How do you practice Dhamma if you are living in a war zone?

[SarathW]

How do you practice Dhamma if you are living in a war zone?

[culaavuso]

How do you practice Dhamma if you are living in a war zone?

Some ideas may be found in SN 35.88, MN 8, or SN 11.4.

[Mkoll]

There's a sutta where it's said that the Dhamma is hard to practice in times of famine, war(?), or other hard times and that one should practice diligently now because those times could come without much notice.

[SarathW]

Thanks C

Some highlights:

"If they take my life with a sharp knife, I will think, 'There are disciples of the Blessed One who — horrified, humiliated, and disgusted by the body and by life — have sought for an assassin, but here I have met my assassin without searching for him.

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Though these verses were penned 2,500 years ago, the truth behind them is timeless. It is the same that has helped many non-violent social and political reform movements achieve dramatic results in our own century. Conquest is only the apparent victory of the short-sighted, while transformation of oneself and others is the more lasting victory of the wise. Remaining unprovoked in the face of anger and hostility still offers the best hope for healing our troubled world.

[LXNDR]

Thanks C

Some highlights:

"If they take my life with a sharp knife, I will think, 'There are disciples of the Blessed One who — horrified, humiliated, and disgusted by the body and by life — have sought for an assassin, but here I have met my assassin without searching for him.

interesting reference to Vesali sutta

[Mkoll]

Thanks C

Some highlights:

"If they take my life with a sharp knife, I will think, 'There are disciples of the Blessed One who — horrified, humiliated, and disgusted by the body and by life — have sought for an assassin, but here I have met my assassin without searching for him.

interesting reference to Vesali sutta

Sarath's quote is from the Punna Sutta (SN 35.88).

[LXNDR]

Thanks C

Some highlights:

"If they take my life with a sharp knife, I will think, 'There are disciples of the Blessed One who — horrified, humiliated, and disgusted by the body and by life — have sought for an assassin, but here I have met my assassin without searching for him.

interesting reference to Vesali sutta

Sarath's quote is from the Punna Sutta (SN 35.88).

which doesn't detract from the fact that it's an interesting reference to Vesali sutta

[SarathW]

Best thing is many of us are fortunate enough to live in a country without wars.
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Living in a civilized land,
having made merit in the past,
directing oneself rightly:
This is the highest protection.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

[shaunc]

Best thing is many of us are fortunate enough to live in a country without wars.
=========

Living in a civilized land,
having made merit in the past,
directing oneself rightly:
This is the highest protection.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

[DhammaOS]

There's a sutta where it's said that the Dhamma is hard to practice in times of famine, war(?), or other hard times and that one should practice diligently now because those times could come without much notice.

Another good parallel that is strangely good for this one is the time honored Aesop fable of the grasshopper and the ant. I tried to find the sutta you are looking for, but I couldn't find it. That said I would imagine that in that instance you do what you can with what you have, and if reasonable try to seek an escape from that conflict, but I understand that sadly it isn't always practical or easy.

[daverupa]

That sutta is probably AN 5.78; AN 5.77-80 are all of a similar theme.

[Mkoll]

Best thing is many of us are fortunate enough to live in a country without wars.
=========

Living in a civilized land,
having made merit in the past,
directing oneself rightly:
This is the highest protection.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Interestingly, that ties back to the thread that was recently locked about Ven. Bodhi's and Ven. Thanissaro's positions on war...

Would a civilized land even be possible without people willing to defend others from violent marauders and thugs?

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I'm posting this video again because it's such a powerful scene and illustrates the dilemma quite well.

phpBB .

[shaunc]

Best thing is many of us are fortunate enough to live in a country without wars.
=========

Living in a civilized land,
having made merit in the past,
directing oneself rightly:
This is the highest protection.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Interestingly, that ties back to the thread that was recently locked about Ven. Bodhi's and Ven. Thanissaro's positions on war...

Would a civilized land even be possible without people willing to defend others from violent marauders and thugs?

~~~

I'm posting this video again because it's such a powerful scene and illustrates the dilemma quite well.

phpBB .

Unfortunately probably not. I didn't watch the video but I do believe for a country to remain peaceful it needs a strong military or in the case of Australia (my country) it needs to be close friends with a strong military (U.S.). It also probably helps our country to be protected by the U.S. That we are a mineral rich country.
None the less we are a peaceful country & that probably does make practising the dharma a lot easier. As a matter of fact it probably makes most things easier.

[dhammacoustic]

It's probably easier to practice true Dhamma if you're living in a war zone. It's reality to its fullest, no distractions, no lying to one's self, no dwelling in illusory sense pleasures, no attachments to dreams. A good, wise, aware and sincere one will hit the rock bottom of maturity in such a place. They will utterly destroy the ego illusion, and probably they will become at least Sotapãnnas before they die.

I knew a man who went to the North Pole for a documentary, and he stayed there for 2 years. When he came back, he was a different person. Later he told us about the hardships, about how helping nature nearly took his own life. We all could see how he'd changed into this calm person of true wisdom.

Also the Buddha, imagine how much he suffered during that 6 years after he removed himself from the good life. I think I read somewhere that he could feel his back bone from his belly. These experiences surely made him realize things, and without them I don't think he could have attained nibbãna at an age so young.

[Sam Vara]

It's probably easier to practice true Dhamma if you're living in a war zone. It's reality to its fullest, no distractions, no lying to one's self, no dwelling in illusory sense pleasures, no attachments to dreams. A good, wise, aware and sincere one will hit the rock bottom of maturity in such a place.

Maybe. What about the rest of us, though?