The Dalai Lama has said that it is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. There are two aspects to action. One is to overcome the distortions and afflictions of your own mind. This is action out of compassion and involves an inward action that benefits the individual by developing their knowledge. The other is more social and public (practical application of knowledge) and involves doing something in the world when something needs to be done to rectify the wrongs. If one is really concerned with benefiting others and developing authentic compassion (internal compassion for oneself and external compassion for others), one needs to be engaged

Engaged Buddhism refers to Buddhists who are seeking ways to apply the insights from meditation practice and Dharma teachings to situations of social, political, environmental and economic suffering and injustice. This is often called social action/activism. The term Engaged Buddhism was first used by Thich Nhat Hanh and is used to describe a type of modern Buddhist practice that deliberately, purposively and explicitly involves itself in seeking to bring about change to various institutional and structural aspects of human society. Although Hanh himself believes that all Buddhism is intrinsically engaged with the world around it - and that it would not in fact be Buddhism were it not (as one needs to be truly engaged with reality to understand the Lakshanas and how one can achieve Nirvana) - many scholars treat Engaged Buddhism as a distinctive approach to Dharma practice that departs in significant ways from most traditional approaches. It consists of 3 components: 1) Awareness in daily life. 2) Social Service & 3) Social Activism

From the evidence of the Buddha's discourses or sutras in the Digha Nikaya, it is clear that early Buddhists were very concerned with the creation of social conditions favourable to the individual cultivation of Buddhist values. A prime example of this is the welfare state established by Emperor Asoka. Asoka was born around 304 BCE and ruled India from around 268 BCE. Through conquest of other kingdoms and by leading very bloody, merciless military campaigns, he was able to extend the Mauryan empire. He is even said to have killed his older brothers so he could become king. At its height, his empire was the largest until the British ruled in the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries. Within his kingdom, Asoka ruled as his predecessors did, in a very efficient but particularly cruel way, in particular creating sadistic rules against criminals. Even 900 years after his death, Chinese traveller Xuanzang reported that the Hindu tradition still remembered 'Asoka's Hell, a prison that Asoka had established to the north of his capital, where he had ordered that all prisoners should be subject to every imagined and unimagined tortures and nobody should ever leave the prison alive.

In 262 BCE, he led a campaign to conquer Kalinga, an area on the east-coast in the modern region of Orissa, but felt disgusted by the amount of bloodshed that this caused. The conflict itself is still considered to be one of the most brutal and bloodiest wars in world history, as the people of Kalinga put up a stubborn but hopeless defence. It is estimated that there were around 30,000 casualties with the city being devastated. Although the exact nature of what happened next is a mixture of fact and fiction, what is known is that Asoka had a change of heart and became a Buddhist, therefore making Buddhism the state religion. He issued an edict expressing his regret for the suffering inflicted in Kalinga and assuring that he would renounce war and embrace the propagation of the Dharma

Asoka ordered pillars of rock to be erected on which new rules for society were inscribed, based on Buddhist principles. In the rock edicts, he talks about non-violence to all living beings, so hunting was banned, respect for elders, giving to holy men, widows and orphans. He also banned animal sacrifice, set up medical and veterinary clinics, created a welfare state, a fair judicial system, banned torture and the death penalty. He also became a vegetarian and was tolerant to all religions whilst also establishing a programme of building wells and reservoirs, encouraging pilgrimage, building seats around trees for travellers to rest under, and constructing around 84,000 stupas. He is also credited with the spread of Buddhism around Asia by sending out numerous Buddhist missions - in particular, he is linked with the establishment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It is impossible to say whether Asoka was a true follower of Buddhism, but the archaeological evidence shows that prior to his rule, there is very little evidence for Buddhism, whilst following his rule it is abundant, placing Asoka on the same developmental level as Constantine the Great in Europe for Christianity and the Han Dynasty for Confucianism in China

The ideas endorsed by Asoka are found in the Arya Satya and Arya Magga. Theravada is strictly concerned with individual salvation via Jiriki, which cannot be achieved either by Divine Intervention/Tariki or by the use of ritual; salvation comes from freeing the mind from the Three Kleshas of greed, hatred and ignorance. However, in practice, the individual layman acts (making merit, avoiding dismerit) in social context, that is, in the help he gives others, in support for the monks, and by participating in ceremonies. Indeed, the social organisation required for religious activities plays a prominent part in Lay Buddhist behaviour. The Metta Sutra is often cited as a source of social concern.

It would be absurd to apply directly to the modern industrial society social prescriptions detailed to meet the needs of a social order which flourished 23 centuries ago. The Buddhist householder of the Sigalovada Sutra experienced a different way of life from that of a computer consultant in Tokyo or an unemployed black youth in Liverpool and the conditions that might favour their cultivation of the Middle Way must be adapted according to Upaya Kusala and secured by different and more complex social, political and economic strategies.

Loy states that modern democracy, and respect for human rights, however imperfectly realised, offer new opportunities for understanding the broader implications of Buddhist teachings. Furthermore, while it is true that the post-modern world is quite different from the Buddha's, Buddhism is thriving today because its basic principles remain just as true as when the Buddha taught them. However, if we try to find direct answers to our social problems in Asian Buddhist teachings, we will be disappointed because those teachings were formulated according to Upaya Kusala, intended for people living in very different times and places.

While much of the inspiration for Engaged Buddhism lies within the tradition itself, it also suggests a critique of tendencies within Buddhism towards a withdrawn, quietistic and passive interpretation of Buddhist practice. In this way, it can be seen as a revitalising strand within contemporary Buddhism, inspired by traditional concepts/virtues. The Sarvodaya Sramadana started in 1958 in Sri Lanka and criticised the monks for being aloof from society, with there being a lack of integration/active relationship between the Lay and Monastic Sangha which existed as separate communities. They belief that past karma is only one factor which affects people lives, and that they can take charge of their lives in the present (future rebirths are not pre-determined by past karma and karmaphala). The movement's aim is to foster co-operation between the monks and lay community to work on development projects such as building roads, organising co-operatives, improving health care and sharing resources. This draws on the Buddhist ideas of Dana and Metta. In the 1960s and 70s, aid agencies and non-Governmental organisations (NGOs) working in Thailand to improve education, health care, water security, conservation and infrastructure were told they had to consult and work with the local monastery. This initiative has given the monasteries the opportunities to develop the range of skills it teaches to younger monks. This is how the Sangah Metta Project started.

In Mahayana, Karuna is one of the two qualities, alongside enlightened Pranja , to be cultivated on the Bodhisattva path. Karuna is the desire to remove harm and suffering from others; whilst Metta is the desire to bring about the well-being and happiness of others. The 'far-enemy' (corresponding vice) of Karuna is cruelty, a mind-state in obvious opposition. The 'near-enemy' (quality which superficially resembles Karuna but is in fact more subtly in opposition to it), is (sentimental) pity: here too one wants to remove suffering, but for a partly selfish and attached reason, hence not the pure motivation. Gethin has stated that this elevation of Karuna to the status of Prajna is one of the distinguishing factors between the Theravada Arhat Ideal and the Mahayana Bodhisattva ideal.

In Tibetan Buddhism/Vajrayana, one of the foremost authoritative texts on the Bodhisattva Path is the Bodhisattvacaryavatara by Shantideva. In the eighth section entitled 'Meditative Concentration', Shantideva describes meditation on Karuna as identifying the shared nature of suffering and hence, concluding that to end one's own suffering, one needs to engage actively to aid others to end their suffering too. As well as this, the six Paramitas of (Dana, Sila, Kshanti, Virya, Samadhi & Prajna)

Engaged Buddhism places an emphasis on the need for compassion to find expression in action, and for action to be situated consciously within the historical moment. As the Dalai Lama suggests, Buddhist practice is rooted in compassionate action, but Engaged Buddhism refers to those aspects of action which are more public and collective. Foster, one of the founders of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, laments that on Buddhism's long journey through East Asia, it has lost its way by abandoning an interest in social justice, which led it to become 'over-specialised' in wisdom and having only a diminished feel and concern for the relationship between the Lay & Monastic Sangha. Synder also complains that Buddhist philosophy traditionally cared more about 'psychology' than 'historical or sociological problems'. in fact, Synder sees 'Institutional Buddhism' as having traditionally ignored - or perhaps actually accepted the inequalities of whatever political system it is presently under. Chappell argues that the traditional Buddhist approach fails to address the problems that arise with organised society (social oppression and environmental degredation)

When Buddhism spread to Europe and America after WW2, new Buddhist scholars began to question the traditionally held beliefs. they felt that there was something inherently problematic, from a Buddhist perspective, about presuming that a release release from the Dukkha present in the world can be achieved by awakening the mind through the practice of the Buddha's teachings rather than by changing the world around (an internal change vs external change), believing that Dukkha is a characteristic of the tangible reality vs of the mind/mental states. As a result, action to help one release from Dukkha should be focused on changing reality vs the mind so that Dukkha can be actively engaged with. Engaged Buddhism seeks to transform the experience of the world to reduce suffering. This fits with the traditional Mahayanan concept of compassion - promoting the liberation of all sentient beings - by concrete intervention in the structural and institutional circumstances of Samsara. Therefore, unlike traditional Mahayana and the Bodhisattva Path. Engaged Buddhists do not simply teach the Dharma, they march for world peace, feed the hungry, succour the dying and offer ministry in prisons and hospitals (Mission vs Evangelism - Teach the Dharma via actions and practical applications vs just concepts, supported by the Parable of the Poisoned Arrow, which supports the need for and importance of knowledge being pragmatic/practical vs merely intellectual/conceptual). Engaged Buddhism does aim to add a new and quite explicit emphasis upon social justice and activism in seeking to alter the circumstances of Samsara. This is depicted as a natural development of Karuna, the Bodhisattva Ideal of seeking to ensure the salvation of all sentient beings and the key Buddhist concepts of Sunyata & Tathata. As a result, Engaged Buddhism is said to be radically different in contrast to the more traditional Mahayanan path of altruism, specifically 'directed to the creation of new social institutions and relationships'. Organisations such as the Buddhist Peace Fellowship stress that suffering msut be addressed not just in its individual form but in structural and social aspects as well. Unjust social structures create suffering, and it is the job of engagement to remake these structures.

Engaged Buddhism can be understood as an expression of interconnectedness. Buddhist thought suggests that life is an intricate web of interconnections, in Thich Nhat Hanh's words, we 'inter-are' (concluded through the use of Sunyata and Anatta to explain that we should not see Sunyata as something to fear, but a characteristic of existence that must be embraced). This means that every event - near or far, past or present, is to do with us. We are connected with it and our response to it can help to heal or perpetuate its dis-ease. Each and every situation locally and globally is an opportunity for compassion, generosity, truth and equanimity.

Thich Nhat Hanh was born Nguyen Xuan Bau in central Vietnam in 1926, training from an early age in Zen Buddhism and being ordained as a monk in the Vietnamese meditation school in 1949. Thich is the title given to all Buddhist monks within the Vietnamese tradition and is a transliteration of the Shakya clan name; the title implies that he is a member of the family of the historical Buddha. His ordination or dharma-name Nhat Hanh means highest conduct, although his students and friends refer to him as Thay, Vietnamese for master or teacher. He has authored more than 85 books on various topics including anger, Jesus and the Buddha, inter-being and commentaries on various Buddhist Sutras. He is best known for his writings on meditation, mindfulness and the practical application of these activities for reducing and eliminating human pain and suffering. Given the context of his life and work against the backdrop of conflict in Vietnam, it should not be a surprise that his most important ideas and teachings are concerned with working for and establishing peace.; his most basic teaching is that mindfulness and awareness of the Tathata of all things is key to developing peace both in oneself and in the world.

The Order of Interbeing (Tiep Hien) was formed by Thich Nhat Hanh in the mid 1960's at a time when the Vietnam war was escalating and the teachings of the Buddha were desperately needed to combat the hatred, violence and divisiveness enveloping his country. On the full moon day of February 1966, Nhat Hanh ordained 6 members into the Order - Three men and three women (an example of gender equality in monastic opportunities) ranging from the ages of 22 to 32. All were board members of the School of Youth for Social Service, which he had helped found the year before, During the ceremony, the six ordainees vowed to study, practice and observe the Fourteen Precepts of the Order of Interbeing, a blend of traditional Buddhist morality and contemporary social concerns, inspired by the Pancha Sila & Arya Magga. For ten years, no new members were permitted to join the Order's core community. In fact, this 'period of experimentation' was extended until 1981, when Nguyen Anh Huong, a microbiologist and lay meditation teacher, became the 7th member of the order.

In 1967, Thich Nhat Hanh was nominated for he Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King, whom he had personally persuaded to publicly oppose the Vietnam War for his ongoing pacifist activities. In 1982, he founded the Plum Village Buddhist Centre in France, since then he has continues his work with the Order and teach his mindfulness training and vision of Engaged Buddhism. Despite his age, he continues to work tirelessly to promote peace and end the social, political and economic conditions that contribute to world violence, continuing to travel, teach and give retreats throughout the West, and most recently, was given permission to return to Vietnam from where he had been exiled for his anti-war activities.

Today, there are thousands worldwide who regularly recite the Fourteen Precepts of Engaged Buddhism, which remain uniquely applicable to contemporary moral dilemmas. They are guidelines for anyone wishing to live mindfully. By developing peace and serenity through ethical and conscientious living, we can help our society make the transition from one based on greed and consumerism to one in which thoughtfulness and compassionate action are of deepest value.

Buddhism is primarily a contemplative religion. Nevertheless, from its earliest times there has been a strong social justice ethic, born from the fundamental principle of compassionate action. According to the Buddha, as human beings, we make choices (karma) that have consequences via karmaphala; if they are akusala and hence, informed by the 3 Kleshas of Loba, Dosa & Moha, the outcome will be suffering. In the sphere of social justice, the Buddha pointed out that, when Loba becomes excessive, it creates conflict that is rooted in the reality of limited resources; the earth is generous and abundant but can only apply so much. When some decide to take for themselves beyond what is reasonable, others go without. Thus, inequality is born, from which stems jealousy, distrust, lies, crime and violence. To manage these stresses, humans invent social constructs such as laws, customs, tradition, classes, private property and government

It is primarily the responsibility of the government to ensure the safety and well-being of the people and the environment, ensuring that poverty does not become excessive due to unreasonable levels of inequality. This is based on the notion of Dharma, which means that one's life should follow the principles of nature and accord with what is right. It can be argued that a truly noble and righteous ruler (Cakravartin) would live in accord with the Dharma, ruling without violence or coercion. In this manner, a king should honour and revere the Dharma, protect his people (irrespective of class) and the environment/animals, give to those in need (e.g Land) and let no crime prevail, according to the Cakkavatti Sihanada Sutra.

The Buddhist texts give many parables of kings who exceeded the bounds of Dharma, and who through their greed brought their people to suffering, and ultimately sealed their own fate as well (Creation stories as outlined in Agganna Sutra). It was a widely held belief in ancient India that if a king ruled unjustly, not only would people be unhappy, but the imbalance would be felt throughout the natural order. Rain would not fall, crops would not grow, fruit would not ripen. Such calamities would be felt primarily by the poor. A few decades ago, we would have dismissed this as quaint folk superstition, but it is now becoming apparently that such beliefs encode a deeply felt sense of the interconnectedness between human activity and the environment (Social activism is a matter of embodying and acting in accordance to the Dharma)

In the sphere of social justice, the greatest example of a ruler who followed the Buddha's advice is King Asoka. He inherited a vast empire across Northern India, which he immediately began to consolidate and extend with terrible loss of life. After his conversion to Buddhism, he felt a tremendous remorse for his acts, and expressed his sorrow and repentance. This fueled an extraordinary policy of non-violence by which he governed the largest empire in the world at the time. Among many other innovations, he announced amnesty for prisoners and measures for their rehabilitation; banned the slaughter of many kinds of animals; set up medicinal help for humans and animals and established a system of messengers so the people convey their concerns to their king.

More recently, the need for social justice has been articulated from multiple Buddhist perspectives. Many Buddhist countries suffered greatly under colonialism, and in response, formulated notions of justice that harked back to authentic Buddhist principles. In Theravadan countries, such ideals were grounded on the notion of the righteous governance of people in accordance with the Dharma. grassroot movements such as the Sri Lankan Sarvodaya work to apply the Dharma on a village level, addressing the poverty and environmental damage that stem from social injustice. In Mahayana countries, the ideal of the Bodhisattva, who sacrifices their own welfare in service to others, inspired the emergence of Engaged Buddhism, which stems from the Humanistic Buddhism of the Taiwanese masters Taixu and Yin Shun, which was brought to the world by Thich Nhat Hanh. These approaches have inspired a fertile response among contemporary Buddhists. The teaching on interconnectedness is seen to encapsulate a profound truth about ourselves in relation with the natural order. This has inspired reflections on Buddhism and the social order, a re-evaluation of the role of women, and the gradual emergence of global Buddhist aid organisations. Such ethics have been considered in light of their relation to other faiths.

Eco-Buddhism sees the present as a historical period of existential and spiritual crisis (Mappo), when such apparent opposites have something crucial to say to each other. In the 20th century, the western world became aware of the 'great awakening' of the Buddha. The sustainability of Buddhism became evident in methods of training, wisdom and trans-cultural influence that have endured for 2500 years. Many men and women across a variety of cultures have used this path and experienced their own awakening. The Buddha had a deeply felt understanding of limits. Happiness isn't gained by trying to satisfy our desires. In fact, a minimalist and simple approach to possessions positively enhances long-term contentment. Meditation can sustain the process of personal transformation as the practitioner uncovers a deep interdependence between the self, the others and the context

Social activism is the promotion and guidance used to cultivate changes in business practice, business policies or the government to influence social change. The duties of asocial activist include communicating with policy makers, researching for the cause, and organising responses for the media. It consists of efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic or environmental reform or status with the desire to make improvements in society. Forms of activism range from writing letters to newspapers or to politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronising businesses, rallies, street marches, strikes, sit-ins and hunger strikes. One can also express activism through forms of art (known as artivism). Daily acts of protest/habits such as not buying clothes from a certain clothing company because they exploit workers is another form of activism. Research has begun to explore how activist groups use social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action.

The Buddha developed a culture of awakening from self-centered conditioning. But we are living in the midst of social-engineering technologies that persuade us to base our identity and worth/value on consumption. My consumer-self is dogged by dissatisfaction arising from Kama Tanha, where I spend more and more to resolve the conditioned anxiety whilst I resist the truth of ecological crisis because consumption has compelling psychological meaning for me. If Buddhist meditation is to have comprehensive relevance now, it must separate itself away from the historical/cultural context and tradition associated with its origin and cut through social conditioning. This must occur in a context that is vastly different from the Indian Bronze Age, when the Buddha first set forth his noble path to awakening. If I hold beliefs that are in conflict with each other, I will experience cognitive dissonance - a subliminal anxiety resulting from inconsistency. Vipassana seeks to remove this by distinguishing between believes that are true/Dharma and those which are not. I could try to eliminate this independent from meditation by changing one of my beliefs to resolve this dissonance, resorting to denial or finding someone/something else to blame. If my meditation can't show up these dysfunctional habits of mind for what they are, it could create what Macy calls 'Premature equanimity'; a false impression of inner peace. However, modern climate phenomena imposes a radical new world on us

Resource depletion, ecological disasters, over-population and climate chaos are indicators of spiritual (Mappo) and ecological collapse. They demonstrate also how much we need a story that renews our love for the mystery of the Earth, as the notion of consumerism has directly opposed the concept of interdependence as echoed in Paticcasamuppada and Sunyata/Tathata - a story that can integrate the world's wisdom traditions with the sciences of cosmology and evolution. Berry - The universe itself is our story to restore reverence and respect for the earth. Everything in the universe had a common origin in the mysterious Big Bang. We hence all participate in its awesome physical and spiritual dimensions, which are authentic sources of joy, celebration and support whilst connecting all beings who are interrelated in their common origin of the Big Bang. Undoubtedly, there is a profound challenge to self-realisation in the midst of ecological crisis. This process may require us to pass through experiences that stretch, ground and strengthen meditation. if, on all levels, we analyse our experience, actions and the earth, we can nourish our capacity to respond fearlessly and appropriately to the big picture. We can take refuge in the Sacred Universe process whilst rejecting the hedonism/consumerism of the modern age, like Siddhartha himself did.

All religious traditions, including Buddhism, are liable to fall into life-denying traps that are typical of Passive Nihilism: succumbing to anthropocentric prejudices; fetishising the spiritual and remaining confused by residual beliefs in an otherwordly salvation, a somewhere else - Nirvana; failure to resolve the split between the spiritual and material. However, a critical and cautious awareness reveals a wealth of inspiration and vision within the Buddhist tradition that supports an ecological awareness

The Dharma, namely within Madhyamaka teaches that all things are interconnected. There is nothing in existence that exists as a separate, fixed, isolated entity with Svabhava; things only exist in relation and connection to other things, so much so that the boundaries between things are only useful conventions, provisionally true but by no means absolute and true on an ultimate level. This view is found at the heart of the ecological perspective, particularly as influenced by systems theory, which recognises that everything in this world is women into a subtle and intricate web of relationships. This idea of interconnectedness finds its fullest expression in Hua-Yen Buddhism. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, central to the Hua Yen School, we find a symbolic representation of reality in the image of Indra's Net. Imagine stretching out into infinite space, in every direction,a network of golden threads. A 3D net filling the whole of space. At every juncture of every thread is a sparking iridescent, multifaceted jewel. When one takes a close look at each one of those infinite jewels, we see that in each facet of the jewel, there is a reflection of each and every other jewel in the infinite network. As the play of light sparkles/glimmers/interacts with one jewel, that slight change is reflected in each and every jewel and throughout the entirety of space. Although presented in terms of mystic cosmic terms, it is not an image of some far off cosmic sphere, but a symbol for the world we live in moment by moment, an attempt to convey the realisation that all phenomena/things/beings are intimately related to each other and interconnected. We are profoundly connected in a web of life and complex social relationships stretching across the planet.

We know that mankind has failed to take account of the intimate connections within the ecosystem, between himself and the world, arrogantly charging in with new found technological powers, destablising intricate systems of ecological organisation, the complexity of which we are only just beginning to realise. We know that subtle strands of influence link our shopping habits and the economies of the developing world; that is the chemicals we use in our homes and industries have a pervasive effect throughout the oceans and skies (individual habits/actions are causally related to global changes) - our relative affluence and luxury are inextricably bound up with the poverty and toil of others. If we are to exist in away which no longer perpetuates the damage done so far and begins to heal some of the ecological and social wounds we have created, we must appreciate more and more our own interconnectedness and the intimate relationships which exists between things in the world around us.

Many Buddhists see their worldview as a rejection of the hierarchical dominance of one human over another or humans over nature as all phenomena are devoid of Svabhava and are interconnected in their shared nature of Sunyata, and as a basis of an ethics of empathetic compassion which respects biodiversity and social justice. While compassion may follow from an understanding of all life-forms as mutually interdependent, a mere cognitive recognition of interdependence is not enough for an ecological ethic. Buddhists also emphasise the need for training and practice in terms of the Arya Magga of Sila, Samadhi and Panna.

It has been argued that Buddhism serves primarily a soteriological purpose (namely within Theravada) and that the attempt to ecologise the tradition distorts the historical and philosophical tradition and record and distract an individual from the goal of enlightenment. But Buddhists influenced by an ecological perspective point to the Bodhisattva Ideal of Mahayana, which teaches that the highest goals of Buddhism are not personal salvation but challenge us to embody compassionate awareness and dedicate ourselves to the welfare of all beings from whom we are not essentially separate.

Socially Engaged Buddhists have realised that in order to be a force for social transformation, the traditional Buddhist emphasis on individual moral and spiritual transformation must be augmented to address more directly the structures of oppression, exploitation and environmental degredation (hence enabling Buddhism to be more useful in the modern day - Upaya Kusala). They recognise that the traits of Loba, Dosa and Moha, identified as the root causes of Dukkha in the individual need to be challenged where they are sociologically embodied in the systemic and institutionalised formed, while adhering to the Buddhist emphasis on the practice of mindful awareness and a lifestyle of simplicity. Such an approach is found in the networks of Engaged Buddhists such as The International Network of Engaged Buddhists, The Network of Engaged Buddhists (UK), & The Buddhist Peace Fellowship and championed by individuals such as the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Jones, Sivaraksa, Ariyaratna, Macy & Kraft

Batchelor - He draws on material not explicitly Buddhist (nationalism, democracy etc.) but argues that there is a long tradition of social engagement within the foundations of Buddhism, with the Buddha himself as a member of the Sramana movement, reacting against his cultural norms (the caste system in the Brahmin traditions and rituals). Hence, the Buddha's decision to teach and establish the Sangha (spreading the Dharma via evangelism), the Bodhisattva Vow (spreading the Dharma via mission and compassionate action for all beings) and the logical conclusion of Paticcasamuppada/Sunyata in that there is no boundary between the self and other all are demonstrative of the importance and centrality of social engagement to Buddhism. Notably, whilst the concepts of Engaged Buddhism have existed for many years, it is only in recent times that these ideas have been actualised into a systematic approach to Buddhism/Yana. Moreover, it has been argued that Christianity, namely Liberation Theology, has played a role in the emergence of Engaged Buddhism and see its concerns with social issues as inspired by liberal Christian ideas of justice, as argued by Deitrick who spoke of 'cultural mingling' - an infusion of Euro-American Christian thought on Justice through the veins of Traditional Buddhism from Asia. However, Buddhasa argued that all Buddhist principles were socialistic and should be aimed at the good of all, opposing the individualism often suggested in Theravada via the Arhat Path. Moreover, the Bodhisattva Ideal is a socialist one and hence, we should be basing society on need rather than Kama Tanha and other forms of Loba (Focus on necessity vs consumerism/desire)