The purpose of this study is to connect the Buddhist teachings and practice to the contemporary leadership theory and re-examine them. It aims that the leaders of a digital age in the 21 century can cultivate and realize desirable leadership based on ...
The purpose of this study is to connect the Buddhist teachings and practice to the contemporary leadership theory and re-examine them. It aims that the leaders of a digital age in the 21 century can cultivate and realize desirable leadership based on the Buddhist insight and wisdom, so that they accomplish personal goals, and make better contribution to organizations and society. Accordingly, it helps the Korean Buddhism to extend itself in the direction of practicability, popularization, and modernization.
This paper examines the modern meaning of the leadership, by investigating the general leadership theory, the Buddhist teachings, and modern study of the Buddhist model of a leader. It is to find the quality and character which are needed for leaders' effectiveness, and how to cultivate and promote them through Buddhist teaching. As a result, seven important conclusions have been drawn as follows.
First, The Buddhist leadership has the similar direction with contemporary leadership, in that it is based on the human dignity, is to pursue for both personal accomplishments and organizational development, and assumes that anybody can become an ideal leader by cultivating their innate quality.
Second, The thought of Mahayana Buddhism shares the same basic framework with the contemporary leadership. It is possible to relate that a Bodhisattva is a leader; practice of a Bodhisattva is leadership; liberation is an self-accomplishment of a leader; nirvana is perfection; and defilements are conflicts.
Third, The Buddhist leadership is illuminated by the concepts of humanity, co-existence and interdependence, change, principle, and circulation.
Fourth, The quality and character of the leader which are suggested in Buddhism are almost same as those by contemporary scholars of leadership. Modesty and sincerity are considered as the most important, and next are patience, courage, self-control, and resolution.
Fifth, The eight-fold truth is proven to be a guide of the quality and character for ideal leaders. The significance is in the order of perfect livelihood(正命),perfect effort(正精進), and perfect mindfulness(正念).
Sixth, The Six perfections(六波羅蜜) is suggested as a ‘utmost way’ to make leadership contribute in the modern society.
Seventh, The study reconfirmed that the Buddha is the most ideal leader, and that the Buddhist texts are the fundamental texts and treasures for development of leadership.