A BUDDHIST APPROACH AS AN ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC PARADIGM: A CASE STUDY OF INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF ENGAGED BUDDHISTS

Abstract

The 20th century was probably one of the most destructive in the history of human kind. As underlined by many scholars, the scale of the destruction on planet Earth in the last 60 years is highly superior to damages done by humans in the last 10 000 years; tremendous degradation of environment, galloping disparities in poverty, growing numbers of social revolutions, hunger - to name just a few elements of what is leading our existence into the braking point. We must assume that behind these destructive behaviours hides a global structure making them possible: the neoliberal capitalist economy. Based on idea of growth, powered by excessive greed, consumption and exploitation of natural resources, thanks to dogmatic and quasi-religious way of thinking, this economical hegemony shaped the global understanding of reality. There are no doubts that we cannot continue to follow the present economical way and we need a new economical paradigm. To face the mainstream economy, Buddhist tradition proposes a way based on spiritual wisdom. Within this master thesis I try to find the answer to the question of whether the spiritual, inner change, based on mystic knowledge, such as proposed by Buddhist economics, can constitute the counterpoint to the present neoliberal economy. In order to achieve it, I am analysing structures and actions of International Network of Engaged Buddhists, an NGO created by Professor Sulak Sivaraksa in 1989. I first define which elements of Buddhist spiritual wisdom are used by INEB in its main fields of activities such as alternative education, Buddhist economics, social enterprise or environment. In the second position I am looking for the practical application of this spiritual knowledge in order to verify its efficiency.