Paper 12

Social discrimination based on gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity, education, and physical appearance remains a persistent global challenge despite advancements in human rights frameworks. While Buddhist teachings advocate for the inherent equality and dignity of all human beings, structural inequalities continue to manifest within contemporary Buddhist-majority societies. However, there is a significant lack of empirical research examining how the Buddhist community perceives social discrimination and whether these biases stem from religious doctrines or external socio-cultural structures. Therefore, this study investigates the attitudes, perspectives, and lived experiences of the Buddhist community regarding social discrimination in Myanmar. Methodologically, the study employs a mixed-methods research design, combining qualitative textual analysis of early Pali canonical scriptures with empirical field data gathered from 92 university-educated monastics and laypeople, alongside in-depth interviews. The findings reveal a significant gap between ideological belief and lived social reality. While the vast majority of respondents theoretically reject discrimination particularly regarding physical appearance and wealth,they frequently experience gender and socio-economic biases in daily life. Furthermore, the analysis identifies that these discriminatory practices are driven primarily by deep-rooted cultural traditions, feudal norms, and structural violence rather than religious doctrines. In conclusion, this research underscores that social discrimination within the Buddhist community is a sociological phenomenon rather than a theological one, highlighting the need to decouple core Buddhist ethical values from inherited cultural prejudices to dismantle structural inequalities and foster long-term social harmony.