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Inter-religious Dialogue: Are Buddhists Doing Enough?

By John Cannon and Daniel Millet | | Buddhistdoor Global

We live in a world that our grandparents could not have dreamed of—a much more shared and integrated world as a result of modern technological advances that bring much promise and wonderful possibilities. Yet also a world faced with contradictions that are diluting and destroying these very same promises and hopes. Opposing forces pull us in direction of harmony while simultaneously and maliciously driving us apart along violent and intolerant paths. The benefits of modern society highlight, as never before, our awareness of living and participating in a shared and interconnected world on individual, local, regional, national, and international levels. We can no longer isolate ourselves or ignore the differences between ourselves and the “Other.” Unless we live in a hermetically sealed and homogenous society, we must come face to face with the differences and diversity around us. Unfortunately, what has enabled us to ideally become closer to the Other and should nurture mutual understanding, tolerance, and acceptance, has also emphasized our fear and loathing of the Other, tearing us apart and proliferating violence. This is clearly demonstrated by the unending religious, ethnic, and cultural tensions and violence of today and the religious wars of the past.

We are struggling and stewing in a cauldron of hatred, delusion, and ignorance, either succumbing or desperately striving for a way out of this morass. As the Visuddhimagga reads: “The inner tangle and the outer tangle—this generation is tangled in a tangle. . . . Who succeeds in disentangling this tangle?” One modest step towards “disentangling” is a sincere and open dialogue between parties. We have been plagued from time immemorial by religious discord, hatred, and violence aimed at vindicating the “truthfulness” of “my” religion and the necessity for everyone to follow the same belief system. No religion is immune from this virus arising from our stubborn clinging to the illusions caused by hatred, delusion, and ignorance.

Interfaith dialogue is not a panacea but an important step in reducing interreligious tensions and violence while allowing each side to accept, understand, and revel in religious diversity. The objective is to rise above superficial mutual understanding and respect in order to develop true empathy with the religious Other. In interreligious encounters, participants of different religious traditions live together, becoming more appreciative of how genuine and rich the spiritual life of the Other is, without the negative stereotypes. Interfaith dialogue covers a wide spectrum of practices ranging from simple conversations or discussions between individuals of different faiths to a more academic approach through comparative studies. One of the authors of this article had such a transformative experience when he began the fasting experience of Ramadan while visiting Turkey and continued upon returning home. “Interfaith dialogue is indispensable because without peace among religious communities, peace in the world would not be possible. Through dialogue, understanding, and acceptance of each other’s traditions and values would be nourished; intolerance and hatred would be reduced.” (Ven. Hin Hung, senior advisor at the Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, in a speech at the Inter-religious Dialogue conference in Avila, Spain 2017).



Venerable Sik Hin Hung, director of the Centre of Buddhist Studies at

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Fr. Agustí Borel, I Definitor of

the Discalced Carmelite Order, at the 1st World Encounter Teresian

Mysticism and Interreligious Dialogue conference. In Ávila, Spain,

27–30 July 2017. Image courtesy of the author