Abstract:
The multicultural fabric of modern societies has given rise to many new issues and conflicts
through mass migration and the dispersion of cultural influences. Even though multiculturalists
have dealt with culture, language, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and race as main
research subjects, it is not easy to handle complicated social problems. Now a new norm,
which is expected to bind people together in multicultural background and social context, is
supposed to perform an integrative function in multicultural society. Here, the role of religion
is to be noted. The reason is that religion is the most fundamental social institution and
it is essential if society to remain orderly.
The main objective of this paper is to examine the practical virtue to foster multicultural citizenship,
which is to contribute religious peace and harmony as well as social order through
Buddhist perspective. This research is mainly a textual study. The collected data were observed
on comparative and critical bases.
When immigrants’ ratio exceeds more than 2.5% of the total population, it is classified as
multi-cultural country. Although consistent inflow of immigrants is changing the demographics,
society is currently unprepared for this change. Both the influx of immigrants and
mounting concerns about social conflict show the time has long past to leave this matter to
individual awareness or good intention. Therefore, people who are at each other’s throats in
multi-cultural countries must hold public norm to live peacefully as a citizen.
Unlike other religions, Buddhism avoids absolutism and dogmatic fanaticism (idaṁ-saccābhinivesa),
and has a nonviolent history through its propagation and dissemination. Dhammapada
states that hatred never ceases through hatred in this world. According to Anamataggasaṃyutta,
it is not easy to find a being who in this saṃsāra has not previously been our
mother, father, brother, sister, son, and daughter. Cūḷagosinga-sutta clearly shows that how
to live in peace with others and to maintain loving-kindness towards different people. Visuddhimagga
describes mettā-bhāvanā as a therapeutic tool to cure psychological disorders and
problematic behaviours caused by hatred. So, we need to practice daily mettā-bhāvanā for
peaceful co-existence in the multicultural society.
