Dr. Jonathan C. Gold: Applying Buddhist Moral Psychology to Politics

Buddhism’s compelling psychological perspective is well known to provide moral and soteriological advice for individuals, but it is only too rarely used as a guide to the social and political. Aiming Buddhism’s critiques of selfhood and conceptual constructions at sociocultural identities and roles, we can use notions such as “attachment to views” to identify and disarm damaging cultural forms. The fact that monastic renunciation is always available—as emphasized in the Sāmaññaphala Sutta—serves to reveal the just-barely-hidden truth that all political positions and structures are optional, and should be thought of as such. This awareness may be used to counter polarization and the rigidity of competitive political perspectives, and to establish more fruitful, humane political systems.

Jonathan C. Gold is Professor of Religion and Director of the Center for Culture, Society and Religion at Princeton University. A scholar of Indian and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, he is especially interested in how Buddhist approaches to language, ethics and mind apply to contemporary philosophical and cultural issues. He is the author of The Dharma’s Gatekeepers: Sakya Paṇḍita on Buddhist Scholarship in Tibet (2007), Paving the Great Way: Vasubandhu’s Unifying Buddhist Philosophy (2015), and numerous articles including opinion pieces in ABC Religion & Ethics, Tricycle, and Lion’s Roar. He is co-editor of Readings of Śāntideva’s Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (2019).
The talk was entitled: "Applying Buddhist Moral Psychology to Politics: First, Notice that Roles are Optional"

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