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Unlock This CourseRemember from Bullying and Cyberbullying that bullying is repeated hurting of someone who finds it hard to defend themselves, and that it can be physical, verbal, social or online. This lesson looks at how Hindus respond to it.
Hinduism has no single rule called 'do not bully'. Hindu attitudes come from wider teachings about how to treat other beings. Together these teachings say that bullying is wrong, and that working towards a peaceful society is part of living a good life.
You already know four key ideas from earlier lessons: ahimsa (not harming living beings), atman (the soul in every being), karma (action and its results) and dharma (duty). Here they are applied to bullying.
Many Hindus teach that ahimsa is not only about not hitting. A cruel thought, an insulting word and a hurtful message all break it. This is why name-calling, spreading rumours and unkind posts count as bullying for Hindus, not just physical violence.
Hindus believe the same atman is in every person, including the bully and the person bullied. So harming another person is, in a deep sense, harming oneself. Nobody is worth less than anyone else.
Hindus believe actions have results. A person who spreads pain through bullying is storing up bad karma, which they believe will come back to them, in this life or a future one. This gives a reason to stop.
Dharma includes a duty to look after those who are weaker. A Hindu who sees bullying and walks away may be failing in their dharma. Remember from Hindu Attitudes to Conflict, Duty and Holy War that this duty to protect others is also why some Hindus accept fighting in a righteous cause. In bullying, though, the response is care and speaking up, not revenge.
Hindus also stress self-control. Bullying is often driven by anger and the wish to feel powerful. The Gita chapter 16 list of good qualities you met in Hindu Peacemaking, Justice and Forgiveness includes freedom from anger and compassion for living beings, the opposite of what drives a bully.
Inclusion is part of how Hindus answer bullying. Inclusion means making sure everyone is welcomed and nobody is pushed out. Hindus find this idea in several teachings:
Bullying often targets people for being different. Hindu teachings on inclusion say that difference is not a reason to exclude or hurt anyone.
For Hindus, the peace (shanti) you met earlier is not only the absence of war. A peaceful society is one where people live with respect and without fear. Working towards it matters because:
Hindu teachings suggest practical ways to deal with bullying, including cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is bullying through phones and the internet, and it breaks ahimsa of word just as much as shouting does.
Pause before you type or speak. Do not hit back or send an angry reply. This is the self-control Hindus value. Meditation and prayer are traditional ways to calm anger.
Treat everyone as having the same atman, online and offline. Do not forward a cruel post or join in a group chat that picks on someone.
Dharma means protecting the weak, so many Hindus would say it means telling a trusted adult, supporting the person bullied and not staying silent as a bystander.
Forgiveness. Hindus value kshama (forgiveness), met in Hindu Peacemaking, Justice and Forgiveness. A person who has been bullied may choose to forgive, which can free them from anger. Forgiveness does not mean the bullying should be ignored. Many Hindus would say the bully should still be stopped and helped to change, because everyone has the atman and can learn.
Hindus do not all agree on how far to rely on forgiveness and karma, or on protecting others (see Hindu Peacemaking, Justice and Forgiveness). For bullying, the key point is that forgiving should go together with stopping the bullying. If it is serious, it should also be reported, as Bullying and Cyberbullying explains.
(a) Identify three types of bullying. [3 marks] (Paper 1, AO1)
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two teachings about bullying in this religion. [4 marks] (Paper 1, AO1)
(c) Choose one religion. Explain why bullying is not accepted in this religion. [6 marks] (Paper 1, AO1 and AO2)
(d) 'Religious people should always forgive those who bully them.' Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks] (Paper 1, AO1 and AO2)
(a) 1. Physical bullying (1). 2. Verbal bullying (1). 3. Cyberbullying (1).
(b) In Hinduism, ahimsa teaches not to harm living beings (1), in thought, word and action, so insults and cruel messages are wrong too (1). Hindus also believe the same atman is in everyone (1), so harming another person is harming oneself (1).
(c) Hindus do not accept bullying for several reasons. Ahimsa means not harming others in thought, word or action (1), so even online bullying breaks it (1). Hindus believe the same atman is in everyone, so a bully harms someone who shares the same true self (1). Karma teaches that actions bring results, so bullying stores up bad karma for the bully (1). Dharma also includes protecting the weak, so a Hindu who watches bullying and does nothing may fail in their duty (1). This means Hindus are encouraged to show respect and speak up (1).
(d) Plan. For: kshama is a good Hindu quality; forgiveness frees a person from anger and fits ahimsa; the same atman is in the bully, who can change; karma will deal with the bully, so revenge is not needed. Against: forgiving should not mean ignoring harm, as dharma includes protecting the weak, so bullying must be stopped; a person may need time before they can forgive; many non-religious people would say reporting bullying and support matter more than forgiveness. Possible conclusion: forgiveness is valuable in Hinduism, but 'always' is too strong, because the bullying must also be stopped and the victim protected.
In a 6-mark 'Explain why' question, link each Hindu term to a reason with 'because' or 'so'. For example: 'same atman, so harming another harms oneself'.