Violent sports

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
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pilgrim
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Violent sports

Post by pilgrim »

What do you think of Buddhists taking up sports like
1. Martial arts
2. Boxing/wrestling
3. Paintball/Airsoft
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James the Giant
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Re: Violent sports

Post by James the Giant »

The intention in those sports is to have fun, exercise, develop skills, socialise.
If the intention was to kick some arse and be violent, that'd be a different story.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: Violent sports

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

One should be especially mindful during these activities so as to make sure that unwholesome aggression does not arise - however, if one accepts the risks and acts to mitigate them, sports like boxing or the martial arts can be fun and productive forms of entertainment and exercise.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

Stuff I write about things.
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Ben
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Ben »

pilgrim wrote:What do you think of Buddhists taking up sports like
1. Martial arts
2. Boxing/wrestling
3. Paintball/Airsoft
Fine. I see no ethical issue.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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Mojo
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Mojo »

Fighting sports where the goal is a knock out?

I've thought about this alot. From the fighter's point of view, I can see how the fight is the ultimate test of their training and respect their opponents and yet many fans pay to see the fight out of bloodlust. Is this a problem? If so, where does the karma lie? With the fighters or the bloodthirsty fans?

I have a friend who is a an amateur MMA fighter. I haven't been to a fight due to proximity and bad transportation - but even if that wasn't the case, I'm not sure that I'd wan't to go. People punching and kicking each other in the heads as sport bothers me. It would be less bothersome if there was headgear and more padded gloves. Even better, would just to be submission only grappling - no striking.
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Kim OHara
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Kim OHara »

Mojo wrote:I have a friend who is a an amateur MMA fighter. I haven't been to a fight due to proximity and bad transportation - but even if that wasn't the case, I'm not sure that I'd wan't to go.
I wouldn't go, either. I wouldn't want to give it even the token support of my presence. And I don't want to see it - what good does it do me to get caught up in violence, even as a spectator?
But I've got to admit that I have enjoyed fictitious violence, knowing it to be fictitious but allowing myself to go with the action and the story. Crouching Tiger was great and Shanghai Noon was very funny and the blood didn't stop me enjoying them.
Mojo wrote:It would be less bothersome if there was headgear and more padded gloves. Even better, would just to be submission only grappling - no striking.

Yes - I don't mind judo so much - but better still if there was no fighting at all.

:namaste:
Kim
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Ben
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Ben »

I know people who do boxing as a form of cardio-vascular exercise.
I have in the past, and presently, know people who are involved in martial arts who do so for mental training, coordination and physical fitness.
Paintball is just people playing 'tag', albeit an elaborate form of it.
On the weekends I have been known to go to the archery range.
These activities are not intrinsically violent nor do the necessarily provoke unwholesome mind states in those who engage in them.
I think it was a wise man who once said "mind matters most", or something along those lines.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

There are some grey areas here. Sports that inflict pain and injury on others is not wholesome exercise, even if human beings are able to consent to being hit or injured by participating in such sports.

Take a look at this extract from the Venerable Sayādaw's Gonasūra Dīpanī, and contemplate the motivation for wanting to engage in martial arts or other potentially aggressive sports.

The Evils of Horse-racing and Gambling

Many countries allow horse-racing, camel-racing, dog-racing, and so on. These race courses are centres for gambling. The jockeys who ride in such races should take heed of the following Pāli Text:

“Friend, I saw a hungry ghost when I descended from the Gijjagutta mountain. This flying ghost bore sharp, thorny hairs. Many thorns, like iron spikes, penetrated his body. They assailed his body, piercing him repeatedly. So this hungry ghost screamed aloud due to the pain. Oh monks! This victim is receiving the due result of his kamma. In the past existence he drove draught animals without mercy. He struck them with whips and spikes when he drove carts. So he is now suffering as a result. That person, when he was about to die, saw rebirth signs of pointed spears, iron sticks, thorny sticks. When he passed away he was reborn as a hungry ghost with thorny, sharp-pointed hairs on the body.” (Pārājika Atthakathā)

So jockeys competing in horse-races, camel-races, equestrian sports, etc., should heed the Buddha’s warning. Kamma has its just results. Drivers and riders must suffer for their evil deeds, either here or hereafter.

Gamblers and Spectators

In every evil deed, four factors incur guilt and blame. In the Book of Tens, four factors are mentioned for each of the ten evil deeds such as killing sentient beings:

“Attana ca pānātipāti hoti, parañca pānatipāte samādapeti,
pānātipāte ca samanuñño hoti, pānātipātassa ca vannam bhāsati.” (A v 305)
  1. He does the misdeed himself.
  2. He helps or urges others to do it.
  3. He allows it to happen or approves of it.
  4. He speaks in praise of it.
These four persons share the guilt and blame, and the corresponding consequences.

Those who harm animals, either in competitive sports or in transportation, make evil kamma. Gamblers belong to three of the four above-mentioned categories. All Buddhists should shun the ten evil kammas, such as killing, stealing, etc. Each evil has four factors. Spectators who consent to or approve of cruel and harsh treatment of animals, suffer in hell or are reborn as hungry ghosts. Many such cases are mentioned in the Pali texts. So spectators and gamblers should avoid all four factors of evil deeds by controlling the body and mind. Gamblers must give up the evil deed of betting that encourages, supports, and condones evil deeds done by others.
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Mojo
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Mojo »

I have always enjoyed martial arts as a form of personal development and self defense. Sparring is good practice. I could even support an argument that full fledged MMA fights are a test of personal development and mastery of one's mma skills. I just wish it was not tested in front of crowds of non-practicioners...at the very least....as stated before I'm all for grappling. Exhibition judo or wrestling is fine in my book.
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Mojo
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Mojo »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:There are some grey areas here. Sports that inflict pain and injury on others is not wholesome exercise, even if human beings are able to consent to being hit or injured by participating in such sports.

Take a look at this extract from the Venerable Sayādaw's Gonasūra Dīpanī, and contemplate the motivation for wanting to engage in martial arts or other potentially aggressive sports.

The Evils of Horse-racing and Gambling

Many countries allow horse-racing, camel-racing, dog-racing, and so on. These race courses are centres for gambling. The jockeys who ride in such races should take heed of the following Pāli Text:

“Friend, I saw a hungry ghost when I descended from the Gijjagutta mountain. This flying ghost bore sharp, thorny hairs. Many thorns, like iron spikes, penetrated his body. They assailed his body, piercing him repeatedly. So this hungry ghost screamed aloud due to the pain. Oh monks! This victim is receiving the due result of his kamma. In the past existence he drove draught animals without mercy. He struck them with whips and spikes when he drove carts. So he is now suffering as a result. That person, when he was about to die, saw rebirth signs of pointed spears, iron sticks, thorny sticks. When he passed away he was reborn as a hungry ghost with thorny, sharp-pointed hairs on the body.” (Pārājika Atthakathā)

So jockeys competing in horse-races, camel-races, equestrian sports, etc., should heed the Buddha’s warning. Kamma has its just results. Drivers and riders must suffer for their evil deeds, either here or hereafter.

Gamblers and Spectators

In every evil deed, four factors incur guilt and blame. In the Book of Tens, four factors are mentioned for each of the ten evil deeds such as killing sentient beings:

“Attana ca pānātipāti hoti, parañca pānatipāte samādapeti,
pānātipāte ca samanuñño hoti, pānātipātassa ca vannam bhāsati.” (A v 305)
  1. He does the misdeed himself.
  2. He helps or urges others to do it.
  3. He allows it to happen or approves of it.
  4. He speaks in praise of it.
These four persons share the guilt and blame, and the corresponding consequences.

Those who harm animals, either in competitive sports or in transportation, make evil kamma. Gamblers belong to three of the four above-mentioned categories. All Buddhists should shun the ten evil kammas, such as killing, stealing, etc. Each evil has four factors. Spectators who consent to or approve of cruel and harsh treatment of animals, suffer in hell or are reborn as hungry ghosts. Many such cases are mentioned in the Pali texts. So spectators and gamblers should avoid all four factors of evil deeds by controlling the body and mind. Gamblers must give up the evil deed of betting that encourages, supports, and condones evil deeds done by others.

Thank you for posting this Bikkhu.
alan
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Re: Violent sports

Post by alan »

The sports I object to are those that are a complete waste of time.
Watching people kicking a ball around, for hour after hour, for example. What could be more boring?
These things seemed designed to sell beer, and placate the restless masses.
binocular
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Re: Violent sports

Post by binocular »

Mojo wrote:I have always enjoyed martial arts as a form of personal development and self defense.
Sure. Although I think there may be more direct, more effective ways to reach the same goal, without martial arts.
Sooner or later, one's body's prowess will diminish, or one will be faced with a physically much more powerful opponent, or one with a gun. So in the face of this, it is prudent to consider other avenues of pursuing personal development and self defense.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
corrine
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Re: Violent sports

Post by corrine »

Don't violent sports endanger life? Do not these athletes shorten their lives and the lives of their opponents? Rodeo for sure hurts animals. Horse racing is known for horrific treatment of animals. I am just a person trying to live a life guided by Buddhist principles and I thought that included refraining from inflicting harm on other sentient beings. Watching others play with balls, as in tennis or baseball, may be boring, but I see no harm and there is a positive side effect of good exercise, at least for the participants.

Am I missing something that makes hurting others okay? I cannot even watch these things for a brief while without wincing from the obvious pain being felt by the participants. I cannot imagine the physical damage being done to participants. Hitting another being in the head as hard as one can is bound to cause injury.

corrine :namaste:
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Lazy_eye
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Lazy_eye »

Difficult to generalize. There are probably some people whose tendencies towards aggression and anger might be fueled by martial arts. But then again, the same could be said for chess.
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Alex123
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Re: Violent sports

Post by Alex123 »

Bhante,
Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:There are some grey areas here. Sports that inflict pain and injury on others is not wholesome exercise, even if human beings are able to consent to being hit or injured by participating in such sports.
How bad is the kamma to enjoy watching (not participating in) violent sports such as MMA, Boxing, etc?
What kilesas are those?

Thanks,

Alex
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