Tolerance in Buddhism

Abstract

This paper outlines some characteristic manifestations of tolerance in Buddhism. Buddhism postulates peaceful coexistence of different religions on the same territory under the state protection. Tolerance in Buddhism has both theoretical and practical aspects. 1. Supporting by Buddhist absolute rulers not only their own, Buddhist religion, but also other ones, including those maintained to be harmful. 2. Treatment of other religions as manifestations of one’s religion. 3. Including practices of other religions into Buddhist practice. 4. Including practices of other Buddhist schools into the practice of one’s own lineage of transmission. 5. Reluctant authorization of death penalties ever for most serious crimes 6. State ban on tortures. 7. Wildlife protection in a broad sense. 8. Ban on vivisection, death penalty and constraint of vegetarianism 9. Abolition of national army.