Social Justice and the 4 Noble Truths: 2014 Roundup

Articles

Dec 23

Written By

The System Stinks 2014:

Social Justice and the Four Noble Truths

Contributors (clockwise from top left): Rev. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, Mushim Ikeda, Hozan Alan Senauke, Funie Hsu, Faith Adiele, and Maia Duerr.

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Introduction

by BPF Co-Director Katie LonckeReal talk, bodhisattvas: sometimes it is hard not to give in to despair.Suffering and oppression in the world is so heavy, so unfathomable. (I hardly need mention the recently released 525-page CIA torture report.) Even if we try to shield ourselves from it, like the Buddha's royal father tried to shield the young Siddhartha Gautama inside an opulent palace-bubble, eventually the sorrows and hardships of life on earth catch up with us. And of course, for some (perhaps the servants or concubines in the royal palace), sorrows and hardships are compounded by social oppression and injustice. Siddhartha-s-visit-outside-the-palace Whatever our social standing, we can't hide forever from reality — the reality that life can be profoundly painful and unpleasant.But there's good news. We can choose to respond.When the young Buddha realized the inescapability of suffering, he set out on a quest for freedom. And after years of spiritual study (some would say the culmination of many lifetimes), mastering all the highest techniques of 500-B.C.E. northern India, he realized four fundamental, ennobling truths about the possibility of liberation.These Four Noble Truths, and their relationship to social justice, have guided a remarkably rich series of essays, articles, and videos in this, our second year of Buddhist Peace Fellowship's The System Stinks curriculum. While we love, cherish, and take refuge in the teachings of the Buddha, we also believe that there is no spiritual shortcut to the necessary, continuous work of political education.Spiritual practice is no substitute for political analysis, but it can be a powerful complement.Through The System Stinks we approach collective injustice and resistance not just from the standpoint of personal growth and transformation, but from a systemic perspective. Throughout this year, six wonderful engaged dharma practitioners have reflected on the truths of suffering — and the pathways out of it — that the Buddha shared with the world.Please enjoy this roundup of their work. It has been our honor to host their spiritual-political brilliance in 2014.[divide style="2"]