What is the future of the dialogues between Muslims and Buddhists from a Buddhist perspective?
I would like to discuss on the future of the dialogues between Muslims and Buddhists from a Buddhist point of view. Considering the contacts between them through interreligious organisations, most of the international interreligious organisations include both Muslims and Buddhists, although much bilateral dialogues do not happen and/or are not written. The International Interfaith Network, a network of international interreligious organisations, consists of 14 international interfaith organisations, most of which have Muslim and Buddhist members or member organisations, consequently, 2 of them have dialogues and cooperate for peace activities as a part of multi-religious bodies.
However, these multi-religious involvements are different from
bilateral dialogues. So what is the current situation of the dialogues
between them and what is the possibility for the future? Firstly I
would like to overview some examples. There are many countries in which
both communities exist. China has about 18 mil. Muslims according to
1990’s census (People’s Daily). 80 percent of them live in Xinjiang
Uighur Autonomous Region in North-West of China but the rest are
dispersed across the whole country (80% of 2000 counties) . Sri Lankan
Muslims constitute some 1.3mil or 7.4%, and they settled on the
northeast coasts, but currently significant Muslim minorities are to be
found all of Sri Lanka. as well as Western countries. Other countries
are Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Central Asia and Western countries etc.
In Burma (Myanma), there are 1.31mil Muslims, which is 3.2% of its
population in 1998. In Prome in the Western Burma, Muslims and
Buddhists live on the same street in some towns. Several disputes
occurred time to time in that region. On 9th October 2001, Fighting
broke out between some Burmese and Muslims at the central mosque in the
town. A Burmese girl from Lanmadaw street eloped with a Muslim man,
from the same street who later forced her to become a Muslim. When her
parents discovered that she had become a Muslim and planning to get
married, they went to the mosque to request them not to marry, but they
did not accept and fighting broke out after a heated argument. The
following morning, her parents and relatives entered the man’s house
and forcibly took their daughter away, and they destroyed his house. In
this case, it is not clear how the girl was forced to convert, and with
her will or not. As some Muslims and Buddhists confirm the freedom of
thought, it seems to me it is important if she had the entire free to
choice to be converted or not to. Although some Muslims would disagree
because in Sura 3, verses 86 of Quran, it says “How shall God guide
those who reject faith after they accepted it, and bore witness that
the Apostle was true, and that clear signs had come to them? But God
guides not a people unjust.” But, I think one can choose whether to
follow the guidance or not. On the other hand, the apostates are given
this notice: they will not injure God in the least, but He will make
their deeds of no effect.” (Sura 47, verse 57)
However,
there have been some positive movements. After mosques were destroyed
by Buddhists in March 1997, the abbots of well-known monasteries in
Rangoon told their monks not to join in these destruction of mosques,
saying that if they did join they should leave the monasteries forever,
and that their monks were ready to help the Muslims in guarding the
mosques, and they were ashamed about the situation. Yet, it would not
be proper to call it as inter-religious dialogues, it would be rather
just response
In December last year, the Summit for Muslim World Leaders was held in Jakarta in Indonesia. At the summit, Dr Imtiaz Ahmad Ali Yusuf from Thailand, made a presentation on Buddhist-Muslim dialogue, touching upon issues such as non-theism, status of prophethood and other theological and cultural contact. He says “ To achieve a civilized face of Islam to the world, take the all-around moral high ground and don’t fight. Each can regard the other as a world vies. Muslims can learn much from Buddhism about respect for all life and meditation…Don’t priori condemn any religion in this world.” Can both go beyond not-fighting and learning each other through dialogues?
Let me discuss briefly on some approaches toward other
religions of each.
Starting with Muslims. Sobhi Rajab
Mahmassani from Lebanon has argued that discrimination based on
religion is impossible in an Islamic system. Abdurrahman Wahid of
Indonesia, a leader of the largest religious organisation, has stressed
that an Islamic society in Indonesia is treason against the
Constitution because it will make non-Muslims second-class citizens.”
Mohamed Talbi of Tunisia cites positive injunctions towards good
treatment of non-Muslims; he argues that the general injunction of
tolerance allows the construction of intercommunal dialogue. He
continues that humans are created for community, relationship, and
dialogue. To be a true Muslim is to live in courteous dialogue with
peoples of other faiths and ideologies, and ultimately to submit to
God. We must show concern to our neighbours. Quran must be expanded to
embrace all manking believers and unbelievers, except for those who do
wrong, the unjust and violent, who resort deliberately to argument.
Mahmoud Mohamed Taha says the good society is one that is based on
economic, political and social equality which is characterized by a
lack of social classed and discrimination based on colour, faith, race
or gender. A good society also enjoys tolerant public opinion
permitting different life-styles and manners as long as these are
beneficial to society. R. E Miller of India claims the principle of
tauhid(unity) fundamentally determines the relationships between humans
and between religions. God the Creator is One. From His unity, as
necessary consequences, follow the unity of the created world, of
mankind and of all of life, so all human beings belong to a universal
brotherhood. There is one original and true religion, and all other
religions are offshoots from it, so many religions flowed from one
religion, therefore, all religions may be said to share a common divine
origin.
On the other hand, in the Lotus Sutra of a Mahayana Buddhist scripture, there is a concept of One Vehicle. “One Vehicle” is a term used in contrast to three vehicles. Three vehicles are 3 kinds of teachings and they indicate that there are differences and variety in human desires, capacities, cultures, faiths, ways of seeking the truth and etc.
In contrast, One Vehicle means one great container, which brings all living beings, without exception, to the real salvation and enlightenment. One Vehicle signifies the absolute equality going beyond the relative differences, and all beings possess the potential to attain the enlightenment or to complete ourselves.
Thus, the teaching of the One Buddha Vehicle emphasizes that with respecting the differences and the diversity, we can attain the enlightenment. Understanding differences make us to closer to the truth. So, it shows us a way we are open to other faiths radically in order to reveal One Buddha Vehicle. It is very important practice to respect differences and to cooperate for the humanity with different religions. Dalai Lama suggests that it is important to know the fundamental differences between religious traditions, but every religion emphasizes human improvement, love, respect for others and more or less every religion has the same view point and the same goal. If we go into the differences in philosophy and argue with and criticize each other, it is useless. A Zen Buddhist, Masao Abe, finds it necessary to clarify the difference rather than the affinity to create something new and to reach a real and creative mutual understanding. Thich Nhat Hanh says that dialogue can be fruitful and enriching if both sides are truly open, if they really believe that there are valuable elements in each other’s tradition and that they can learn from one another, they will also rediscover many valuable aspects of their own tradition.
Looking at both perspectives to other religions, Muslim’s approaches seem to have a tendency to focus on the religious freedom issue, non-discrimination and tolerance to tackle social issues, on the other hand, Buddhist ones seem to understand differences and similarlities or common values, although it would be impossible to generalise. Similar concepts of both are many or every religion has precious values and common moral ground.
I would like to discuss now where the Muslim-Buddhist dialogue
should start and where should go.
At the places where
intolerance and religious discrimination, understanding of each other
might lead to the solution for the social problems, however, there
might be dangers to clarify the differences and similarities. It might
be used as a mean of propagation or cause arguments. It would be worth
as a starting point to focus just on non-violence and tolerance. Under
fundamental trust, it seems to be possible to have philosophical
dialogue to understand differences without heated argument and hatred.
It
is clear that both have concept of dignity of all human, and love or
compassion toward others. It could be said between other religions, but
there should be much potential to work together and practice together
for humanity.
It seems obvious that the stock of experiences of Muslim-Buddhist dialogue and accumulation of the experiences at various places where social, political, cultural circumstances are different is very small, and.
I would like to share the quotation from the words of H. E.
Wahid of Indonesia spoken at the summit for Muslim World Leaders in
December; Many have suggested that the conference declaration was too
“soft.” For the sake of educating the wider masses, it is much better
to start with something “soft.” Once we have achieved a certain degree
of success with our education, we will have much greater success with
our demands and with presenting matters that are “harder” and more
challenging.”
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