How might we meet the realities of cruelty and injustice with a grounded and compassionate Buddhist perspective?
Ian Challis suggests that we first acknowledge that witnessing or experiencing cruelty can generate intense emotional responses—anger, grief, fear—and that these reactions are natural.
However, Ian encourages us to avoid being overwhelmed or reactive. Instead, he suggests grounding ourselves in awareness and intention, recognizing that our own suffering in the face of cruelty is an opportunity for deeper practice and connection. He emphasizes that avoiding cruelty doesn’t mean turning away from pain—it means engaging with clarity and care.
Ian shares several guiding principles and reflections to help us in this effort:
- Recognize shared suffering: Understand that even those who act cruelly are often driven by their own confusion and suffering.
- Choose wise response over reactivity: Awareness helps interrupt cycles of violence and retaliation.
- Practice compassion with boundaries: Being compassionate doesn’t mean accepting harm—it includes protecting oneself and others wisely.
- Stay connected to values: Respond from a place of love, justice, and mindfulness, even when action is necessary.
He also briefly touches on how Buddhist ethics (sīla) and the cultivation of wisdom (paññā) support us in transforming our response to injustice into a path of liberation.
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Ian Challis is a student and teacher in the Insight Tradition of Buddhism. He is a teacher, founding member, and past guiding teacher of Insight Community of the Desert in Palm Springs.
Ayya Khema, Leigh Brasington, Narayan Liebenson, Larry Yang, and Arinna Weisman are key teachers who have inspired and illuminated his practice.
Serving Queer community is a passion. 2025 marks his co-teaching of the 9th annual Queer retreat at Dhamma Dena Retreat Center with Leslie Booker. He is also a qualified teacher of MBSR, a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leader teacher training, and was formally invited by Arinna Weisman to teach in the lineage of U Ba Khin and Ruth Denison.
Find him at ianchallis.com
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CREDITS
Audio Engineer: George Hubbard
Producer: Tom Bruein
Music/Logo/Artwork: Derek Lassiter
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