Monks With Guns: Discovering Buddhist Violence

[Caladan]

However, this thread is not about comparing Buddhism to Islam. it is a thread about strife within societies in which Buddhism is the major religion, and is about a topic which I have found interesting and relevant for a while, which is the image Buddhism has taken in the west, and the mysticalization of Buddhism as opposed to the more basic and social realities that Buddhism experiences in its native lands.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Someone said that in some states where Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion there is persecution and killing. Yes, that is so, but that is not what Mahayana, or any school of Buddhism truly teaches. The Buddha warned about this very thing. He warned that even if monks get into a position of power, they can become corrupted if not strong in the dharma.

 

[Twilight Hue]

A lot of very good points made here. It's prudent to know Buddhism is not immune to violence and strife. The teachings all serve as good guidelines to follow most certainly, yet in no way guarantees benign nature on behalf of it's masters and students. To do otherwise is unrealistic.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Obviously thats relative, what we perceive as scale of wars is determined by more practical factors such as geographical ones. the notion that Buddhists are alien to violence or hatred is exactly what the article discusses, as it was a method in the west to dehumanize Buddhists for a long time. Buddhist societies deal with the strife that many in the west try do avoid via adopting Buddhism, for example the Buddhist institutions in Asia have been criticised for a long time for discriminating women, or the persecution of religious minorities (Hindus, Muslims, Christians) in nations such as Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

Over all I do believe that this thread is very helpful. Many people in the west believe that the History of Buddhism is with out fault. Only a handful of Buddists are Buddhas. You are right they are very Human just like all the rest of us. Still the phiolosophy of Buddism is a light of peace for all of us.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Nagaland[/URL]--->90.02% are Christians.

They want to keep their country Buddhist. Remember the disasters in the 1980s. When the Christians ethically cleansed the Hindus out of the area. Only those who would convert could stay in Nagaland. I landed there on an Air India flight.(!990) The Indian Army had to line the whole Air Strip to stop the Christian Terrorists.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

And all this time I thought I was a living example of why Buddhists are not any more moral or ethical or peaceful than other faith followers or practitioners.

I need a new strategy.

 

[Metempsychosis]

They want to keep their country Buddhist. Remember the disasters in the 1980s. When the Christians ethically cleansed the Hindus out of the area. Only those who would convert could stay in the area.

It is bad behavior from evangelists..Do you think any part of those states were originally Christian?They succeeded in converted the entire state to Christianity.Hinduism is almost a national identity,removing the religion is as good as breaking the country.

 

[Caladan]

And all this time I thought I was a living example of why Buddhists are not any more moral or ethical or peaceful than other faith followers or practitioners.

I need a new strategy.

Perhaps we need an east Asian living in the west to do for Buddhism what Edward Said did for the Middle East.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

And all this time I thought I was a living example of why Buddhists are not any more moral or ethical or peaceful than other faith followers or practitioners.

I need a new strategy.

No I think you guys and gals are pretty peaceful, your strategy is as good as any.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

It is bad behavior from evangelists..Do you think any part of those states were originally Christian?They succeeded in converted the entire state to Christianity.Hinduism is almost a national identity,removing the religion is as good as breaking the country.

I know a Swami who was hurt by a Christian Terrorist bomb in Assam.

 

[Metempsychosis]

I know a Swami who was hurt by a Christian Terrorist bomb in Assam.

Recent anti-christian violence was fueled due to killing of a swami by suspected missionary men.The swami was against forceful conversion .

 

[zenzero]

Friend Caladan,

Just wanted to point out that even monks need to protect themselves from animals and anti-socials and so martial arts were introduced by Bodhidharma and to this day it continues.
Since protection today cannot be limited to martial arts or hand to hand combats as bullets are the order of the day in many societies and so is not a surprise when the article is pointing towards.
Love & rgds

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Friend Caladan,

Just wanted to point out that even monks need to protect themselves from animals and anti-socials and so martial arts were introduced by Bodhidharma and to this day it continues.
Since protection today cannot be limited to martial arts or hand to hand combats as bullets are the order of the day in many societies and so is not a surprise when the article is pointing towards.
Love & rgds

This way of thinking that came after Buddhism traveled out side of India. Not all Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain Monks believe in self defense. The life and teachings of the Lord Buddha would lead you to see nonviolence as a way of life. I know of a Buddhist monk who was attacked on pilgrimage by a axe welding villager. He just offered his head in response. He had a belief in perfect nonviolence. Not all see the world in the same way.

I am not a Monk so I believe in self defense.

 

[zenzero]

Friend WY,

Your observation is right.
Even Gautama went in the forest to meet *Angulimala* and confronted him. Angulimala who terrorized everyone by killing and looting all travelers through the forest met Gautama though shaky from his *halo* still told him the consequences to which Gautama agreed to get his head chopped but before that a small request. The request was to cut a small branch off the tree with his sword which was done in a flash and then Gautama asked him to join the branch back to which Angulimala fell at his feet and prayed to make him his disciple so that he too can learn the trick of merging life.

The point here is Gautama's non-violence does not mean offering no resistance but to be MASTER of any situation and Bodhidharma introduced martial arts for a similar reason.
If some gun wielding humans terrorize people including monks then surely the monks should wield guns to protect themselves and the society; before those terrorist are given lessons on DHARMA as otherwise they will be killed before any dharma lessons are even heard.

Love & rgds

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Like I said, Lord Buddha was not unrealistic. The Buddha's dharma does teach you can defend yourself, but it does discourage it under certain conditions. One of those conditions being that if killing someone would make you into an oppressor, meaning you became attached to killing, you couldn't stop. I wouldn't defend myself perfectly, because I try to live as a good Bodhisattva, which is the goal in the school of Mahayana I follow, and part of being a good Bodhisattva is putting yourself below all other living things. You give your life to live for the benefit of others always before yourself, that includes giving your life sometimes. I am not afraid to die.

 

[zenzero]

Friend yosef,

I am not afraid to die.

You give your life to live for the benefit of others

Just like to point to your statements above:
Who is that *I* that is *afraid*?
Also similarly there is no *your* and *others* life
every form is from the same source.

Love & rgds

 

[Twilight Hue]

This way of thinking that came after Buddhism traveled out side of India. Not all Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain Monks believe in self defense. The life and teachings of the Lord Buddha would lead you to see nonviolence as a way of life. I know of a Buddhist monk who was attacked on pilgrimage by a axe welding villager. He just offered his head in response. He had a belief in perfect nonviolence. Not all see the world in the same way.

I am not a Monk so I believe in self defense.

I take both types of actions to be valid and correct depending on the circumstances and conditions. One day a person may need to use violence in defence, and another by offering their very own life willingly without hesitation and resistance. There is a real truth when Buddhists say that when you engage in violence your actually hurting yourself.