Firstly, Buddhists are aware of the origins of the pandemic that is nothing but the akusala-kamma-vipāka which means the bad kamma's results of the whole community. As one sows the seed, one has to reap its fruits, Buddhists have to accept the circumstances no matter it is sweet or bitter. Saying so doesn’t mean that they surrender and give up all efforts fighting against the crisis, but they, in a smarter way, choose to see things as it really is and find more overall solutions for this problem.

According to the Buddha’s teachings on causes of physical phenomenon in one’s internal and external environment, there is a type of materiality born by temperature which is originally generated by the kamma, and it is called kamma-paccaya-utuja-rūpa. This, while co-existing with other types of materiality, has mutual relation and influence on them. It means that our good or bad kamma in the past constantly give rise to the environment that we are living in. If the kamma we did was wholesome, we may experience pleasant bodily feeling today. And if the kamma was unwholesome, we may face up to various unpleasant experiences, such as diseases, sickness, unemployment, national lockdowns, and so on.

Secondly, as negative mental states never work with the solutions for this problem, Buddhists are needed to stay calm and contemplate with wisdom to find a better way to stay together with the COVID-19. The Dalai Lama, other senior monks, and Buddhist organizations have repeatedly emphasized that this pandemic calls for meditation, compassion, generosity, and gratitude. Ven. Thubten Chonyi says that ‘the coronavirus is a powerful teacher about life, death, change, compassion, and resilience’. It is the right time, not only for Buddhists but also for everyone to turn inward, keep secular practice associated with mindfulness, happiness, and stress reduction. Many people are sharing the hashtag ‘stay home and meditate’. This is a good way to keep social distancing and reduce pressure for the whole society.

Then, there are several meditation techniques to keep one’s mind calm and peaceful that is applicable for everyone, especially for working people. One of them is mettā-bhāvanā or the practice of loving-kindness. To begin, just sit on a cushion, keep your body and back upright. Relax all muscles, bodily tensions, and mental stress. Put aside all worries for the past or plans for the future. Then, silently and calmly repeat in your mind ‘May I be free from dangers’ until you feel you are completely free from any kinds of dangers. After that, practice with the following sentences: ‘May I be free from mental suffering’, ‘May I be free from physical suffering’, and ‘May I be well and happy’. We need to love ourselves before learning to love others. That’s why the Visuddhimagga, a great book in Theravāda Buddhism, suggests us to radiate loving-kindness to ourselves first.

Then directing care and love to a dear respected person, you should practice with the same formula as above: ‘May he or she be free from dangers/ May he or she be free from mental suffering/ May he or she be free from physical suffering/ and May he or she be well and happy’ until there is only love for him or her left in your mind. In the same way, you can continue practicing with neutral people who are neither your dear respected nor hatred ones. Once the mind is trained in such a way, it is ready to open and share its love with enemies or hatred ones. Practice until you find no more mental barriers or limitations between you and each groups of dear respected, neutral, and hatred ones.

In a nutshell, coronavirus is dangerous, yet the frustrating mind is more dangerous as it may mislead to more suffering by the way of bodily, verbal, and mental impurity. Fully understand the situation from different angles, apply the Buddhist way to make better solutions and reactions are highly expected to help out by the way of here and now.