Representation of Trauma and the Practice of Metta in Memoirs of Survivors of the People’s War in Nepal

Abstract

This study aim to relationship between post-conflict trauma and the Buddhist practice of metta as represented in memoirs written by survivors of Nepal’s People’s War (1996–2006). The research aims to (1) describe how former combatants and civilians narrate their traumatic memories and (2) analyze the potential of metta as a culturally grounded mechanism for emotional and ethical healing in a society recovering from prolonged political violence. Employing qualitative textual analysis of six post-conflict memoirs, the study integrates trauma theory with Buddhist ethical teachings, particularly the Brahmavihāra, to identify narrative patterns and interpret survivor experiences. The findings reveal three central themes. First, traumatic experiences persist long after the end of armed conflict, manifesting through intrusive recollections, emotional fragmentation, and embodied fear. Second, individual trauma is closely intertwined with collective suffering, where disrupted social bonds and mistrust continue to shape everyday life in post-war Nepal. Third, metta emerges as an ethical counter-practice capable of moderating anger, grief, and moral disorientation produced by wartime ideologies. In several memoirs, metta-oriented reflections appear to reframe painful memories, facilitate forgiveness, and re-establish empathetic relations within fractured communities. The study’s implications extend to peacebuilding and culturally embedded psychosocial support. The originality of this study lies in its interdisciplinary integration of literary trauma analysis with Buddhist peace ethics, offering a novel interpretive framework for understanding trauma, moral repair, and reconciliation in Nepal’s post-conflict landscape.