OFFICE OF SIRIDANTAMAHĀPĀLAKA / HSWAGATA MUSEUM – INTERNAL USE
Template No.: T07
Related Research Case IDs: Case 7 – Deva Time-Scale & Long-Term View
Date: ____ / ____ / ______
Prepared by / Role: ________________________________________________
Confidentiality Level:
[ ] Public summary [ ] Internal [ ] Restricted / Sacred
1. BACKGROUND & PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Context of this brief:
(e.g. staff frustration at slow progress, delays in MoUs, long building
projects, difficult partners, slow institutional reform)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Describe the specific situation where a longer time-scale perspective is
needed:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Why is patience and a “deva time-scale” reflection being prepared now?
(e.g. to prevent burnout, conflict, rushed decisions, loss of faith)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Guiding question (case-based):
Which parts of this work require a very long-term view (like a deva time
scale), and how can we cultivate patience while still acting on urgent
harms in a timely way?
Notes:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. BUDDHIST DOCTRINAL–ETHICAL LENS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Key relevant teachings:
(e.g. anicca – impermanence; khanti – patience; vīriya – energy; upekkhā
– equanimity; long time scales of deva realms; gradual training;
kamma over many lives)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Short doctrinal reflection for the team:
How do deva time scales remind us that:
- Real change in institutions and hearts takes time?
- We must combine patient endurance with wise effort (khanti + vīriya)?
- We are trustees for many generations, not only for our own lifetime?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Balance needed:
- Where must we accept slowness and uncertainty?
- Where must we still act firmly and quickly (e.g. to stop clear harm)?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Planned ethical commitments:
(e.g. do not cut ethical corners just to go “faster”; maintain honesty
and kindness even when progress is slow)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. PEACE, CONFLICT & SDGs
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How does impatience show up in this situation?
[ ] Angry emails / messages
[ ] Pressure to “sign quickly”
[ ] Blaming other departments / institutions
[ ] Harsh speech in meetings
[ ] Temptation to hide problems to look “efficient”
[ ] Other: ____________________________
Describe specific tensions or conflicts linked to impatience:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Long-term peace perspective:
- How might a calm, patient, long-term approach support positive peace
(trust, fairness, sustainable collaboration)?
- How might rushed or short-term decisions create future conflict?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Structural / cultural violence risks:
(e.g. culture of overwork; “results-only” mentality; silencing those who
raise concerns because they “slow things down”)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Mitigation ideas:
(e.g. realistic timelines; transparent communication; recognising small
steps; celebrating progress without lying)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
SDG links (tick all that apply):
[ ] SDG 11.4 – Protect cultural and natural heritage
[ ] SDG 16 – Peace, justice, and strong institutions
[ ] SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
[ ] Other: ___________________________________________________________
4. GOVERNANCE, ROLES & PROCEDURES
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Main institutions/teams involved in this slow or long-term process:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Clarify roles and responsibilities:
(Who is responsible for what? Where are delays actually coming from?)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Timeline overview:
- Original expected timeline: ________________________________________
- Current realistic timeline: ________________________________________
- Key milestones (short / medium / long-term):
Short term:
______________________________________________________________________
Medium term:
______________________________________________________________________
Long term:
______________________________________________________________________
Procedures to support patient, ethical progress:
(e.g. regular check-in meetings; honest progress reports; clear decision
gates; written agreements instead of vague promises)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Relevant internal rules/policies or MoUs:
(e.g. planning procedures, MoU processes, procurement rules, staff
well-being policies)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5. ACTIONS / DECISIONS & H96 REFLECTION
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Immediate actions to respond to frustration or impatience:
(e.g. meeting with team; clear explanation of delays; adjust workload;
renew shared vision)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Medium/long-term actions to keep moving forward:
(e.g. phased implementation; pilot projects; written road map)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
H96 reflection:
“What would a peace-oriented H96 custodian do in this situation where
progress is slow? How would they balance patient endurance, clear truth,
and timely action to protect relics, faith, and relationships?”
Reflection notes:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Check:
Are we considering future generations (like devas seeing long spans of
time), or are we making decisions only to satisfy short-term pressure,
reputation, or personal comfort?
[ ] Considering long-term impact carefully
[ ] Too focused on short-term (explain and adjust):
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6. RISK & SAFEGUARDS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Key risks if we rush:
(e.g. weak contracts, poor construction, unsafe relic handling, broken
partnerships, loss of trust, staff burnout)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Key risks if we move too slowly or do nothing:
(e.g. continued injustice, loss of relics, worsening neglect, disillusion
among supporters)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Safeguards and mitigation measures:
(e.g. minimum standards that must not be compromised; staged decisions;
external review; conflict resolution support; staff care)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. FOLLOW-UP & LEARNING
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Next review date for this patience brief and the related project:
____ / ____ / ______
Planned follow-up actions and responsible persons:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Monitoring signs of healthy patience vs unhealthy avoidance:
- Healthy patience (examples we will look for):
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
- Unhealthy avoidance / denial (examples we will look for):
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Lessons learned:
What did we learn about time-scale, expectation, and peace-oriented
custodianship from this case?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Notes / message for future custodians facing similar slow processes:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
