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Deep Listening for Real Security: An Engaged Buddhist Response to Terror
Safety cannot be secured by force alone but only when everyone feels safe. Terrorism springs from the suffering, anger, fear, jealousy or even goodwill and faith in one’s own values when unrecognized by others. Rather than striking blindly at its symptoms, we must look deeply into the human heart to identify and uproot the real causes of violence.
True security and reconciliation arise through a practice of understanding and love, which includes:
- Deep listening—offering a safe, non-judgmental space for people to express their pain.
- Loving speech—speaking with compassion to heal wounds.
- Mindful breathing and mindful walking—bringing calm and self-mastery before engaging in dialogue.
Thay proposes forming a “council of wise people” to listen over months to all who feel discriminated or unheard—televised nationwide so that suffering becomes visible, understanding grows, and Right Action can follow Right Understanding. This model of engaged Buddhism—collective meditation on real issues, compassionate communication and non-coercive healing—can restore safety at home and guide a truly peaceful response to suffering everywhere.
