding of social roles for individuals.
Therefore Buddhist teachings encourage social roles for individuals. When social roles
are defined, they mainly focus not the rights of the individual, but the rights of the others
that should be protected. As a member of the main society, or member of any other
social institution, as a work place, family, or community he belongs to, he should
mainly focus to protect the rights of the others.
2
Vivādhamūla Sutta – AN IV, p 90-91.
Sigālōvāda Sutta in Digha-Nikāya explains the relationships individual is
having through out of his life in the six categories as follows:
1. Parent – Child relationship
2. Teacher – Student relationship
3. Husband – Wife relationship
4. Friend – Friend relationship
5. Employer – Employee relationship
6. Layman – Clergy relationship
There it explains individual’s responsibility for other parties according to the
social roles he has to play. The Sutta summarizes the relationships individual should
maintain throughout life; but more detailed descriptions of each relationship can also
be found in other places in the Tipitaka; for instance: employer - employee relationships
is one of the above six. According to Buddhist teachings, a person earn money to fulfil
following needs:
1. Earn livelihood rightfully
2. Use earnings correctly
3. Not to owe anyone any thing1
To fulfil the first need person should use his skills and capabilities to earn
rightfully. This means earning wealth without harming others in harmless ways
like to a bee that gathers honey. To fulfil the second and third needs, he should maintain
the following relationships correctly:
x Relationship with parents
x Relationship with spouse and children
x Relationship with neighbors or friends
x Relationship with teachers
x Relationship with clergies2
So it is clear: one purpose of earning is to maintain the other relationships
mention in Sigālōvāda Sutta.3 The qualities and role of the employer is described in
Anuruddhamanāpakāika Sutta and Uggaha Sutta in Aṅguttara Nikaya. According to it
a person who manages employees should have following qualities.
1. Energetic and clever in all tasks
2. Able to organize and manage others to do the tasks
3. Knowledge of who does the work and who does not do the work
4. Knowledge of the sick, the powerful and the weak
5. Ability to divide the eatables and nourishments among them according to the order
to be obtained.4
This shows that person who manages a work organization should be a role
model to the employees. And also every employee should have confidence that his
employer is treating him in a reasonable manner.
1
Anuruddhamanāpakāika Sutta - AN V- p 58-59, Uggaha Sutta AN V- p 204-05
Sigālōvāda Sutta – DN I-p 306-07, Licchavikumāra Sutta - AN III p 120-125
2
-Do3 Licchavikumāra Sutta - AN III, p 120-125
Sigālōvāda Sutta – DN III - p 302-03
4 Anuruddhamanāpakāika Sutta - AN V- p 58-59, Uggaha Sutta AN V- p 204-05
1
When the employer fulfil his responsibilities correctly, he can receive the expected
outcome from the employees.
x Without waiting to be ordered, they start work early and do it till late and perform
duties well
x Take only what is given
x Uphold the good name and fame of the employer5
These behaviors can be seen only from a highly motivated employee. If these
outcomes are not shown, employer should check where his management went wrong.
On the other hand both employer and the employee both should not forget the main
purposes of their earning.
If we take the family as an institute in the society, it has two types of
relationships.
1. Husband – Wife relationship
2. Parent – Child relationship
Among these two kind of relationships, parent has two kind of responsibilities.
1. Managing a good relationship with the spouse
2. Managing a good relationship with children
Parents are role models for children. If they provide a good type of image to the
children, their children will become good members to the society. Therefore in many
places, the Sutta Pitaka discusses how one can maintain the ideal husband-wife
relationship, and parent-child relationship. 6 If parents maintain their responsibilities
properly, they will get the fulfilment of the expectations they have on children.
1. Supporting parents
2. Doing parents work
3. Protecting the clan in the future
4. Keeping the heritage
5. Offering merit to parents after their death7
In this manner all the relationships described in Tipitaka are defined as a two
way process. Both parties are having equal responsibility to maintain a relationship.
Whether the relationship is maintained properly or not can be measured according to
the outcome receiving from the other party. For that each party should know the
expected outcome of the respective relationship. So it is clear that when it comes to
relationships Buddhist teachings give special care to define the role of each relationship
as well as the expected outcome.
Government is described as a social institute in Buddhist teachings. Citizens
are the human resource of the country, whom manage, through the social structure. As
a manager who manages the country, a ruler has to manage his citizens well. For that
he should have a broad vision to see the country as an organization that he has to
manage. He should understand human resources are the most important resource he
has, and use correct management techniques to manage it. The Chakkavattisihanāda
Sutta explains the responsibilities of the government towards the nation. According to
it, the ruler has a responsibility to be virtuous. Because quality of the ruler affect his
nation and the environment.8 According to the Adhammika Sutta if the ruler of the
country is virtuous, it will spread throughout the country and it will affect the
5
Sigālōvāda Sutta – DN I-p 306-07
1st and 2nd Nakulasamajīva Sutta - AN II –p 116-19, 1st and 2nd Saṅvasa Sutta II – p110-15, Mahāmaṅgala Sutta –
KN V –P 80-83
7 Putta Sutta - AN III - P 66- 67
8 Adhammika Sutta - AN II- p140-43,
6
environment positively. As a result all seasonal circles run smoothly and the outcome
of the environment shall be nourishing. So the people of the country will become
healthy. If the ruler of the country is not virtuous it affects up to the seasonal changes,
and the food, people eat. As a result people of the country will become sick. Therefore
the ruler should practice five precepts himself and advise to practice it throughout the
kingdom and acknowledge the Dhamma as a master, establish guard, ward and
protection according to Dhamma for his own household, his troops, nobles and vassals,
Brahmins and householders, town and country folk, clergies, beasts and birds.9 The
ruler should take the responsibility for the prosperity of the country. He should
introduce a mechanism to share the income with all the citizens. Before collecting
income-tax from the citizens, the ruler must make the necessary arrangements to
develop the country.10 For that he should provide facilities to people according to their
ability and capacity, to provide the necessary goods and services as follows.
x For those devote themselves to keeping cattle and the farm, ruler should provide
food and seed-corn to them.
x For those devote themselves to trade, the ruler should give them capital.
x For those devote themselves to government service, ruler should give them wages
and food.
When ruler do this, people of the country will pay the taxes correctly and also
have faith on him.
So it is clear that Buddhist teachings discussed the social roles mainly focusing
to the rights of the other members of the society. On the other hand it describe the
limitations of the each role. As a result it prevent the mixing up the roles with each
other.
Other than the different kind of social roles Buddhist teachings encourage
individual to play the role as the member of the main society by protecting the basic
rights of the other members. According to the Puññbhinanda Sutta, there are five types
of alms, which are: pristine of long standing, traditional and ancient, unadulterated,
never before adulterated, which are not adulterated, which will not be adulterated not
despised by wise ascetics and Brahmins.11 These five alms are:
1. Giving up the destruction of life and abstains from it.
2. Giving up the taking of what is not given and abstains from it
3. Giving up sexual misconduct and abstains from it.
4. Giving up false speech and abstains from it
5. Giving up wines liquors and intoxicants which are the basic for negligence and
abstains from it.
By abstaining from these five things, a person gives to immeasurable beings,
freedom from fear hostility and oppression. By giving them up that person also enjoys
immeasurable freedom, from fear, hostility and oppression. As mentions above,
protecting rights of the other members in the society, individual gain merits in this
world and also after the death. Rāja Sutta in Aṅguttara Nikāya says that one can see the
outcome in this world of abstaining from five sins or doing them. According to it, he
may not punished by the government because of his actions. Other than that individual
may gain following benefits by protecting other’s rights.
9
Cakkavattisihanāda Sutta - DN III - p100 -03
Kūtadanta Sutta –DN I -p262 -263
11 Puññbhinanda Sutta, AN V - p 166-71
10
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Does not blame himself
The wise will praise him
Good reputation spreads
He dies an unconfused death
After death he increases in status and is born in heaven12
And also because individual who did not protect the rights of other members in
the society he may punished by the government because of his actions.13 And also there
are five dangers for him as follows.
1. He blames oneself
2. The wise will blame him
3. Bad reputation spreads
4. He will be confused in death
5. After death he decreases in status and is born in hell14
So it is clear: protecting other’s rights can gain good outcome, while not
protecting other’s rights he has to suffer. This knowledge will motivate the individual
to protect the rights of the other members.
To protect the rights of the other members of the society, one should selfdisciplined. Therefore Buddhist teachings encourage the individual to discipline
himself. The Kakacūpama Sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya asks the individual to
discipline himself without depending on the other person’s actions. Most of the
conflicts occur due to the verbal communication. Buddha categorized the verbal
communication of the others into fivefold ways as follows:
1. At the right time, or not at the right time
2. The false or the truth,
3. With kindness or roughly,
4. For the good of someone, or for his disaster,
5. With thoughts of loving kindness, or with anger
Each category is twofold with positive and negative characters. Whatever the
way communication occur individual should not disturbed his mental state. At any
situation he should remember that he shouldn’t change his mind state, he should not
utter evil words, and he should abide with compassion and loving kindness, without an
angry thought, and should pervade that person who uttered those words with thoughts
of loving kindness. If he can maintain his mental state that manner, nobody can disturb
his mental stability. Effort of others to disturb that person will become an effort of a
person who comes with hoe and basket and try to destroy the earth by digging here and
there, throwing earth here and there, spitting here and there, urinating here and there
and saying, be without earth; or a person who comes with various colors of dye and try
to draw pictures in the space; or a person who comes with a burning grass torch and try
to dry up the river Ganges. If an individual train his mind to this state he can even
tolerate any physical harassment without changing his mind. That is why Buddha stated
that even if robbers cut ones limbs one after another with a two handled saw, if one’s
mind be defiled on account of that, he has not done the duty in Buddha’s dispensation.
Even at such a state even individual should train his mind to maintain the loving-
12
Duccarita Sutta –AN III- p 436-37
Raja Sutta -AN III- p 338-43
14 Duccarita Sutta – AN III - p -436-37
13
kindness he used to practice. If one can maintain this level of mental stability he will
not contribute to any social conflict.
This shows that reversing the mental state of individual to the state which
described in the Aggañña Sutta as the original state at the beginning of the world is the
best solution to prevent social conflicts. Cūagosiṅga Sutta explains how it help to
maintain the harmony among individuals. Not only will that it benefited to the
individual in this world and after death. Mettanisaṅsa sutta in Aṅguttara Nikāya give
eleven benefits one can gain by practicing loving-kindness as follows15:
1. Sleeps pleasantly,
2. Awakes pleasantly,
3. Does not see evil dreams,
4. Becomes loveable to humans
5. Becomes loveable to non-humans,
6. The gods protect him;
7. Fire, poison or a weapon do not affect him;
8. The mind concentrates quickly,
9. His face becomes clear,
10. He dies unconfused,
11. If he does not realize further, is born in the world of Brahma
Not only that, in the Mahapuññbhai Sutta in the Aṅguttara Nikāya, the Buddha gave
his own experience of practicing good.
“Do not fear to do good. Pleasantness is a synonym for good. I know
of enjoying the results of pleasing and agreeable good, done long ago.
I developed the thought of loving kindness for seven years and did not
come to this world for seven forward and seven backward world cycles.”
And also received following states as an outcome of practicing loving kindness
during that period.
During the forward world cycles become the god of radiance
During the backward world cycles the born in an empty paradise of Brahma.
Thirty six times become Sakka the king of gods.
Innumerable hundreds of times become the righteous universal monarch.16
As we discussed above, Buddhist teachings encourage the attadipattya or selfdiscipline by highlighting the benefits one can gain through developing his mind to the
state of social friendliness. This motivating the individual to prevent from involving or
contributing to social conflicts.
Resolving the Social Conflicts
Social conflicts occur due to the actions of the individuals who do not have selfdiscipline. To guide and discipline them, there is a need of rules and regulations. Rules
and regulations are involved with punishments. When solving conflicts, Buddhist
approach mainly focusing to prevent the future conflicts by helping the individuals,
those who cause the conflict, to discipline themselves. According to Buddhist concept
the person who does not have self-discipline is a sick person. The punishment given to
the individuals who cause the conflict should be a treatment to them. So the action that
is taken should be a treatment for the illness. The rules and regulations should focusing
15
16
Mettanisaṅsa Sutta –AN VI-p 644-45
Mahapuññbhai Sutta -AN IV) p -412-13
on this aspect. Therefore after following procedures and punished if someone is
punished, that punishment should lead to cure the person. It is a responsibility of the
community to facilitate the person, who under goes the punishment, to get cured. When
the punishment is completed he should report it to the community and ask to accept
him as a member again. If he is cured then he should be accepted. All needed guidelines
were given in the Buddhist teachings rereading the punishments and the procedures to
check whether the person got cured or not.
Therefore in Buddhist tradition purpose of pointing out a wrong deed, is to help
that person to correct that deed. That is why it says one who desires to accuse another,
should internally establish himself in five things, and then accuse the other. The five
things are:
1. I will talk at the right time not out of time.
2. I will tell the truth not the untruth.
3. I will talk politely, not roughly.
4. I will tell the essential not the useless.
5. I will talk with loving kindness not with anger.
It is a community’s responsibility to inform the person who accused, whether
he is accusing according to above five aspects or not.17 Buddhist teachings categorize
issues which cause to social conflicts into four categories. They are:
1. The disputes concerning Dhamma and Vinaya
2. The accusations concerning offences
3. The commission of offences, which are to be dealt with by the offenders’
undergoing prescribed penalties
4. The duties of the members of the community18
Cause for any social conflict can be categorized under these four. Before resolving the
conflict it should be identified, under which cause the conflict occur. Rules and
regulations are guiding the person to understand the limitations of the society. When
one go beyond these limitations social conflicts occur. Therefore it is advised to resolve
the social conflicts within themselves as a team. Buddhist approach introduce seven
ways to resolve conflicts by the members of the society. The seven methods are:
1. Sammukhā Vinaya: Verdict of ‘in the Presence’. This means four parties: in the
presence of community, in the presence of the involved parties to the conflict, in
the presence of Dhamma and Vinaya conflict should be settled.
2. Sati Vinaya: Verdict of Mindfulness. This means verdict of innocence is given in
an accusation, based on the fact that the accused remembers fully that he did not
commit the offence he is accusing of.
3. Amūŀha Vinaya: Verdict of Insanity. This means that innocence is given in
accusation based on the fact that, accused was out of mind when he committed the
offence in the question. As a result he is absolved of any responsibility of his action.
4. Patiññayakaranaya: Verdict of Acting Accordance with What is Admitted. If the
offender confess honestly the offence as it happens, verdict is given accordingly.
This will not apply if offender lies.
5. Yebhuyyasikāva: Verdict of Acting in Accordance with Majority. When the
members cannot settle the conflict according to normal procedures, and if the
members start to accuse each other, then the decision should be taken by majority
vote.
17
18
Kakacūpama Sutta – MN I – p 318-23
Cattari Adhikaranani, Samathakkhandhaka, CP I, p 376-435
6. Tassapāpiyaysikāva: Verdict of Acting Accordance with the Accused’s Further
Misconduct. This refers to a situation where the accused try to mislead the
community about his actions. When this happens community carried out a formal
act of further misconduct and against him as an added punishment for being so
uncooperative to require the formal interrogation in the first place.
7. Tinavatthākaranaya: Verdict of Covering over as with Grass. This refers to
situation in which both parties of dispute realize that in the cause of their dispute,
they have done much that is unworthy of a contemplative. If they were to deal with
one another for their offences, the only result will be greater divisiveness. Thus both
sides agree to make a blanket confession. To close the case. 19
These seven methods are focus on settling the issues and making friendly
environment within the society. According to the situation it should be selected the
method to resolve the conflict. At the end of the resolution process harmony in the
society should be established. Therefore it is advised that try always to solve the
problems in the society by the Sammukā Vinaya as it settled the conflict with the
consent of all parties effect and involve. If it is not they should try the other methods.
When resolving conflicts main attention should be given to resolve the conflict
according to the Dhamma. But it doesn’t mean that identifying the one who goes against
Dhamma should be punished by the society is a must. Find out justice and punishing
the offender is not solving social conflicts always. Resolving all conflict in one common
method may cause to the further advancement or negative effects to the society.
Buddhist conflict management approach mainly focusing to resolve the conflict without
having further advancement or negative effects. That is why Buddhist tradition use
seven methods to resolve conflicts. For instance if many people are involving in any
conflict, if try to identify the offenders, many should be punished according to the law.
But that will create another conflict due to the other parties whom effect by the
punishment. Or sometimes offences of other parties also revealed and sometimes there
may not any single person who is not involve in offences. When that sort of situation
occur Buddhist tradition recommend to follow the procedures of Tinavatthākaranaya,
or Verdict of Covering over as with Grass and close the case.
On the other hand covering up the conflicts and closing it without further
investigation cannot done for every conflict. If that happens members of the society
may get a wrong idea, that any wrong doing can covering up so easily. Therefore
members of the society should identify the individuals who create conflicts whenever
possible by using Sammukhā Vinaya Patiññayakaranaya, Yebhuyyasikāva and
Tassapāpiyaysikāva. The individuals whom wrongly accused, and the individuals who
are having obvious mental disorders should not be punished.
So it is clear that all the methods using in Buddhist tradition are mainly focusing
to resolve the conflicts without further advancement of the situation or being
complicated.
1. Sammukhā Vinaya - Verdict of ‘in the Presence’. This means four parties: in the
presence of community, in the presence of the involved parties to the conflict, in
the presence of Dhamma and Vinaya conflict should be settled.
2. Sati Vinaya – Verdict of Mindfulness. This means verdict of innocence is given in
an accusation, based on the fact that the accused remembers fully that he did not
commit the offence he is accusing of.
19
Adikarana Samatha, Samathakkhandhaka, CP-I, p 332-435
3. Amūŀha Vinaya – Verdict of Insanity. This means that innocence is given in
accusation based on the fact that, accused was out of mind when he committed the
offence in the question. As a result he is absolved of any responsibility of his action.
Conclusion
According Buddhist teachings, conflicts occur due to craving. Social evolution
occurs due to craving having negative effects upon the individual and environment.
Buddhist teachings encourage the Attādipattya or self-discipline by highlighting the
benefits one can gain through developing the mind to the state of social friendliness.
This motivates the individual to prevent from involvement in or contributing to social
conflict. Buddhism encourages individuals to protect others rights by providing
benefits by protecting others rights, in this world as well as after death. On the other
hand when social roles are defined, it also raises the limitations of each role, which
prevents mixing up roles. Main purpose of resolving conflicts according to Buddhist
teachings is to maintain the harmony of society. Conflict resolution should be done
according to the need and the consent of society. So it is clear that the social conflict
management approach of Buddhism has a broad view on managing conflicts. Like any
other model or theory used to resolve conflicts, the Buddhist social conflict
management approach also can be used to resolve conflicts.
References
Bhikkhu Thanissaro (1994), the Buddhist Monastic Code, Mettā Forest Monastery, USA.
Buddha Jayanthi Tripitaka Series Volume 1-40, Government of Ceylon.