Dear Friends of INEB, greetings from Bangkok. We appreciate your ongoing support as we continue the work throughout the pandemic and following the military coup in Burma/Myanmar. Please read the diverse country reports which highlight issues, as well as, inspiring...

Dear friends of INEB,We send greetings and best wishes for your health and wellbeing as the pandemic continues to affect the entire world.Here in Southeast Asia, the military coup that took place in Burma on February 1, 2021, has sent shock waves across the entire...

2021 is beginning with new opportunities for expanding our work in the region.We have been collaborating USAID Wildlife Asia, WildAid Thailand, the Thai Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), FHI60 and the Sekhiyadhamma network and Wat...

In response to the high levels of suffering among the poorest and most marginalized communities in South and Southeast Asia, the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) has set up a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. As of this printing. INEB has awarded funds...

The International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) is appealing all people around the world across religions and beliefs to recognize the interconnected and interdependent nature of our shared humanity during the global COVID19 crisis. This is an opportune moment...

We send our best wishes for a most auspicious 2020, in addition to celebrating Chinese New Year in February and Songkran in April! This issue of Seeds of Peace highlights sessions from INEB's recent conference held in Deer Park, Bir, India, during October 2019. Among...

We are looking forward to seeing many of you at INEB's biennial conference, October 22 - 24, hosted by the Deer Park Institute in Bir, India. It is in this beautiful location in the foothills of the Himalayas we will renew our commitments to the work of engaged...

Greetings from Bangkok where the country has been celebrating the coronation HM King Maha Variralongkorn Bodindradebayavarungkun. We wish him well with the hope that the entire country benefits during his reign. We appreciate our friend Jill Jameson's insightful and...

All of us at SNE, INEB and SEM wish you a joyous, prosperous and peaceful 2019 The first four articles of this edition are dedicated to Lodi Gyari, diplomat, statesman, humanitarian, writer and tireless champion of democratic principles and progressive ideas. He was...

Thank you for your interest in the third and final issue for 2561 (2018), which contains a constellation of articles and other writings for you. In Ajarn Sulak's cover story entitled The True Human: The Path to Morality in Human Society, he wrote about how fortunate...

This issue marks the 50th year since the SathirakosesNagapradipa Foundation (SNF) was founded by Ajarn Sulak Sivaraksa and has served as one of the bastions of knowledge and critical and alternative thinking in Thai society." As Surasee Kosolnawin, our dear friend and...

Hello INEB Friends, to all of you who follow our activities and support us, we wish you a Happy New Year! Last November, we organized a conference in Taiwan - The International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) 18th General Conference: A Conference on Interbeing:...

First of all, we would like to send our condolences to family and friends of Venetia Walkey, who served on the board of INEB since its inception. Venetia was a dedicated Buddhist who supported various initiatives that aimed to create a better society, especially...

We at INEB have decided that in the spirit of knowing each other's traditions well, we should assemble a comprehensive list of 100 of the most important books on Buddhism that includes at least three titles from each country/regional form of Buddhism. These titles can...

Our present world is characterized by continuous and new conflicts, some fueled by the misuse of religion, by tensions between communities, and by many natural and man-made disasters. In the face of these many challenges, the need for intra and inter-religious...

The recent period has been a very active one for INEB, and upcoming months will likely be equally so. One notable event over the past few months has been INEB's participation, along with the Inter-religious Climate and Ecology (ICE) network, in the climate change...

Looking back over the recent period, there are three things I want to highlight here. The first is the very successful conference of the ICE Network (Inter-religious Climate and Ecology Network) in South Korea last April. The INEB staff and I want to express our...

We have been very saddened by the injuries, loss of life, and destruction caused by the major earthquakes that shook Nepal in April and May of this year. From our members and affiliate organizations in Nepal we have learned that official government policies have...

I have now served the INEB network for almost 5 years. I hope that my contributions to the network, and to meeting the needs on the ground, have made for positive results in at least some areas. This issue of Seeds of Peace marks the second year that I have performed...

I am on a flight taking my first trip to Alaska, sitting next to Ajan Sulak. We were invited by Buddhist and Sufi friends here to give talks on several issues: dimate change, the political situation in Siam, and socially engaged Buddhism. We first met our friends from...

The ICE Network: Inter-religious Climate and Ecology Network's meeting took place at INEB Secretariat in Bangkok from 10-11 April 2014. The Network is a pan-Asia, local-to-local, collaboration network of diverse spiritual communities seeking to share experiences,...

The 2013 International Network of Engaged Buddhists Biennial Conference took place from 27 October to 4 November in Malaysia. The relevant theme 'Peace and Sustainability' was well received by INEB's partners and stimulated many useful discussions. The conference...

Sulak Sivaraksa has dedicated nearly 30 years of his life - besides his activism and writing as the editor of Seeds of Peace, which he initiated in1985. Almost 100 issues of this journal have been published, covering a wide range of social, political, cultural and...

Sulak Sivaraksa has edited Seeds of Peace since its beginning, in collaboration with others. Butlater other names had to be deleted from the editorial board, as the dictatorial regime of Siam,despite its democratic reforms, threatened to put the editor and his...

Siam is supposed to be a Buddhist kingdom. Although Buddhism is not legally established as thenational religion, the King is constitutionally a Buddhist and patron of all religions. The majority ofthe population also claims to be Buddhist. What does this mean? The...

The teaching of the Buddha is to help people in this very life as well as preparing his followers for the next life and beyond—to Nirvana or the ultimate peace and true happiness beyond description. However many schools of Buddhism tend to prepare the faithful only...

In the Theravada tradition, we begin counting our era with the time of the Mahapranibbana of the Lord Buddha. TheSri Lankan, Burmese and Indian Buddhists count one on the day of the Master's passing away. The Siamese, however,regard the first anniversary of the great...

The International Network of Engaged Buddhists intend to hold our bi-annual conference on “The Future ofBuddhism: From Personal Awakening to Global Transformation” at Buddhagaya, the place where the Buddhawas fully enlightened 2600 years ago. The Indian government has...

The Niwano Peace Prize has been awarded annually in Tokyo since 1983. It was named after Rev.Nikkyo Niwano, founder of the Risho Koseikei lay Buddhist movement in Japan. It was colloquiallyknown as the Nobel Peace Prize of Asia, as the Right Livelihood Award is also...

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded annually in Oslo. Sometimes it went to the right person and sometimes it went to the wrong person—depending on whose perspective. When the Dalai Lama received the prize in 1989, the Chinese government was furious. The same happened to...

The Royal Thai Government has appointed three commissions with the intention of overcoming the present crisis, politically, economically, and socially. The chair of each commission is a respectable man of good reputation for honesty and integrity, but we fear that...

Currently, quite a number of foreign journalists have been in touch with the editor/publisher, interviewing him for his opinion on the Thai Monarchy and the law of lese majeste. They are from Turkey, Sweden, Australia* and Japan-mostly for television. The editor...

The Sathirakoses-Nagapradipa Foundation is very proud that for the past 40 years, we have worked modestly to promote peace and justice as well as supporting artists and intellectuals who could exist with dignity — not to be commercialized or kowtowed to the status...

H.H. the Dalai Lama is patron of the Sathirakoses-Nagapradipa Foundation, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. His Holiness is also patron of International Network Engaged Buddhists, which reaches its 20th anniversary this year. We are grateful to his...

The preparation of this Seeds of Peace volume overlapped with the 76th birthday anniversary of our publisher/editor Sulak Sivaraksa. And what can be a better birthday present for him than a new round of lese majeste charges? This is lese majeste season in Siam. It is...

Some of our readers may have heard already that Sulak Sivaraksa, the editor/publisher, is again being accused of lese majeste — the most notorious crime with the maximum punishment of 15 years in prison. The latest charge was made on 6 November 2008. Many friends...

In Siam, we had a new constitution on 24 August 2007. This was the result of the coup d'état on 19 September 2006. The constitution was drafted by the General Assembly, which was appointed by the military junta. The military junta stepped down from power on 29 January...

Before retiring from the Sathirakoses - Nagapradipa Foundation Sulak Sivaraksa, our editor, sought an audience with HH the Dalai Lama, our patron. His Holiness graciously welcome Sulak, his family and friends at his residence in Dharamasala on 20th February. Later the...

We are sad to note the passing away of Somdej Phra Maha Ghosananda, one of our patrons. The late Somdej of Cambodia became INEB's patron after the demise of Bhikkhu Buddhasa in 1992. We are happy that we still have two patrons with us: His Holiness the Dalai Lama is...

The 24th of June 2007 will mark the 75th anniversary of Thai democracy. Unfortunately, the country has been ruled more under dictatorship despite being called a democracy. The last coup on 19th September 2006 should be a clear sign of backwardness, despite the fact...

The full moon day of October will mark the 50th anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar's conversion to Buddhism. Great events will be organized in India. INEB had already held its international gathering at Nagpur last year in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and...

This year, the Thai government agrees to celebrate Bhikkhu Buddhadasa's centenary (27th May) nationwide and internationally. The government also intends to organize a big festival to mark the diamond jubilee of H.M. the King's ascension to the throne (9th June). Mr....

Last year, we celebrated the centenaries of Mr. Direk Jayanama (18 January 2005) and Mr. Kularb Saipradith (31 March 2005). We also had a big event on the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Peace (16 August 2005)—not only within Siam. We sent a group of artists...

Sulak Sivaraksa, our publisher, is now 72 years old i.e. he has completed the 6th cycle anniversary which in our Siamese reckoning means that he should have more time to rest, to meditate and contemplate for the next world. Yet he seems to be as busy as ever, going...

The tsunami disaster at the end of last year has had a deep spiritual, psychological and cultural effect until now-hence the many articles on this topic in this issue. Despite the terrible tragedy at the end of 2004, this year began with the good news that Venerable...

Seeds of Peace is now on its 21st year of existence. In the past two decades we have stood for the poor and the oppressed, especially in Asia. We have been seeking for alternatives to the mainstream of economism and consumerism. We try to build the culture of...

In this issue, we honour King Mongkut, Rama IV, who is in fact officially the first King of Siam. The west only knows of him through The King and I which is very much distorted. In this country, the government also doesn't really understand his uniqueness in...

From Baghdad to Port-au-Prince looms the specter of American hyper-militarism and unilateralism, heralding what some call “a time of terror” thus in no small part dictating the fate of human survival. It is not only a time of terrorism and counter-terrorism-with the...

Post-Apec Bangkok has awakened from self-imposed sedation to reality and normality: traffic congestion, street hawkers, air and noise pollution, the reappearance of fake CDs, the city's disappearance from the international political map, and so on. It is likely to...

In mid-October the Thai kingdom will host the APEC 2003 meeting. Half-baked from the very start, it is surprising that APEC has lived to see the 21st century. The stated objective of APEC is to promote “open regionalism” in the Asia Pacific region through free trade...

The war against Iraq, dubbed “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” is branded “the war to liberate Iraq” by US/UK officials and the mainstream mass media. This marks another high point in Orwellian Newspeak. Rather, we should see the war as an American invasion of Iraq, an act...

The threat of the US-led war against Iraq is far from over. UN arms inspectors are in Iraq, and any minor incident may perhaps serve as the pretext for an itching and trigger happy Washington to attack Iraq-again in the name of protecting the world from Evil. Why is...

Looking back, May 2002 marks the 10% anniversary of the bloody May tragedy in Siam, in which civilians protested and demonstrated against the military junta, the National Peacekeeping Council, which had illegally toppled the incumbent government-hence the cover of...

Having defied the writ of the United States, Afghanistan is being pounded into pieces. Violence, not the UN or the international legal system, was relied on to help settle the problem. Afghanistan must be destroyed in order to save itself from the ruling Taliban...

Shortly before this issue went to press the Indonesian parliament voted to impeach President Wahid. After months of struggling to remain in power Wahid seems to have accepted the parliament's decision. Ramu Manivannan's article in this issue was written while Wahid...

The inferior status of women in the Theravada Buddhist tradition has long been a topic covered in Seeds of Peace. The Ariya Vinaya meeting was the catalyst for a renewed call for concrete changes in the status of ordained women. In Siam, maechee is the name given to a...

The postponement of His Holiness' visit was a lesson in non-attachment and in recognizing and celebrating smaller steps of progress. This issue does not have the high profile coverage of the Ariya-Vinaya conference that we expected in August; the conference will...

July has been a very eventful and turbulent month. The good news is that the first phase of the Ariyavinaya meeting has been quite a success. It will facilitate the working of second phase of the meeting—no doubt a major event as His Holiness the Dalai Lama will...

March-April-May: The summer heat is at its best-a boon to those working on their tan, a particular nuisance to the rest. The month of April is also when the Thai New Year begins—the water festival, the festivities, etc., rendering the fiery heat wave more tolerable....

This is the first Seeds of Peace in the new millenium. For 15 years Seeds of Peace has been keeping its readers abreast of the activities of social movements with a spiritual base, here in Siam and elsewhere. As the New Year comes with all its attendant...

This issue of Seeds of Peace is dedicated to the late Dr. Puey Ungphakorn, who passed away in England on July 28, 1999. In fact it was Dr. Puey who first coined the term, Santi (Peace), Pracha (Public Participation) and Dhamma (Truth) as an expression of the noble...

When the world seems like a never-ending conundrum of chaos and lack of compassion it can be hard at times to be a social activist. It can also be very hard to be a person born into the regions, which are dominated by violence and lack of human rights, a person well...

The Satirakoses-Nagapradipa Foundation was registered as a philanthropic legal entity in 1968-thirty years ago. Its main objectives were and still are to promote art, culture and environmental balance through education. In order to achieve these goals we have created...

This issue of Seeds of Peace is devoted to Human Rights and Responsibilities. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In this issue of Seeds of Peace you will find quite a variety of stories and...

The industrialist was horrified to find the fishermanlying beside his boat, smoking his pipe.-Why aren't you fishing? said the industrialist.-Because I have caught enough fish for the day.-Why don't you catch some more?-What would I do with them?-Earn more money. Then...

This issue focuses on the peace & alternative development work of various Asian and international organizations. One of the ongoing challenges that we have found common to many in this type of work is finding a balance between reflection and action. Often, we hear...

As the new year begins, we are busy preparing for the 3rd International Conference of INEB, to be held in February near Bangkok, and much news is reaching us regarding our continuing concerns in the local area of Asia and other, international events as well. The INEB...

In March we have been fairly busy organizing the second international conference of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists at Wat Suan Mokh, Chaiya (March 3 - 7), the first Inter Cultural Seminar at Thammasat University, Rangsit campus (March 11 - 15), and the...

Although there were much suffering in the world, we at Thai Inter-Religious Commission for Development and Santi Pracha Dhamma Institute tried to do what we could, in our country as well as in other Buddhist lands. Some of these activities have been reported in this...

Buddhist contries often make it into the international headlines, but seldom it seems, for events inspired by compassion, selflessnes or loving kindness. Much of this rainy season edition of Seeds of Peace, then is dedicated to investigating a few of the current...

From January onward TICD have been collaborating with the Santi Pracha Dhamma Institute actively in holding an Engaged Buddhist Conference in Uthaidhani and a Siamese Buddhist Muslim dialogue in Songkhla. In our small way, we are also trying to help our friends who...

Seeds of Peace started five years ago with 2 issues per annum. We have later increased it to be for every four months. Many friends have asked us to make it a quarterly. Although we are not yet able to do so, we have already expanded its pages since the last issue. We...

here is a contemporary motto: “Think globally, act locally," to which it should be added - "cooperate regionally." A day when peace may be achieved at the global. scale is too far; and if it is to be possible, it will only grow out of close coopertions among networks...

Vince this issue is due on the new year, we send you our greetings for peace and happiness. But unfortunately so many of our brothers and sisters are suffering so much in so many parts of the world. In Malaysia, many are in gaol. In Tibet basic human rights are still...

Our Seeds of Peace have been devotedly serving our readers for years. We are trying more and more to give all reliable and current informations concerning peace and love for our world fellows. In order to encourage the world understanding, we manage to set a specific...

This issue is primarily devoted to a recent symposium on "Buddhism and Peace: Seeking a Peaceful Solution to the Present Conflict in Sri Lanka” which took place in Bangkok beween February 21-28. I was engaged as a coordinator and reporter," and so it became my kamma...

To take part in celebrating the International Year of Peace, TICD. has asked the Coalition for Peace and Development to edit the last issue of the year of Seeds of Peace. This will be a special issue on Thai peace initiatives. The Coalition for Peace and Development...

The Thai Government and NGOs are taking the International Year of Peace seriously at least for the time being. Particularly in August, there were many meetings, seminars, - exhibitions at many campuses. Buddhist and Christian Universities took part ecumenically....

Thai Inter Religious Commission for Development was formed in 1979 and has published its Newsletters since 1983. We now feel that the Newsletter should appear in a more permanent form twice annually. In 1976 the Buddhist Association of Thailand produced Seeds of Peace...

We were fortunate that the last issues of our publication were presented to the Pope and the Supreme Patriarch. Many readers encouraged us to produce Seeds of Peace more often than hitherto. Hence from now on it will appear in January, May and September, instead of...

Thai Inter Religious Commission for Development was formed in 1979 and has published its Newsletters since 1983. We now feel that the Newsletter should appear in a more permanent form twice annually. In 1976 the Buddhist Association of Thailand produced Seeds of Peace...

Our first issue of Seeds of Peace was well received beyond our expectation. We were forgiven for our shortcomings, especially the very many printing errors, and we received many letters of encouragement from abroad. Some suggested that we should publish more often. A...

Thai Inter Religious Commission for Development was formed in 1979 and has published its Newsletters since 1983. We now feel that the Newsletter should appear in a more permanent form twice annually. In 1976 the Buddhist Association of Thailand produced Seeds of Peace...

Update about INEB’s Mindful Action: COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund In response to the high levels of suffering among the poorest and most marginalized communities in South and Southeast Asia, the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) has set up a COVID-19...

Seeds of Peace : A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society. The international magazine, Seeds of peace is published thrice annually in January, May and September, in order to promote the aims and objectives of the Thai Inter-Religious Commission for Development (TICD)...

Seeds of Peace : A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society. The international magazine, Seeds of peace is published thrice annually in January, May and September, in order to promote the aims and objectives of the Thai Inter-Religious Commission for Development (TICD)...

Seeds of Peace : A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society. The international magazine, Seeds of peace is published thrice annually in January, May and September, in order to promote the aims and objectives of the Thai Inter-Religious Commission for Development (TICD)...

Seeds of Peace : A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society.  The international magazine, Seeds of peace is published thrice annually in January, May and September, in order to promote the aims and objectives of the Thai Inter-Religious Commission for Development...

SEEDS OF PEACE  Vol.31 No.1 Janury - April 2558 (2015) Seeds of Peace : A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society.  The international magazine, Seeds of peace is published thrice annually in January, May and September, in order to promote the aims and...

  Seeds of Peace : A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society.   The international magazine, Seeds of peace is published thrice annually in January, May and September, in order to promote the aims and objectives of the Thai Inter-Religious Commission for Development...

An Interview with Rev. Jin Hitoshi August 17, 2011 Rev. Hitoshi Jin is the Director of the Zenseikyo Foundation & Buddhist Council for Youth and Child Welfare and the Rinbutsuken Institute for Socially Engaged Buddhism. Since the tragic triple disaster in northern...

Seeds of Peace : A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society. The international magazine, Seeds of peace is published thrice annually in January, May and September, in order to promote the aims and objectives of the Thai Inter-Religious Commission for Development (TICD)...