Awakenings and Uprisings
Coming Soon…
“The Buddha lives and teaches for the welfare of the world, for the happiness of the world,” says Bhikkhu Bodhi. “He does live for the welfare and happiness of human beings. And so now, when we look at contemporary conditions, the question arises as Buddhists following in the footsteps of the Buddha, how do we live for the welfare and happiness of other human beings?”
Bhikkhu Bodhi is a highly respected Buddhist monk, scholar, writer and translator. His work, in particular his contributions through Wisdom Publications, has provided invaluable access to the early Buddhist teachings of the Pāḷi Canon, bridging the gap between textual study and real-world application, and making fundamental Buddhist texts accessible to English-speaking practitioners. Bhikkhu Bodhi is deeply committed to the accuracy and depth of his translations, viewing them as a bridge between ancient teachings and modern seekers who wish to engage with the Dharma in its most authentic form. Beyond his scholarly achievements, Bhikkhu Bodhi founded Buddhist Global Relief (BGR), an organization dedicated to translating Buddhist ethics into tangible, humanitarian action. BGR focuses on alleviating hunger, supporting sustainable agriculture, and promoting educational initiatives worldwide.
The Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi has been a guest on two episodes on Insight Myanmar, when he has tackled some of the most pressing ethical and philosophical questions facing Buddhists today. In his first interview, he examined the role of monastics in responding to state violence, sadly acknowledging that traditional monastic disengagement is no longer viable in modern crises like the one unfolding in Myanmar. Pointing to historical and doctrinal precedents for monastic involvement in social justice movements, Bhikkhu Bodhi advocated for a more active role in confronting oppression. In his second appearance, he expanded on these themes with a sharper focus on the ethical dilemmas posed by violent oppression. On the subject of whether strict nonviolence remains a viable approach when faced with systematic brutality, he acknowledged the painful choices that many Burmese Buddhists must confront. Bhikkhu Bodhi also explored the moral weight of resistance, particularly in cases where nonviolent action has been met with extreme state violence, and raised the difficult question as to whether a strict, traditional interpretation of Buddhist ethics can guide people navigating such harsh realities.
The projects supported by BGR reflect Bhikkhu Bodhi’s conviction that compassion must be enacted in the world, not just contemplated in seclusion. This is a perspective known as “Engaged Buddhism,” the main theme of this conversation. To Bhikkhu Bodhi, Buddhist principles must extend beyond personal spiritual development to more broadly address suffering in the world. Here he notes that Engaged Buddhism is not a modern innovation, but is actually a natural extension of the Buddha’s ethical teachings. He argues that a solely inward-looking approach does not fully align with the Buddha’s teachings on compassion and social responsibility, as the Buddha himself lived and taught for the welfare of human beings. On pressing issues like political oppression, economic inequality, climate change, and the ethical responsibilities of Buddhist communities, Bhikkhu Bodhi has not been shy to speak out forcefully and forthrightly.
This episode starts off with Bhikkhu Bodhi touching on his friendship with Alan Senauke, a leading proponent of Engaged Buddhism who recently passed away. Alan had also appeared on our platform, and in his 2021 interview, he reflected on creative, nonviolent resistance in the face of oppression and tyranny, particularly in Myanmar, among other topics germane to Engaged Buddhism. Bhikkhu Bodhi describes how Alan introduced him to the concept of two types of Engaged Buddhism: humanitarian and transformative. The former involves charitable activities such as prison work, hospice care, and disaster relief, while the latter seeks to understand and dismantle systemic oppression and injustice. Their Dhamma connection solidified Bhikkhu Bodhi’s belief that a Buddhist response to suffering should extend beyond personal practice to collective action.
Engaged Buddhism challenges the notion held by some, particularly in the West, that Buddhist practice should be limited to meditation and self-purification. Bhikkhu Bodhi does acknowledge that a significant portion of Buddhist teaching, particularly in monastic texts, emphasizes seclusion and detachment from worldly affairs. However, he contends that at its core, Buddhist practice is motivated by compassion, and that this compassion necessitates engagement with the world’s suffering. He argues that the Buddha himself lived and taught for the welfare of human beings, and contemporary Buddhists must find ways to apply this principle to modern social and political realities.
The discussion of Engaged Buddhism naturally extends to the situation in Myanmar, where political turmoil has created massive humanitarian crises, severely affecting both the lay and monastic communities. Through Buddhist Global Relief, Bhikkhu Bodhi has supported displaced populations and monastics struggling to obtain basic necessities. He expresses deep distress over the military junta’s oppression, particularly its impact on monks and nuns who traditionally rely on lay support. The junta’s relentless violence, coupled with neglect for any civilian aid as the economy has been in free fall, has led to widespread malnutrition, deprivation, and suffering, creating an ethical dilemma for Buddhists worldwide regarding their response to injustice.
One manifestation of this dilemma is the response to Myanmar’s crisis from many Western Buddhist communities. Bhikkhu Bodhi notes that despite the significant influence of Burmese meditation traditions in the global mindfulness movement, Western Buddhists have largely remained disengaged from the struggles that Burmese have been facing. In discussing the broader trajectory of Buddhism’s spread in the West, he reflects on how American Buddhism has often been shaped by upper-middle-class practitioners, who have tended to emphasize meditation while neglecting social engagement. He criticizes this “Disneyland version of Buddhism,” where practitioners seek comfort and personal well-being while avoiding difficult truths about global suffering.
While he respects those who dedicate themselves to solitary meditative practice, he rejects the idea that Buddhism, by definition, is apolitical and detached from social and ethical concerns. He asserts that genuine Buddhist practice must address suffering in both its personal and societal dimensions. Given this perspective, he strongly encourages Buddhist communities worldwide to embrace a more holistic approach to practice, one that integrates meditation with meaningful engagement in addressing social and political injustices; at this point in time, this would involve actively supporting Burmese communities facing persecution in particular.
A key aspect of the discussion concerns the use of karma as a justification for non-engagement. He addresses in particular Thabarwa Sayadaw’s claim that the suffering of political prisoners and activists is largely the result of their past karma, and that the military’s continued grip on power reflects their accumulated merit. Bhikkhu Bodhi rejects this reasoning and argues that such a fatalistic view distorts karma’s meaning. He asserts that this perspective ignores karma’s complexity, that it interacts with real-time, human agency, and that ethical action can influence its unfolding. He feels that rather than passively resigning oneself to injustice in the name of karmic inevitability—which one may feel absolves oneself of the need to act—practitioners should take strong, ethical action when needed.
Similarly, Bhikkhu Bodhi addressed Thabarwa's stated concern that economic development and modernity threaten Buddhist practice because increased material wealth, education, and exposure to the outside world lead to distractions and moral decline. While Bhikkhu Bodhi acknowledges the danger of excessive materialism, he counters that economic security provides a foundation for ethical living and spiritual development. He stresses that widespread poverty often forces people into survival mode, leaving little room for higher spiritual aspirations. In contrast, a stable society, with access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, allows individuals to explore Buddhist teachings with greater depth and freedom.
The conversation then shifts to the political climate in the United States, particularly the implications of Donald Trump’s return to power. Bhikkhu Bodhi has been outspoken in his warnings against Trump’s policies, which he believes pose significant threats to democracy, human rights, and environmental sustainability. While maintaining his neutrality as a monk regarding the endorsement of specific political candidates, he identifies several key dangers associated with a Trump administration: mass deportation campaigns, the exacerbation of racial and religious divisions, economic policies favoring the ultra-wealthy, and environmental deregulation that could accelerate climate change. He emphasizes that Trump’s rhetoric and policies fuel hatred, injustice and social fragmentation, which contradict fundamental Buddhist values of compassion and ethical responsibility.
Bhikkhu Bodhi’s call to action in response to all these concerns is encapsulated in his essay, “It’s No Time to Be Neutral.” In this piece, he outlines a four-step approach for Buddhist engagement: first, acknowledging and processing the shock of political realities; second, extending compassion to those affected by harmful policies; third, identifying practical ways to take action, whether through advocacy, community service, or activism; and fourth, seeking deeper understanding of the systemic forces at play by consulting thinkers and analysts who specialize in political and economic structures. Bhikkhu Bodhi’s message around this is consistent and clear—Buddhists should not retreat into a passive, inward-focused practice, but should actively contribute to creating a more just and humane society.
When considering the spread of Buddhism over the decades in the West, Bhikkhu Bodhi has observed a dramatic shift in its reach and emphasis. On the one hand, he has seen Buddhism flourish in ways unimaginable when he first began studying and translating texts. On the other, he has seen trends that concern him, in particularly the emphasis he spoke about earlier, in how mindfulness and meditation is often stripped of their ethical and social dimensions. At the same time, he believes that the broader dissemination of Buddhist teachings has allowed new generations to engage in diverse and meaningful ways. He recognizes that Buddhism, like any spiritual tradition, must adapt to different cultural contexts while retaining its core principles. His concern is not with adaptation itself, but that throughout this process, Buddhism should not lose its deeper commitments to ethical engagement and collective responsibility.
These concerns are clearly reflected in Bhikkhu Bodhi’s scholarship and activism. He has worked tirelessly to shape a Buddhism that remains deeply rooted in its ancient wisdom while actively responding to the crises of the modern world. His work serves as both a foundation and a challenge—offering future practitioners the resources to understand the Buddha’s teachings while calling upon them to apply these teachings in ways that promote justice, equity, and compassion on a global scale. When reflecting on his legacy in this regard, he does not see it in terms of personal accomplishments but rather as part of a larger effort to ensure that Buddhism remains a force for wisdom and compassion in contemporary society.
“I came to see that it's necessary to adopt adaptations of the Buddhist teachings, drawing upon the fundamental principles, but interpreting them, applying them, and advocating for them in ways that deal very realistically and in a very even heads-on way with the challenges and problems and injustices that we're facing and the ethical transgressions that we're facing in today's world. I sort of struggled with that issue at first, but then I came to feel sort of an inner calling to adopt that more flexible, contemporary way of applying the Dhamma, of adopting the Dharma.”