The World Is One Flower: Buddhist Leadership for Peace

The World is One Flower contains details of the struggles and ideas of Buddhist leaders from around the world, intent on preventing and ending war. At the time of the current publication, clergy of all religious traditions as well as laity throughout the world are expressing deep disappointment and moral outrage at the utter waste of lives and resources incurred by the continuation of the violence in Iraq and other nations. In making rational decisions in response to these concerns, it is wise to take into account the opinions of religious and political leaders as well as lessons from the past on ending war and restoring peace. This book is composed of thirteen articles submitted to the seminar on Buddhism and Leadership for Peace. These articles come to us from such important historical junctures as during the Cold War era, when the threat of nuclear annihilation loomed near- when tensions, which continue to escalate to this day, were arising from the artificial division of the Korean people into Northern and Southern nations- from frictions developing from the differences in ideology and ambitions of the United States and the Soviet Union. Each contributor provides valuable insights into the subject of Buddhism and leadership for peace, through unique experiences and viewpoints. The reader will be struck by the profound significance these articles have on current conditions and those we are likely to face in the future.