Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Nonviolence was a core ethical principle for the Buddha, playing a key role in the Eightfold Path. But it was not to be confused with passivity nor inaction. We will consider various ways the Buddha's nonviolent approach to difficulty and conflict was courageous and decisive.
🧡 If you find this material useful, check out my Patreon page and get fun benefits like exclusive videos, audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: patreon.com/dougsseculardharma
🧡 You can also make donations through: paypal.me/dougsdharma
📙 Check out my book, A Handbook of Early Buddhist Wisdom, with a Foreword by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
☸️ Free mini-course at the Online Dharma Institute: onlinedharma.org.
🎙Check out my podcast with Jon Aaron, Diggin' the Dharma: digginthedharma.com
✅ Videos recommended:
When Words Won't Work: Self-Defense in Early Buddhism -- youtu.be/3aXjrEdpIjY
The Murderer Who Became Enlightened: Who was Angulimala? -- youtu.be/bp4Ta4GKpMQ
✅ Suttas/Vinaya passages mentioned:
suttacentral.net/mn21/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/mn86/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/an8.20/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/ud5.5/en/sujato
Monks of Kiṭāgiri -- suttacentral.net/pli-tv-bu-vb-ss13/en/brahmali
Monks of Kosambī -- suttacentral.net/pli-tv-kd10/en/brahmali
Webpage: dougsdharma.com
Facebook: facebook.com/onlinedharmainstitute
Mastodon: https://mindly.social/@dougsdharma
Instagram: instagram.com/dougsdharma
Threads: threads.net/@dougsdharma
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dougsdharma.bsky.social
Thumbnail image courtesy sunpath from Pixabay.
❤️ Thanks to Patreon Patrons:
Anonymous (3)
Omar
John Oborne
Debbie Mattison
Ron Peat
Michael S. Kearns
Anne
Matthew Smith
Shantha Wengappuli
Karma_CAC
Jorge Seguel
Christopher Apostolof
GailJM
David Bell
T Pham
VCR
Upayadhi
Andi and Erik
Michael Scherrer
khobe schofield
Alex Perdomo
Benji Forsyth
Sonny Flink
Steve Marlor
Joy L Lee
Andrew Tom
Anthony Tucker
Karlee R
Ethan M
Billy in Singapore
Olivia Otter
Carl Lennartson
xiao mao
Jeff Harvey
Andrew Ingrouille
Kenneth Grandchamp
Rene Gariepy
Russell Needham
Smoggyrob
Mac Roja
Clémence Ortega Douville
Kwan Alex
Scott Johnston
Richard J Beninger
Nathanael O. Arnquist
SaturnianMandala
Trin P
Letesa Isler
Dorien Izel
Robert Paterson
Jake Tobiason
Louvenia Ortega
Steve S.
Richard Rappuhn
Sarah Kress
John Aaron
Paul Niklewski
Kong Ing Kai
Dave Gorman
rhys reed
Osanda Wijeratne
Scarlett Farrow
BJ - RetreaTours™
Roland Harris
karen
Rob
John
Brady Schickinger
Jenn A.
Hieu Chi Tran
Kenneth Sorensen
Will Mosse
Sharon E.
Ken M
Mattias Sjölin
Marc Belanger
Kyaw Thurein
noted bones haver maia cash
00:00 Intro
00:28 Nonviolence as an ethical foundation
01:53 Nonviolence in practice: the example of Aṅgulimāla
04:25 Nonviolence and difficulties in the Sangha
07:36 Lessons for today
09:02 The power of nonviolence
Note: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon links are affiliate links where I will earn a very small commission on purchases you make, at no additional cost to you. This goes a tiny way towards defraying the costs of making these videos. Thank you!
Nonviolence was a core ethical principle for the Buddha, playing a key role in the Eightfold Path. But it was not to be confused with passivity nor inaction. We will consider various ways the Buddha's nonviolent approach to difficulty and conflict was courageous and decisive.
🧡 If you find this material useful, check out my Patreon page and get fun benefits like exclusive videos, audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: patreon.com/dougsseculardharma
🧡 You can also make donations through: paypal.me/dougsdharma
📙 Check out my book, A Handbook of Early Buddhist Wisdom, with a Foreword by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
☸️ Free mini-course at the Online Dharma Institute: onlinedharma.org.
🎙Check out my podcast with Jon Aaron, Diggin' the Dharma: digginthedharma.com
✅ Videos recommended:
When Words Won't Work: Self-Defense in Early Buddhism -- youtu.be/3aXjrEdpIjY
The Murderer Who Became Enlightened: Who was Angulimala? -- youtu.be/bp4Ta4GKpMQ
✅ Suttas/Vinaya passages mentioned:
suttacentral.net/mn21/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/mn86/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/an8.20/en/sujato
suttacentral.net/ud5.5/en/sujato
Monks of Kiṭāgiri -- suttacentral.net/pli-tv-bu-vb-ss13/en/brahmali
Monks of Kosambī -- suttacentral.net/pli-tv-kd10/en/brahmali
Webpage: dougsdharma.com
Facebook: facebook.com/onlinedharmainstitute
Mastodon: https://mindly.social/@dougsdharma
Instagram: instagram.com/dougsdharma
Threads: threads.net/@dougsdharma
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dougsdharma.bsky.social
Thumbnail image courtesy sunpath from Pixabay.
❤️ Thanks to Patreon Patrons:
Anonymous (3)
Omar
John Oborne
Debbie Mattison
Ron Peat
Michael S. Kearns
Anne
Matthew Smith
Shantha Wengappuli
Karma_CAC
Jorge Seguel
Christopher Apostolof
GailJM
David Bell
T Pham
VCR
Upayadhi
Andi and Erik
Michael Scherrer
khobe schofield
Alex Perdomo
Benji Forsyth
Sonny Flink
Steve Marlor
Joy L Lee
Andrew Tom
Anthony Tucker
Karlee R
Ethan M
Billy in Singapore
Olivia Otter
Carl Lennartson
xiao mao
Jeff Harvey
Andrew Ingrouille
Kenneth Grandchamp
Rene Gariepy
Russell Needham
Smoggyrob
Mac Roja
Clémence Ortega Douville
Kwan Alex
Scott Johnston
Richard J Beninger
Nathanael O. Arnquist
SaturnianMandala
Trin P
Letesa Isler
Dorien Izel
Robert Paterson
Jake Tobiason
Louvenia Ortega
Steve S.
Richard Rappuhn
Sarah Kress
John Aaron
Paul Niklewski
Kong Ing Kai
Dave Gorman
rhys reed
Osanda Wijeratne
Scarlett Farrow
BJ - RetreaTours™
Roland Harris
karen
Rob
John
Brady Schickinger
Jenn A.
Hieu Chi Tran
Kenneth Sorensen
Will Mosse
Sharon E.
Ken M
Mattias Sjölin
Marc Belanger
Kyaw Thurein
noted bones haver maia cash
00:00 Intro
00:28 Nonviolence as an ethical foundation
01:53 Nonviolence in practice: the example of Aṅgulimāla
04:25 Nonviolence and difficulties in the Sangha
07:36 Lessons for today
09:02 The power of nonviolence
Note: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon links are affiliate links where I will earn a very small commission on purchases you make, at no additional cost to you. This goes a tiny way towards defraying the costs of making these videos. Thank you!
