Path of Peace and Happiness: Essays in Buddhist Social Philosophy and Ethics

Are you happy in this modern world? Or do you need more?

Is there something else you are searching for?

If you are looking for true happiness, then you need to find the path leading to it.

The principal aim of this book is to share the value of the middle path propounded by the Buddha many centuries ago, rejecting extremes. Unlike the historical Buddha's time, in this modern world, lots of undue suffering is inflicted upon people by bad politics and false interpretations of carefully selected wrong views. Buddhism's pragmatic teachings help clarify, uproot, and eliminate the deep underlying causes of suffering.

Narrated through a philosophical background, the book conveys how to relate Buddhist teachings to improve the quality of everyday life and find true happiness. It discusses Buddhist ethical values and Western development, including how wrong views can cause destruction and misery, emphasising the futility of wars, a rare book written to be read by kings, presidents, and ambassadors with a view to change the narratives of armed conflicts in the 21st century. Understanding history is essential to guiding important foreign relationships at times of growing uncertainty threatening world peace.

The book highlights the destructive consequences of the most recent Russia's aggression in Ukraine. Destroying lives and livelihoods are the nature of armed conflict. The war also imperils the world's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic: inflation, food security, energy security and further supply-chain pressures driving inflation are among the many challenges policy makers worldwide must tackle. As the global ramifications of the invasion take hold, the book shows the importance of insight wisdom, nonviolence approach on the foreign policy challenges ahead. The book also shows the practical applications of Buddhist teachings through familiar historical literature not inhibited by traditional interpretations.

A prime source of both western and eastern philosophies, it constitutes a rational and straightforward understanding of the ethics and psychology of Buddhism, advocating peace and nonviolence, respect for life and individual acceptance of accountability, social responsibility, and welfare of all to improve social cohesion.