Beautiful, and I think, brave (well, brave if you were concerned about what people thought)
I just read a post by someone offering a rather expensive workshop saying even if you're not complicit in overt racism, as long as you're not actively doing things to check your "white privilege," you're not really practicing Buddhism.
Another writer suggested without religion, spirituality is empty. Never quite makes clear what "religion" means.
And on and on.
What a joy to read this clear sighted post - this is SO radically different from the way we "Think" in the modern world, and we hardly realize we're so utterly enmeshed in this way of non-thinking it's invisible to us.
Thank you for this sage perspective on very challenging situations like this, especially for those more closely involved.
Two questions please.
You said “… the suffering of lower realms awaits those who die fighting in battles …”.
Wouldn’t there be a difference between a soldier who died fighting to defend his homeland and family from an aggressor, versus the soldiers of the aggressing army?
I once heard HHDL say that if there was a chance Tibet could have been defended from the Chinese invaders, it may have been acceptable to take up arms.
You also said “… the Buddha experienced migraines for the rest of his life following the genocide of the Sākya clan.”
Why would this have happened if he had simply tried to make peace, and then ended up simply observing?
There is no difference. All who die in battle find lower realms as their reward: “Apparently, headman, I haven't been able to get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.' So I will simply answer you. When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, his mind is already seized, debased, & misdirected by the thought: 'May these beings be struck down or slaughtered or annihilated or destroyed. May they not exist.' If others then strike him down & slay him while he is thus striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the hell called the realm of those slain in battle. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle,' that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb." https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.003.than.html
As to your second question: that’s what the Buddha did. But there was no peace to make with such vehement hostility.
Wow. No pleas of self defence heard in the karmic court presided over by the Lord of Death.
As mind is the basis, I wonder if similar karma might accrue when viewers get involved in violent movies, rejoicing in the outcomes of the portrayed violence?
Thank you for talking Dharma at such a crucial time. Indeed hate is never overcome by more hatred…
Beautiful, and I think, brave (well, brave if you were concerned about what people thought)
I just read a post by someone offering a rather expensive workshop saying even if you're not complicit in overt racism, as long as you're not actively doing things to check your "white privilege," you're not really practicing Buddhism.
Another writer suggested without religion, spirituality is empty. Never quite makes clear what "religion" means.
And on and on.
What a joy to read this clear sighted post - this is SO radically different from the way we "Think" in the modern world, and we hardly realize we're so utterly enmeshed in this way of non-thinking it's invisible to us.
Well, sorry for rambling. thanks again.
The biggest perversion of so-called western Buddhism is that they label renunciation as escapism and the 8 worldly concerns as activism.
Thank you for writing this Malcolm. I’m incredibly moved by it. It is very sad for everyone connected.
You are welcome.
Well said!
Thank you for this sage perspective on very challenging situations like this, especially for those more closely involved.
Two questions please.
You said “… the suffering of lower realms awaits those who die fighting in battles …”.
Wouldn’t there be a difference between a soldier who died fighting to defend his homeland and family from an aggressor, versus the soldiers of the aggressing army?
I once heard HHDL say that if there was a chance Tibet could have been defended from the Chinese invaders, it may have been acceptable to take up arms.
You also said “… the Buddha experienced migraines for the rest of his life following the genocide of the Sākya clan.”
Why would this have happened if he had simply tried to make peace, and then ended up simply observing?
Thank you
There is no difference. All who die in battle find lower realms as their reward: “Apparently, headman, I haven't been able to get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.' So I will simply answer you. When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, his mind is already seized, debased, & misdirected by the thought: 'May these beings be struck down or slaughtered or annihilated or destroyed. May they not exist.' If others then strike him down & slay him while he is thus striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the hell called the realm of those slain in battle. But if he holds such a view as this: 'When a warrior strives & exerts himself in battle, if others then strike him down & slay him while he is striving & exerting himself in battle, then with the breakup of the body, after death, he is reborn in the company of devas slain in battle,' that is his wrong view. Now, there are two destinations for a person with wrong view, I tell you: either hell or the animal womb." https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn42/sn42.003.than.html
As to your second question: that’s what the Buddha did. But there was no peace to make with such vehement hostility.
Wow. No pleas of self defence heard in the karmic court presided over by the Lord of Death.
As mind is the basis, I wonder if similar karma might accrue when viewers get involved in violent movies, rejoicing in the outcomes of the portrayed violence?
It definitely creates traces. It’s one reason the Buddha criticized the civilian occupation of watching battles.
...and boxing matches.