The cause of bullying is a social issue.

 The cause of bullying is a social issue.

Understanding the Roots of Bullying: A Spiritual Perspective

From a spiritual viewpoint, certain patterns of behavior in society, such as bullying, become more understandable.

Many people believe that bullying is an inevitable part of human society. It has existed throughout history, appears across cultures, and seems impossible to completely eradicate. As long as this mindset exists, bullying may continue to persist.

This pattern is not limited to school or workplace bullying. For example, discussions in the media—such as discriminatory treatment toward ethnic minorities—show how past injustices are transmitted across generations. Some argue that historical prejudice should be remembered and passed down, while others suggest that younger generations may be less affected by it and that emphasizing it could unnecessarily create awareness or tension.

Though complex, there is a common thread connecting these phenomena: the interplay between awareness, perception, and societal energy. In other words, patterns like bullying or discrimination are not merely external problems—they are reflections of collective consciousness and the energies that individuals and communities carry.

From this perspective, addressing bullying requires more than rules or punishment. It invites deeper awareness: understanding how attitudes, beliefs, and inherited patterns shape behaviors, and how consciousness itself can influence social harmony.

Bullying and the Spiritual Perspective on Education

Sigmund Freud, the well-known psychologist, proposed the pleasure principle: humans are naturally drawn to seek pleasure in all basic activities—eating, sleeping, or even bodily functions. In extreme terms, one could say that a sense of presence or existence is a form of pleasure. When we feel happy or fulfilled, we simultaneously experience both a strong sense of presence and pleasure.

Conversely, when individuals cannot feel their own presence, it is not merely a lack of self-awareness. The mind and body are deeply interconnected, and the inability to sense presence can generate stress, sometimes perceived as a threat to well-being.

In Japan, many schools follow a traditional model: thirty or more students sit quietly in rows, facing the blackboard, forbidden to speak while the teacher lectures. In such an environment, students may struggle to feel their own presence, leading to stress. During breaks or recess, this pent-up need to reclaim presence can sometimes manifest as bullying.

By contrast, in many Western educational systems, small-group discussions and interactive teaching allow students to be noticed—not just by the teacher but also by peers—helping them feel their own presence and value.

From a spiritual perspective, these societal and educational patterns influence bullying. Spiritual growth—much like intellectual growth—occurs through small insights and realizations. As one’s spiritual maturity develops, presence strengthens, creativity to uplift others increases, and perspective broadens. This is simply what it means to grow up spiritually.

Low spiritual maturity, on the other hand, corresponds to weak presence, a tendency to prioritize personal comfort over others, and a narrower perspective. In such states, stress appears more easily, and the desire to assert one’s presence can manifest as bullying.

Japan’s education system often values academic knowledge—measured by test scores—over heart-centered awareness. Within such an environment, spiritually immature patterns are more likely to emerge. A culture that equates high test scores with personal worth inadvertently weakens awareness of the heart, making bullying more likely.

In short, from a spiritual viewpoint, bullying is not merely an individual problem. It reflects the collective consciousness shaped by societal and educational systems, and as long as these environments prioritize knowledge over inner growth, bullying may persist.