Abstract:
People of the many countries in the world are involved in internal and external conflicts that
are interpersonal and ethnic, economic and social. Therefore, modern scholars have introduced
so many conflict resolution theories, such as Human Need theory, Principled Negotiation
theory, Community Relation theory, Identity theory, Inter-Cultural Miscommunication theory
and Conflict Transformation theory to avoid those conflicts.
The Lord Buddha has always paved the way to solve problems that are interpersonal and ethnic
economic and social throughout his preaching' In the Dhammapada there are ways and methods
which help to resolve conflict for the purpose of benefitting society. Especially the Lord Buddha
has composed the stanzas attractively, regarding resolving the conflict which has raised
interpersonal conflicts between various people, groups and states. Those methods help to
experience happiness, do day-to-day activities with an awakened mind, not be shaken by
sadness and be involved in winning and losing. So, we can understand that Dhammapada
highlights conflict resolution rather than giving advice. For an example,
“Nahi verena verāni-sammantīdha kudācanaṃ
Averenacasammanti-esadhammo sanantano” (Yamaka Vagga 5 stanza)
‘Hatred never ceases through hatred in this world, through love (mettā) alone they cease. This
is an eternal law.’
Two women avenged themselves in the course of two successive births. In their third birth
however, they were compelled to meet the Buddha, who pacified them by preaching to them
and advising them not to retaliate. On that occasion Lord Buddha solved that conflict as
mediator by using a transformation approach. It is the same as the modern approach called
conflict transformation theory. In that way we can find out the conflict resolution approaches
in Dhammapada.
I specifically try to show that the approaches in Dhammapada are similar to traditional and
modern approaches or filled with concepts and theories which can be used for conflict resolution
beyond traditional and modern approaches. I examine the Dhammapada to try to adduce
optimum treatments and ways to avoid conflicts raised in society and understand primary
sources of conflicts. In addition one of the main purposes of this research is to use the
Dhammapada to investigate new approaches which help to prevent people from engaging in
conflict and suffering.
