Psychology & Buddhism.pdf

Mahayana Principles of Integration 233
happiness (Kawada, 2001). Mahayana Buddhism seeks to help the individual
transcend difference and dissolve the dichotomy between the self and others by
actualizing the principle of the bodhisattva. Thus, the Bodhisattva Imperative provides
a blueprint for ethnic conflict prevention since the Bodhisattva seeks harmony
within his or her own life and within the environment he or she lives thus
striving to create a land of peace, void of ethnic conflict.
Dependent Origination
Dependent origination is a major principle of Mahayana Buddhism. This
principle could serve as a universal guideline for peace as it explains the fundamental
doctrine of the interdependence of all things. Describing dependent origination
as “the web of life that binds all people,” Daisaku Ikeda (1993) states the
most important implication of this teaching is that we do not exist alone. The
meaning of our lives and our happiness arises through our interconnectedness
with those around us, our community, and our world. According to this concept
all entities exist because of mutually interdependent relationships, and without
other entities, one’s own existence would not be. When people awaken to the
interdependent nature of their existence, they would naturally develop a sense of
responsibility and appreciation for others, and compassionate, altruistic behavior
would naturally follow (Martin, 1995).
At a profound level, the principle of dependent origination undergrids the
imperative of the bodhisattva to care for others. Given the interconnectedness of
all life, to help others is to help oneself. It is from this worldview that the truly
altruistic behavior of the bodhisattva arises.
The principle of dependent origination is not limited to human beings, but
encompasses everything within our universe, sentient and insentient beings,
which include animals and nature (see Chapter 11 in this volume).
Western religion has emphasized the dominance of “man” over animal and
environment. There is a duality that first talks of man as having “dominion” over
animals and earth, (kjv. Genesis: 1:26) and second, talks of establishing an equal
covenant to man and animal, alike (kjv: Genesis: 9:12). In the Old Testament
Noah is clearly instructed to gather up the animals “two by two” and to place
them on board the ship so that they would be saved, along with him and his
family (Allen, 1963). When one thinks about this incident, whether real or
imaged, it is a clear indication of the equality and interdependence of all life on
the planet. It could be viewed in terms of the Buddhist principle of dependent
origination. All elements of the phenomena were interdependent; nature in the
form of the storm, could be said to represent the obstacles of existence that both
humans and animals encounter living on the planet; Noah and his family, using
their human skills and knowledge, built the boat for the animals and themselves;
the animals in turn, nourished the humans with cheese and eggs to eat and wool