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The Role of Religion in Helping Society Become Healthy
The role of religions in healing society and bringing peace and happiness is a practical topic, not only for Buddhists but for the international community. Today’s society is facing social ills such as suicide, drugs, crime, and the collapse of the family structure due to a lack of communication. These negativities have infiltrated the temple in the form of corruption, and the struggle for power and status. To contribute to society, religion needs to carry out an internal purification of body, speech, and mind. Religion without ethics will lead to bankruptcy and cause harm, especially when caught in fanaticism or using corrupt means to develop.
Ethics and spirituality are the foundation for the strength of a dynasty or an organization. King Tran Thai Tong, at the age of 20, knew how to practice to transform personal suffering and political upheavals, implementing a path of non-violence and reconciling with his family. The three children of An Sinh Vuong Tran Lieu used ethics to support the country instead of seeking revenge, including:
- Hung Ninh Vuong Tran Quoc Tung (Tue Trung Thuong Si).
- Empress Nguyen Thanh Thien Cam.
-
General Tran Hung Dao.
King Ashoka also succeeded in uniting people’s hearts by receiving and observing the Five Mindfulness Trainings and practicing the precept of not killing. Politicians and businesspeople alike need a lifestyle of living simply to keep the Way to deal with the virus of corruption, which is a national crisis that can collapse both the Sangha and the government.
The temple needs to play a role of spiritual leadership by building brotherhood and sisterhood and true happiness. The Abbot Sangha model is proposed as a core community at centers such as 1. Tu Hieu, 2. Prajñā, 3. Phap Van. The members of this sangha vow to let go of all personal comforts, including:
- Private money.
- Private bank accounts.
- Private televisions.
- Private vehicles.
- Private telephones.
- Private computers.
- Private email addresses.
-
Private eating and drinking.
Renewing the tradition and training young intellectuals to become Dharma teachers capable of untangling inner tensions and restoring communication in the family is an urgent need to respond to modern society.
Part of the following collection
Stories from the Retreat in Germany