POSTS:

Social & Political Engagement

The Dharmic Imperative Towards Radical, Socially Engaged Buddhism
Alexandra Cain argues that Buddhist practice should not stop at the individual but challenge the craving and greed that drives exploitative and oppressive social institutions.
On Taking Sides
Mike Slott argues that Buddhists need to support movements which challenge powerful economic and political elites.
Climate Action & Eco-Grief 
John Danvers discusses global warming, climate action and "eco-grief". He contends that individual and collective actions rooted in dharmic values can transform potential despair into a more hopeful outlook.
A Response to Minneapolis: A Tricycle Online Event
Tricycle magazine sponsored an on-line event entitled “A Response to Minneapolis: Courage to Act in the Face of Fear”, which featured a talk by Zen priest Seth Segall and a meditation and reflection facilitated by Linda Modaro, the guiding teacher of Sati Sangha.
The Dharma of Civic Virtue
Winton Higgins examined the dharma of civic virtue in a dharma talk given to the Kookaburra Sangha in Sydney, Australia on November 8, 2025.
Buddhist Voices for Immigration Justice:  A Virtual Town Hall on November 20
The Buddhist Coalition for Democracy, in partnership with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, is hosting a Virtual Town Hall on Immigration Justice: Compassion in Action on November 20.
A Secular Buddhist Response to Gaza
Sharon Tobias, Nan DiBello, and Karsten Struhl urge all Buddhists to condemn the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, support humanitarian assistance efforts, and demand that the U.S. stop supplying weapons to Israel.
How Secular Buddhists Can Contribute to Movements for Social Change
Mike Slott discusses the ways in which a secular approach to the dharma offers important resources to political activists.
The Case for a Socially Engaged Secular Dharma Practice
Caspar Harris argues that secular dharma practitioners should focus not just on personal development but engage with wider social issues and embrace what Thich Nhat Hanh calls interdependence.
We Need Mindfulness and Social Engagement
Piero Falci argues that inner peace remains elusive in a world grappling with significant challenges, that both mindfulness and social engagement are essential.
The Buddha Comments on Politics
Linda Blanchard argues that the Buddha's key concept of dependent arising reveals how our tendency toward self-making is impacted by socially constructed beliefs which underpin political views.
Buddhist Coalition for Democracy Joins Amicus Brief in Support of Mahmoud Khalil
The Buddhist Coalition for Democracy has joined together with 35 other religious organizations as a party to an amicus curiae brief in the case of Mahmoud Khalil's unlawful detention by the federal government.
The Two Tasks, Updated for the New Era
Tom Cummings discusses two key tasks in the current period: to stand courageously and nonviolently against the Trump administration's policies and to practice skillful speech in talking to Trump supporters.
The Buddhist Coalition for Democracy – A Call to Action & Statement of Principles
As Buddhists, we recognize our profound interconnectedness and the prime importance of universal compassion and loving-kindness. We affirm the need to listen to differing viewpoints with openness and equanimity and to respond with wise minds and caring hearts. We aspire towards a society that values all of its members and believe democratic values, institutions, and […]
The Buddhist Coalition for Democracy
SBN members are part of the Buddhist Coalition for Democracy, an alliance of Buddhist sanghas and individuals representing multiple traditions and lineages, which was formed in response to the harms caused by the Trump administration.