Dear SarathW,SarathW wrote:I think destroying an embryo is unethical.
What are your thoughts about the following statement.
Ajahn Brahm:
Conclusion: embryos outside of a mother’s womb are not
reckoned as human life, and thus the ethical considerations
specific to human beings do not apply.
Last paragraph:
http://www.stefan.gr/buddhism/books/aja ... -begin.pdf
At conception when the sperm enters the wall of the egg, specific Nama and Rupa have already existed, thus the splitting of the cells begins. The sex, characters and features of the baby have already been determined. Therefore, by definition from the Abhidhamma Sangaha, the embryo is alive. Terminating it would be defying the first of the five Precepts.
Here are extracts from "A Manual of Abhidamma" translated by Narada Maha Thera
(Note: Jivitindriya is one of the seven Universal Cetasikas that concomitantly exists and ceases with any consciousness (Citta). It sustains and control its co-associates as Cetasikas work in groups.)
(Chapter 5,pg 257)
According to commentary, Janaka Kamma (Reproductive Kamma) is that which produces mental aggregates and material aggregates at the moment of conception.
(Chapter 2,pg 88)
Both Nama-Jivitindriya and Rupa-Jivitindriya arise at the moment of conception.They simultaneously perish at the moment of conception. Hence death is regarded as the destruction of this Jivitindriya. Immediately after, due to the power of Kamma, another Nama-Jivitindriya arises in the subsequent birth at the moment of conception. Simultaneous with the arising of the one Nama-Jivitindriya there arise three Rupa-Jivitindriyas in the case of a human being.
Following this teaching, an outside-the-womb embryo is considered alive. It continues its life after it is implanted into a womb. If left outside, it will die. After all, if outside embryo is not alive, how can it grow into a baby after a successful implant into a woman? Or, is it revived from the dead?