Mahayana and War

General forum on the teachings of all schools of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Topics specific to one school are best posted in the appropriate sub-forum.
Ricky
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Mahayana and War

Post by Ricky »

What would be the Mahayana position on war?

Can the wars that were fought against nazis, japan, jihadi terrorists, communists be justified in any way?
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by SunWuKong »

Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:05 am What would be the Mahayana position on war?

Can the wars that were fought against nazis, japan, jihadi terrorists, communists be justified in any way?
The Japanese were Buddhists, and yes, they justified war.
"We are magical animals that roam" ~ Roam
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Ricky »

SunWuKong wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:31 am
Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:05 am What would be the Mahayana position on war?

Can the wars that were fought against nazis, japan, jihadi terrorists, communists be justified in any way?
The Japanese were Buddhists, and yes, they justified war.
Real buddhists?. Nanjing massacre, unit 731 and many more atrocities were sanctioned by them.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by jet.urgyen »

Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:05 am What would be the Mahayana position on war?

Can the wars that were fought against nazis, japan, jihadi terrorists, communists be justified in any way?
i think no.

but a boddhisattva could decide to participate in war personally if for some reason he found it is necessary i think.
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Ricky »

javier.espinoza.t wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:13 am
Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:05 am What would be the Mahayana position on war?

Can the wars that were fought against nazis, japan, jihadi terrorists, communists be justified in any way?
i think no.

but a boddhisattva could decide to participate in war personally if for some reason he found it is necessary i think.
The world has always been filled with pure evil, shouldn't it be a responsibility for every bodhisattva instead? What would happen if nazism, communism, or jihadi ideology were allowed to flourish.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by shaunc »

Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:54 am
javier.espinoza.t wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:13 am
Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:05 am What would be the Mahayana position on war?

Can the wars that were fought against nazis, japan, jihadi terrorists, communists be justified in any way?
i think no.

but a boddhisattva could decide to participate in war personally if for some reason he found it is necessary i think.
The world has always been filled with pure evil, shouldn't it be a responsibility for every bodhisattva instead? What would happen if nazism, communism, or jihadi ideology were allowed to flourish.

That's correct. While war and any form of violence should be avoided by practicing Buddhists the reality of samsara is that sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do.
Just like theft should be avoided but if a man has to feed his family sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Malcolm »

Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:05 am What would be the Mahayana position on war?

Can the wars that were fought against nazis, japan, jihadi terrorists, communists be justified in any way?
War is always bad and everyone who dies ifighting in one goes to hell because of the terrible state of mind that war is.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Fortyeightvows »

Malcolm wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:45 amWar is always bad and everyone who dies fighting in one goes to hell because of the terrible state of mind that war is.
Really? How about Guan Yu?

Also, I've heard that people who die doing something heroic will often be reborn in the heaven of the heavenly kings. Like someone who dies while trying to saves lives, or maybe fighting in a just war....?
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Malcolm »

Fortyeightvows wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 5:35 am
Malcolm wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:45 amWar is always bad and everyone who dies fighting in one goes to hell because of the terrible state of mind that war is.
Really? How about Guan Yu?

Also, I've heard that people who die doing something heroic will often be reborn in the heaven of the heavenly kings. Like someone who dies while trying to saves lives, or maybe fighting in a just war....?
The Buddha is pretty clear on this point.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Ricky »

shaunc wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:43 am
Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:54 am
javier.espinoza.t wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:13 am

i think no.

but a boddhisattva could decide to participate in war personally if for some reason he found it is necessary i think.
The world has always been filled with pure evil, shouldn't it be a responsibility for every bodhisattva instead? What would happen if nazism, communism, or jihadi ideology were allowed to flourish.

That's correct. While war and any form of violence should be avoided by practicing Buddhists the reality of samsara is that sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do.
Just like theft should be avoided but if a man has to feed his family sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do.
Yep
Ricky
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Ricky »

Malcolm wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:45 am
Ricky wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 2:05 am What would be the Mahayana position on war?

Can the wars that were fought against nazis, japan, jihadi terrorists, communists be justified in any way?
War is always bad and everyone who dies ifighting in one goes to hell because of the terrible state of mind that war is.
It is a necessary evil. Im sure any bodhisattva worth their salt would want to stop hitler or a blood thirsty communist dictator.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Ricky »

Malcolm wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 5:43 am
Fortyeightvows wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 5:35 am
Malcolm wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:45 amWar is always bad and everyone who dies fighting in one goes to hell because of the terrible state of mind that war is.
Really? How about Guan Yu?

Also, I've heard that people who die doing something heroic will often be reborn in the heaven of the heavenly kings. Like someone who dies while trying to saves lives, or maybe fighting in a just war....?
The Buddha is pretty clear on this point.
That's what it says in the pali canon but what about the mahayana sutras or tantras?
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Grigoris »

Yodhajiva Sutta: To Yodhajiva (The Warrior)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 1998
Then Yodhajiva[1] the headman went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of warriors that '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.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?"

"Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that."

A second time... A third time Yodhajiva the headman said: "Lord, I have heard that it has been passed down by the ancient teaching lineage of warriors that '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.' What does the Blessed One have to say about that?"

"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."

When this was said, Yodhajiva the headman sobbed & burst into tears. [The Blessed One said:] "That is what I couldn't get past you by saying, 'Enough, headman, put that aside. Don't ask me that.'"

"I'm not crying, lord, because of what the Blessed One said to me, but simply because I have been deceived, cheated, & fooled for a long time by that ancient teaching lineage of warriors who said: '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.'

"Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed One — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Community of monks. May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life."

Notes
1.
= "warrior."
See also: SN 42.2
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Grigoris »

The only true Buddhist Warrior:
Yodhajiva Sutta: The Warrior (2)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 1998
Translator's note: See the note to the preceding discourse.

"Monks, there are these five types of warriors who can be found existing in the world. Which five?

"There is the case of a warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives & makes effort. But while he is striving & making an effort, his opponents strike him down and finish him off. Some warriors are like this. This is the first type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.

"Then there is the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives & makes effort. But while he is striving & making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives. But while he is being taken to his relatives, before he has reached them he dies along the way. Some warriors are like this. This is the second type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.

"Then there is the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives & makes effort. But while he is striving & making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives, who nurse him and care for him, but he dies of that injury. Some warriors are like this. This is the third type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.

"Then there is the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives & makes effort. But while he is striving & making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives. His relatives nurse him and care for him, and he recovers from his injury. Some warriors are like this. This is the fourth type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.

"Then there is the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out at the very head of the battle. Some warriors are like this. This is the fifth type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.

"These are the five types of warriors who can be found existing in the world.

"In the same way, monks, there are these five warrior-like individuals who can be found existing among the monks. Which five?

[1] "There is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, & mind unprotected, with mindfulness unestablished, with his sense faculties unguarded. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or half-naked. As he sees her improperly dressed or half-naked, lust ravages his mind. With his mind ravaged by lust, he — without renouncing the training, without declaring his weakness — engages in sexual intercourse. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives & makes effort. But while he is striving & making an effort, his opponents strike him down and finish him off. Some individuals are like this. This is the first type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.

[2] "Then there is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, & mind unprotected, with mindfulness unestablished, with his sense faculties unguarded. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or half-naked. As he sees her improperly dressed or half-naked, lust ravages his mind. With his mind ravaged by lust, he burns in body & mind. The thought occurs to him: 'What if I were to go to the monastery and tell the monks: "Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can't continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life."' He heads toward the monastery, but before he arrives there, along the way, he declares his weakness in the training, renounces the training, and returns to the lower life. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives & makes effort. But while he is striving & making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives. But while he is being taken to his relatives, before he has reached them he dies along the way. Some individuals are like this. This is the second type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.

[3] "Then there is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, & mind unprotected, with mindfulness unestablished, with his sense faculties unguarded. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or half-naked. As he sees her improperly dressed or half-naked, lust ravages his mind. With his mind ravaged by lust, he burns in body & mind. The thought occurs to him: 'What if I were to go to the monastery and tell the monks: "Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can't continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life."' Going to the monastery, he tells the monks, 'Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can't continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.'

"Then his companions in the holy life admonish & instruct him, 'Friend, the Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks. The Blessed One has compared sensual pleasures to a chain of bones — of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks. He has compared sensual pleasures to a lump of flesh... a grass torch... a pit of glowing embers... a dream... borrowed goods... the fruits of a tree... a slaughterhouse... spears & swords... a poisonous snake — of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks. Find delight, friend, in the holy life. Don't declare your weakness in the training, renounce the training, or return to the lower life.'

"Thus admonished & instructed by his companions in the holy life, he says, 'Even though the Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, still I can't continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.' So he declares his weakness in the training, renounces the training, and returns to the lower life. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives & makes effort. But while he is striving & making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives, who nurse him and care for him, but he dies of that injury. Some individuals are like this. This is the third type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.

[4] "Then there is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, & mind unprotected, with mindfulness unestablished, with his sense faculties unguarded. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or half-naked. As he sees her improperly dressed or half-naked, lust ravages his mind. With his mind ravaged by lust, he burns in body & mind. The thought occurs to him: 'What if I were to go to the monastery and tell the monks: "Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can't continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life."' Going to the monastery, he tells the monks, 'Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can't continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.'

"Then his companions in the holy life admonish & instruct him, 'Friend, the Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks. The Blessed One has compared sensual pleasures to a chain of bones — of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks. He has compared sensual pleasures to a lump of flesh... a grass torch... a pit of glowing embers... a dream... borrowed goods... the fruits of a tree... a slaughterhouse... spears & swords... a poisonous snake — of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks. Find delight, friend, in the holy life. Don't declare your weakness in the training, renounce the training, or return to the lower life.'

"Thus admonished & instructed by his companions in the holy life, he responds, 'I will strive, friends. I will remember. I will find delight in the holy life. I won't yet declare my weakness in the training, renounce the training, or return to the lower life.' This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives & makes effort. But while he is striving & making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives, who nurse him and care for him, and he recovers from his injury. Some individuals are like this. This is the fourth type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.

[5] "Then there is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl & outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, & mind protected, with mindfulness established, with his sense faculties guarded. On seeing a form with the eye, does not grasp at any theme or particulars by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye.

"On hearing a sound with the ear...

"On smelling an aroma with the nose...

"On tasting a flavor with the tongue...

"On touching a tactile sensation with the body...

"On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he does not grasp at any theme or particulars by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the intellect. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the intellect.

"Returning from his almsround, after his meal, he resorts to a secluded dwelling place: the wilderness, the foot of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a forest grove, the open air, a haystack. Having gone to the wilderness, the foot of a tree, or an empty building, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body erect, and brings mindfulness to the fore.

"Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness. Abandoning ill will & anger, he dwells with an awareness devoid of ill will, sympathetic with the welfare of all living beings. He cleanses his mind of ill will & anger. Abandoning sloth & drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth & drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth & drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness & anxiety, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled. He cleanses his mind of restlessness & anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful mental qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty.

"Having abandoned these five hindrances, corruptions of awareness that weaken discernment, then — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful [mental] qualities — he enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.

"With his mind thus concentrated, purified, & bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations. He discerns, as it has come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are mental fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.' His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the fermentation of sensuality, the fermentation of becoming, the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'

"This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword & shield, strapping on his bow & quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out at the very head of the battle. Some individuals are like this. This is the fifth type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.

"These are the five warrior-like individuals who can be found existing among the monks."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
The Supreme Source - The Kunjed Gyalpo
The Fundamental Tantra of Dzogchen Semde
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by jet.urgyen »

Buddha taught non-violence.
Buddha did not taught violence.

Btw every single war in human history is motivated on wealth stealing, all the other motivations are politician excuses. You want to play the asura game? Go ahead, follow the advice of fools who perpetuate suffering, but know that there are always bad consequences.
true dharma is inexpressible.

The bodhisattva nourishes from bodhicitta, through whatever method the Buddha has given him. Oh joy.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Sentient Light »

I would reckon that participating in a defense against invasion would be somewhat admissible, but I'm doubtful of anything beyond that. On top of this, even the warrior-monks recognized they would go to hell for engaging in violence, even to defend the noble sangha. Karma is karma. We shouldn't try to justify karma, but accept the consequences of our actions.
:buddha1: Nam mô A di đà Phật :buddha1:
:bow: Nam mô Quan Thế Âm Bồ tát :bow:
:bow: Nam mô Đại Thế Chi Bồ Tát :bow:

:buddha1: Nam mô Bổn sư Thích ca mâu ni Phật :buddha1:
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Ricky »

javier.espinoza.t wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:16 pm Buddha taught non-violence.
Buddha did not taught violence.

Btw every single war in human history is motivated on wealth stealing, all the other motivations are politician excuses. You want to play the asura game? Go ahead, follow the advice of fools who perpetuate suffering, but know that there are always bad consequences.
Nobody is talking about joining the military here. All I want to know is what is the Mahayana response when dealing with pure evil.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Bristollad »

Ricky wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 6:53 pm All I want to know is what is the Mahayana response when dealing with pure evil.
What is pure evil? Every sentient being has buddha nature.
The antidote—to be free from the suffering of samsara—you need to be free from delusion and karma; you need to be free from ignorance, the root of samsara. So you need to meditate on emptiness. That is what you need. Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Malcolm
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Malcolm »

Ricky wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 6:53 pm
javier.espinoza.t wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:16 pm Buddha taught non-violence.
Buddha did not taught violence.

Btw every single war in human history is motivated on wealth stealing, all the other motivations are politician excuses. You want to play the asura game? Go ahead, follow the advice of fools who perpetuate suffering, but know that there are always bad consequences.
Nobody is talking about joining the military here. All I want to know is what is the Mahayana response when dealing with pure evil.
The Buddha sat on a hillside under a dead tree watching Kapilavastu being sacked and his relatives being enslaved by King Ajatasatru after having dissuaded Ajatasatru on an earlier occasion from invading.

What we do in Mahāyāna in response to pure evil is keep our eyes open and act as witnesses.
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Re: Mahayana and War

Post by Malcolm »

Bristollad wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 7:01 pm
Ricky wrote: Sat Feb 03, 2018 6:53 pm All I want to know is what is the Mahayana response when dealing with pure evil.
What is pure evil? Every sentient being has buddha nature.
As pointed out in another thread; the tathāgatagarbha theory is largely enumerated in the Nirvana Sūtra, the same sūtra that proposes a class of beings called icchantikas. Even Candrakīrti, while rejecting this theory in the face of it, admits there are some beings who are so evil, with so much bad karma, they will never attain liberation.

The Nirvana Sūtra also is the only Buddhist sūtra which advances something like a Buddhist concept of a just war.
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