Yes. Buddhists can and sometimes even should defend themselves and people around them. However, consider the following: If you do it out of anger, you will suffer from the results of this anger. The key is to use violence without any negative feelings but out of active compassion (see the next point)
Can Buddhists use violence to defend themselves?
Yes. Buddhists can and sometimes even should defend themselves and people around them. However, consider the following: If you do it out of anger, you will suffer from the results of this anger. The key is to use violence without any negative feelings but out of active compassion (see the next point)
Is self-defense okay for a Buddhist?
Questions that appeal to extremes aren't really sensical for Buddhists. The answer to your first question is: it depends. This is because as a Buddhist, you should understand that absolutes aren't tenable and that you should walk the tightrope in the middle beyond extremes. Yes. Self-defense is OK.
Can a Buddhist monk kill in self defense?
Well said! A Theravada Buddhist monk is forbidden to attack back, i.e., kill in self-defense. If a monk kills a human being for any reason, he is defeated & is no longer a monk. To quote:
Is intention the most important thing in Buddhism?
In the context of the First Precept, not to harm or kill others, intention is the essential thing in Buddhism as noted above. An important point is that one's body is a colony of living, sentient beings - i.e., about 37 trillion human cells and an equal number of microbiota (see Wikipedia, Human microbiota).
What is a Buddhist stance on self defense?
Thus, it seems that pacifism and non-violence as espoused by more modern thinkers such as Gandhi and Thoreau are in accordance with Buddhist practice. Accepting death at the hands of an attacker, in lieu of self-defense, is the correct course of action for a Buddhist.
What is forbidden for Buddhists?
Specifically, all Buddhists live by five moral precepts, which prohibit: Killing living things. Taking what is not given. Sexual misconduct. Lying.
Why can't you touch a Buddhist monk?
Monks are forbidden from touching or coming close to women's bodies, because it is believed that a woman's body is contrary to a monk's vows. Thus, most temples in Thailand put an announcement which restricts women from entering.
What should you not do in Buddhism?
The precepts are commitments to abstain from killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and intoxication. Within the Buddhist doctrine, they are meant to develop mind and character to make progress on the path to enlightenment.
Why can't Buddhist eat garlic?
But how about the Buddhists? They rank garlic, onions, shallots and other members of the Allium genus as the Five Acid and Strong-Smelling Vegetables, which are just too damn strong.
Can Buddhist marry non Buddhist?
There is no obligation for Buddhists to marry and most Buddhists believe marriage is a choice. As long as they are both happy to do so, Buddhists are allowed to cohabit . As a result, Buddhists do not have any formal teachings on what the marriage ceremony should consist of.
What happens if a Buddhist breaks a rule?
If a monk breaks any one of the rules he is automatically "defeated" in the holy life and falls from monkhood immediately. He is not allowed to become a monk again in his lifetime. Intention is necessary in all these four cases to constitute an offence.
Why do Buddhist wear orange clothes?
It is a sacred color in many Eastern religions. Hindu and Buddhist monks wear orange robes, and in Hinduism, orange represents fire and therefore purity; impurities are burned in fire.
Is it disrespectful to go to a Buddhist temple?
Visitors who are respectful and aware of the rules will always be welcome. You might also find it helpful to learn about the specific dos and don'ts that apply to one of Southeast Asia's Buddhist-majority countries and read up on etiquette for visitors to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
What is disrespectful to Buddha?
Dust accumulating on or around the statue is disrespectful. It will bring filth into your own life. A Buddha facing the front door from inside the home can protect you from harmful visitors and intruders. His image will evoke a sense of mindfulness and blessings to all as they enter.
Are there sins in Buddhism?
The term “sin” does not have any special connotation in Buddhism, as it has in major theistic religions like Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. In all these religions, the general belief is that sins are individual actions which are contrary to the will of God or to the will of the Supreme Being.
Can Buddhists drink alcohol?
Despite the great variety of Buddhist traditions in different countries, Buddhism has generally not allowed alcohol intake since earliest times. The production and consumption of alcohol was known in the regions in which Buddhism arose long before the time of the Buddha.
Can Buddhist drink alcohol?
Despite the great variety of Buddhist traditions in different countries, Buddhism has generally not allowed alcohol intake since earliest times. The production and consumption of alcohol was known in the regions in which Buddhism arose long before the time of the Buddha.
Can Buddhist eat pork?
Two of the world's leading religions, Judaism and Islam, forbid the eating of pork, while Buddhism has a tendency to turn its adherents toward vegetarianism, (but Buddha himself, vegetarian take pleasure in telling us, is supposed to have died from eating spoiled pork).
What are the rules of being a Buddhist?
The Five PreceptsRefrain from taking life. Not killing any living being. ... Refrain from taking what is not given. Not stealing from anyone.Refrain from the misuse of the senses. Not having too much sensual pleasure. ... Refrain from wrong speech. ... Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind.
What does the Buddhist teaching about interconnection mean?
Both verses echo the concept of “non-self,” the Buddhist teaching that interconnection is so deep that there is no unchanging identity to any living being. The term alone appears to contradict self-defense; Buddhists commonly say the idea compels a conflict-averse attitude.
What was the difference between the Pandey case and the Zapata case?
Zapata’s friends and fellow musicians collaborated to open Home Alive, a non-profit that taught people how to resist violent attacks, while the Pandey case has not only prompted massive protests across India, but a strong interest in violence prevention as well.
What does Epperson say about non-self?
Epperson notes a limit of language. She explains non-self as a core Buddhist teaching (“You just can’t refer to a permanent soul inside someone ”) but emphasizes that “when Buddhism says there is no self, they are talking on an ultimate level…. There’s no fear of referring to individuals.” Individual safety, she says, is a need no religion could eliminate.
