Elizabeth Harris explores what Buddhism has to say about the human condition and in particular about living in a violent world. It draws on conversations with Buddhists, Buddhist texts, the authors personal diaries and experiences to show that Buddhism in action is rarely about physical withdrawal but about engagement with the suffering of others. Drawing on the realities of the violent ethnic conflicts in Sri Lanka, the book shows that there are no easy answers but Buddhism has much to offer to those who want to understand better the dynamics of conflict.