Embracing Differences and Imparting Commonalities: Negotiating Normativity and Peace through Buddhist Ideals

Abstract Though Buddhism is accepted as the religion of peace and harmony, many of the Buddhist nations faced the situation where thousands of people were killed in war and violence. It opened much debate about how the ancient peace-making method can establish harmony in different religious traditions. Scholars, monks, and nations contemplate and use mechanisms in which Buddhist models of peaceful coexistence are visualized and endured. The whole cosmos is interdependent; therefore, Buddhists do not advocate war and killing as it will start a chain reaction. War and religious conflict kill, injure, and displace people as well as other living beings. It destroys civilizations. Many people in the world have struggled with long periods of war. Avoidance of violence and conflict censure endless suffering, fear, hunger, killings, and diseases. The paper will deliberate upon the outlook of Buddhism towards peace-making and harmonious coexistence, contestations on Buddhism as a religion of peace, and Buddhist models of peace-making and religious tolerance.