Tiến Sĩ Triết lý hòa bình và hòa hợp của Đức Đa-lại Lạt-ma thứ 14 và một số nhà tư tưởng yêu chuộng hòa bình

ii
ABSTRACT

Title: Teachings on peace and harmony of the 14
th
Dalai
Lama and selected peace advocates

Author: Tran Thi Nhi
Course: Doctor of Philosophy in English language and literature.
Year: 2014
Advisor: Dr. Maria Luisa A. Valdez


Summary

This study analyzed the selected works by the 14
th
Dalai Lama, a
modern day leading figure of peace, and some other authors namely
Mawlana Rumi, Rabindranath Tagore, Pope John Paul II and Daisaku
Ikeda to explore how peace and harmony is conceptualized by these
peace advocates. Likewise, the study aimed to reveal the universal
concepts of peace and harmony shared by the peace advocates as the
representatives of different cultures and religions. The research also
discussed and how their common teachings on peace and harmony
have been transferred into a global peace movement.
Although these peace movement leaders represent different
religions and come from different cultures, they share much in common in


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espousing their view on peace as a way of life. In this study the author
attempts to weave a mosaic of universal and permanent moral values
and principles, rooted in the teachings of these advocates for peace.
This mosaic promotes a spirit of respecting cultural pluralism, cultivate
human good qualities and appraise responsibility must be integrated in
education so that the young generation’s peace spirit is fostered,
energized and enlivened through literature and culture. She proposes
the adoption of this new paradigm for living in the modern world.





















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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This has been a wonderful life changing experience for which I
am so very grateful. It would not have been possible without the
kindness and generosity of several people.
I wish to acknowledge my special debt and my deepest gratitude
to Dr. Maria Luisa A. Valdez, my supervisor, whose generous help and
constant encouragement have been valuable. Her intellectual curiosity,
dedication, openness and humility have showed me a model of
scholarly endeavour that will follow me for my whole life. My study of
peace and harmony began under her inspiring direction.
I would also like to sincerely thank the faculty at the Graduate
School, Batangas State University for their invaluable guidance and
support throughout my studies. My thanks should go to my colleagues
and at Thai Nguyen School of Foreign Languages, Vietnam for their
encouragement and support.
For setting an example to aspire to, as well as for his friendship, I
thank Dr. Melvyn Sakaguchi.
Finally, my special thanks should be expressed to my family and
friends for their unconditional love, support and their trust in my ability to
complete this.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE . i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ii
THE PROBLEM 1
Introduction 1
Statement of the Problem 7
Scope, Delimitation and Limitations of the Study 8
Significance of the Study .10
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 14
Conceptual Literature 14
Synthesis of Literature Review .57
Definition of Terms .67
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .71
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION .78
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 169



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Chapter I
THE PROBLEM

Introduction
There exist myriad problems in the current world which threaten
the existence of humanity. Violence is accelerating everywhere.
Ceaseless wars and conflicts are taking place in several regions, killing
thousands of people and causing suffering for millions of human beings.
Furthermore, more and more modern weapons with massive
destruction capacity are being produced, threatening the whole mankind
in every minute. Meanwhile, the world is also faced with terrorism,
environmental pollution, racial religious conflicts, political disputes,
social and economic inequality, the large gap between the rich and the
poor, diseases and poverty.
Making the situation worse, these problems happen in every
continent without exception, and tend to happen to not only one nation
or a few nations but also bigger groups of nations.
For example, the United States and Western countries have
recently experienced terrorist attacks, civil unrest and violent
massacres; the political disputes between Russia and other European
countries around the issues related to Ukraina has resulted in the


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embargo and trade and business sanctions which creates hardships for
of millions of citizens in the European continent; the rise of terrorist
country self-called Isis has created turmoil and terrible violence in
Middle East and North Africa; constant conflicts in the China Sea are
threatening the stability and the maintenance of peace in the South East
Asia.
All of these catastrophic events beg the question of how to save
humanity.
As stated in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) constitution, the statement that “Since
wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the
defenses of peace must be constructed” is an appeal for a psychology
of peace, a movement which seeks to find a the solution to conflicts
without violence but via mutual and harmonious relationships.
Accordingly, peace education is a principal means to maintain
and promote peace. To establish and foster a culture of peace is a
necessity for any nation, including Vietnam - a country vulnerable to
peace.
Aligning with UNESCO constitution, the country has been a long
time advocate for peace, maintaining and promoting education for


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peace via its education policies implemented in both informal teaching
and formal education.
Peace education as a social movement can be traced back from
religious traditions. For centuries, peace and peaceful resolution of
conflict was primarily discussed in the teachings of religious leaders
such as Lao Tse, Jesus Christ, the Buddha, the Dalai Lama, and Bahau
llah, who taught that people were supposed to promote peace in their
lives and in the world as a whole.
The contribution that religious figures can make to peacemaking
has been increasingly studied and recognized. Peace education has
evolved from radical values in religious traditions of love, compassion,
tolerance and charity to modern theories revolving interpersonal
relations and environmental issues (Harris, 2002).
Buddhism, the religion which was introduced to Vietnam about
two thousand years ago, despite ups and downs, has tremendously
influenced all facets of Vietnamese culture, especially the spiritual life
and the system of moral values. Historically, most Vietnamese have
dentified themselves with Buddhism. Buddhism was introduced to
Vietnam as being a peaceful way, aimed at seeking justice,
compassion, freedom for humans from sufferings. These beliefs are
close to the long standing cultural values of the Vietnamese and


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suitable with Vietnamese people, who advocate peace and always
desire happiness and freedom for their nation. Therefore, the religion
was easily accepted and quickly spread by the Vietnamese.
Throughout the country, there exist thousands of Buddhist
pagodas in the cities and the countryside, playing an important part in
the spiritual life and making an identified culture of the Vietnamese
people. These pagodas function not only as the place for communal
activities but also a place for ideological teachings to be conveyed.
Buddhism has been considered as the national religion of
Vietnam. During the Ly dynasty in the eleventh and twelfth century,
Buddhism was so popular and vibrant that half of the Vietnamese
population at that time followed it.
In the 20th century, the country experienced a series of harsh
historical events, affecting the development of the religion. However,
with recent changes in economics and social developments, the picture
of religious life within Vietnamese people has become more vivid. If in
the past, only old women went to the temples and practiced Buddhist
rituals, nowadays, there seems to be an increasing interest in practicing
the religion in both men and women, and in both old people and young
ones. This trend likely creates a a favorable environment to promote
peace education for the whole nation in general and for its young


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generation in particular. It is undeniable that Buddhism has deep roots
in Vietnamese culture, since its principal beliefs and values can be
found in various facets of Vietnamese culture, from folklore, arts and
literature to many aspects of everyday life. The religion has been
imbedded in the common life of the Vietnamese communities.
The core value in the philosophy of Buddhism largely
recognized by the Eastern Buddhist countries and recently by
Western countries is its interpretation of peace and harmony, its
nature and the way to attain it.
For centuries, Buddhist countries have practiced the doctrine and
followed the teachings of Buddha. However, in the modern era where
rapid development in information technology is at hand, it is very timely
to contemplate if the Buddhist philosophy on peace and harmony is still
appropriate for the hectic and busy and frenetic life style experienced
by people in the present day.
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, a Tibetan Buddhist monk,
has been the primary proselytizer and advocate of the philosophy of
peace and harmony from the perspective of Buddhism in recent times.
Notably, he has been successful in making relevant the thousand-year
wisdom of Buddhism to the specific and practical teachings for the
modern life of the new millennium.


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Beside the Dalai Lama, there have been a great number of peace
advocates, including religious figures, political leaders, literary writers
and philosophers, who have advocated the teachings of peace and
harmony in their books, sermons and speeches. All of this have
provided a basis for a trend and a growing movement for peace and
harmony in modern times. Because of the importance of this peace
movement, the researcher has decided to focus on studying the works
of the Dalai Lama and a few other selected advocates of the peace
movement to have a deeper and holistic view on understanding of the
concepts of peace in current time and discuss the implications of this
movement for life in modern times, particularly its impact on Vietnamese
student values.