Fourteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing tendency of religious extremism, cultural conflicts, deprivation of biodiversity, as well as climate change. This apparently tends to emphasise a remarkable issue with regards to human well-being and industrial globalisation in the twenty-first century. Here the particular term of well-being certainly denotes the state of being safe, healthy, well, and happy in terms of mental and physical welfare. Therefore, this prospective study was designed to investigate to what extent Theravāda Buddhist teachings on human well-being can facilitate establishing global peace and harmony. In effect, by employing the qualitative mode of inquiry, I attempt to illuminate a few most substantial findings in this regard: compassion, loving-kindness, sympathetic-joy, equanimity along with wisdom. In addition, this work will generate fresh foresight to sublime states of mind that are often related with human cognitive control, self-regulation, sensory awareness together with self-understanding. Indeed, it seems that even if one individual were to fail to realise the universal values of human life and natural environment, it could necessarily affect planetary well-being. It is, ipso facto, likely that Buddhist concepts of well-being are constantly associated with global peace and harmony. However, due to practical constraints, this paper cannot provide a comprehensive review of all other Buddhist teachings and perspectives. Ergo, there is a definite need for exploring more pragmatic approaches to planetary peace and harmony from the Buddhist point of view in the twenty-first century.