An INDY JOURNALIST’S BLOG

I’ve since located this article as a good opener to the discussion.

In reading this article, the question I ask is: Is it true “modern mindfulness” [theory] has been altered from its original spiritually rooted practice of kindness, acceptance and compassion into a distorted individualized tool that may actually discourage collective action and social awareness?

Let’s look at some of the mainstay works on the concept of “Engaged Buddhism” and how it relates to the drive toward activism, benevolent action and hope for positive change in the world. Here is a quick list of texts to help in this regard. Enjoy!

• Sallie B. King — Socially Engaged Buddhism

• Sallie B. King — Being Benevolence: The Social Ethics of Engaged Buddhism

• Chris Queen & Sallie King (eds.) — Engaged Buddhism: Buddhist Liberation Movements in Asia

• Thích Nhất Hạnh — The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching

• Thích Nhất Hạnh — Peace Is Every Step

• Thích Nhất Hạnh — Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism

• International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB)

• Buddhist Peace Fellowship (BPF)

• Order of Interbeing / Plum Village Communities

• Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement (Sri Lanka)

• Tzu Chi Foundation (Taiwan)

• Harvard Pluralism Project — Buddhism and Social Action: Engaged Buddhism

• HDA Asian Art — Engaged Buddhism: Bringing Dharma into the World of Action

• MDPI Religions — Mindfulness and Activism (Engaged Buddhism)