At the time of the Buddha, someone is said to come to the Buddha and asked “[Why] though beings wish to be free of enmity, violence, hostility, and hate, they still have enmity, violence, hostility, and hate?” (Digha Nikaya 21.2.1) We are still asking that question. Conflict seems to be deeply embedded in being human, and is quite pronounced right now. Practitioners now often ask the same question that was asked of the Buddha, and the teachings that were offered then are quite relevant now.

During this two part class, we will explore some of the Buddhist teachings that can help us to understand conflict and how to navigate it more skillfully. The first week we will explore the Buddhist understanding of how conflict arises. The second week we will consider some of the teachings about working with conflict and the path to non-conflict.