I hope you find this link useful. I happen to be close to a major installation where I got interested in the regular Buddhist services that are provided through the Chaplain's Office. They are provided with assistance from the local Buddhist community, so not everyone has an instant response to the issue. I guess I qualify as an example, since I'm ex-military.
On further digging, I found this world-wide site for Buddhists in the military.
http://buddhistmilitarysangha.blogspot.com/
Hope this is useful. Good luck in your efforts!
Staying Buddhist in the Military
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
Thank you Bodombodom wrote:Hi Anna,
Please read through this link. It contains many more statements the Buddha gave concerning soldiers.
Buddhism & The Soldier by Major General Ananda Weerasekera
http://www.beyondthenet.net/thedway/soldier.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A most informative piece.
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
Bodom, it's not about my beliefs at all, but about what I think is Buddhahamma.
I also don't highjack the topic, but simply present an aspect that belongs into this, although an effort was made by the TS to exclude it.
It would be much more comfortable to ignore this aspect, and pretend being in the army is just the same as a civil job.
It is not. As quickly as lightning it can turn into a serious case of something else, of war.
And show me the soldier who can cherry pick his duties and orders.
I also know the army and war are still male dominated topics, and I am the only woman here participating.
I think being a soldier is not a good choice for a Buddhist. Links are posted to rationalize it, surely. Some guys become Buddhists while already in the army, but why any Buddhist should want to be in the army totally escapes me.
I think it flies in the face of the Dhamma....
Well, the Buddhist position would be that you don't do business with weapons, human beings, meat, intoxicants, and poison.
I also said that he may need this experience...so what's the problem with my posts.
Let us hear what Buddha said:
If Dhammakid joins the army, it's his kamma.... end of story....
Metta,
Anna
I also don't highjack the topic, but simply present an aspect that belongs into this, although an effort was made by the TS to exclude it.
It would be much more comfortable to ignore this aspect, and pretend being in the army is just the same as a civil job.
It is not. As quickly as lightning it can turn into a serious case of something else, of war.
And show me the soldier who can cherry pick his duties and orders.
I also know the army and war are still male dominated topics, and I am the only woman here participating.
I think being a soldier is not a good choice for a Buddhist. Links are posted to rationalize it, surely. Some guys become Buddhists while already in the army, but why any Buddhist should want to be in the army totally escapes me.
I think it flies in the face of the Dhamma....
Well, the Buddhist position would be that you don't do business with weapons, human beings, meat, intoxicants, and poison.
I also said that he may need this experience...so what's the problem with my posts.
Let us hear what Buddha said:
And now I'm done here, probably.Considering becoming a soldier? You may want to reconsider...
Then Yodhajiva 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.'
— SN 42.3
If Dhammakid joins the army, it's his kamma.... end of story....
Metta,
Anna
Last edited by Annapurna on Sun May 30, 2010 9:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
Goodnight Anna. 
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
- BB
- BB
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
I was in the US Navy for 10 years. The main reason I got out was because of my deepening understanding and practice of the dhamma. My advice to you is get as much support from a flesh and blood sangha and teacher as possible. You are going to be a minority and probably quite different in your views than most of those around you in an organization that cherishes uniformity and conformity. This is not a 9 to 5 job that you'll be able to clock out from. And once you sign on the dotted line and raise your hand, the USMC owns you. You will be an environment that is pretty much "anti-dhamma", and if you expect to have any chance of not succumbing to the mindset you'll be constantly around, you are going to need REAL refuge from time to time and REAL support from REAL people.
Best of luck.
Best of luck.
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
What are you trying to say Mukunda? We're not real people and incapable of giving real support?Mukunda wrote:REAL support from REAL people.
“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 Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- 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 Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
-
Goofaholix
- Posts: 4029
- Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:49 am
- Location: New Zealand
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
My, you have a complicated life.
Putting aside whether you will have to kill people or not and bearing in mind my understanding of what army life is like comes more from holloywood and not personal experience so take it with a grain of salt.
You'll be living in close proximity with other men who don't share your values, you'll have little privacy or space for practice and not a lot of spare time. It strikes me a bit like prison, except you'll be paid and it will look better on your resume.
You probably don't want to make a big deal over your differing world view. I think you'll need to make moment to moment midfulness your core practice and let go of most other aspects of your Buddhist practice that seem religious or require near perfect conditions.
I guess if you still have your practice at the end of it you will come out with a strong degree of self discipline and perseverence, this will help you a lot if you decide to undergo intensive practice later in life.
Putting aside whether you will have to kill people or not and bearing in mind my understanding of what army life is like comes more from holloywood and not personal experience so take it with a grain of salt.
You'll be living in close proximity with other men who don't share your values, you'll have little privacy or space for practice and not a lot of spare time. It strikes me a bit like prison, except you'll be paid and it will look better on your resume.
You probably don't want to make a big deal over your differing world view. I think you'll need to make moment to moment midfulness your core practice and let go of most other aspects of your Buddhist practice that seem religious or require near perfect conditions.
I guess if you still have your practice at the end of it you will come out with a strong degree of self discipline and perseverence, this will help you a lot if you decide to undergo intensive practice later in life.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
I suppose you can (and will) read that however you choose.Ben wrote:What are you trying to say Mukunda? We're not real people and incapable of giving real support?Mukunda wrote:REAL support from REAL people.
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
Mukunda wrote:I was in the US Navy for 10 years. The main reason I got out was because of my deepening understanding and practice of the dhamma. My advice to you is get as much support from a flesh and blood sangha and teacher as possible. You are going to be a minority and probably quite different in your views than most of those around you in an organization that cherishes uniformity and conformity. This is not a 9 to 5 job that you'll be able to clock out from. And once you sign on the dotted line and raise your hand, the USMC owns you. You will be an environment that is pretty much "anti-dhamma", and if you expect to have any chance of not succumbing to the mindset you'll be constantly around, you are going to need REAL refuge from time to time and REAL support from REAL people.
Best of luck.
This would be very good, indeed, before you enlist, Dhammakid. Perhaps there are alternatives that they can point you to, which you aren't aware of yet.My advice to you is get as much support from a flesh and blood sangha and teacher as possible.
Don't know.
Best wishes, Dhammakid.
Anna
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
Hi Dhammakid,
I think the decision is yours alone, but it's good that you are getting feedback too. I'd like to echo that the military is not just about death, killing, and suffering. It is a reality in this world that we need protection, be it military or the police. The military also supports humanitarian efforts in disaster zones as well, which is something that many people ignore altogether. I am not condoning the overuse of the U.S. military, which I believe has been excessive over the past several decades. But, the basic function of the military is one of service.
I don't think that in many Buddhist countries where our Dhamma sisters and brothers in the military, civil service, police and first responders serve everyday think to themselves, "I'm such a bad Buddhist!" In fact, in Korea two year service in the military is mandatory and Japan has the death penalty. It is not an open and shut case of how Buddhist societies work, it's just as complicated as our own.
How I wish we could all run out to California and be Yoga teachers, but that's just not in the cards for some of us 
As others have said, there are many positions in the Marines that have nothing to do with combat. You could also consider joining the Coast Guard, which is more a domestic military than the Marines. Lastly, don't always listen to the recruiters, once you sign up you are theirs and that's that. I am in federal service with the VA, so I am pretty familiar with the possible positive and negative outcomes.
May the Three Jewels aid in your decision!
I think the decision is yours alone, but it's good that you are getting feedback too. I'd like to echo that the military is not just about death, killing, and suffering. It is a reality in this world that we need protection, be it military or the police. The military also supports humanitarian efforts in disaster zones as well, which is something that many people ignore altogether. I am not condoning the overuse of the U.S. military, which I believe has been excessive over the past several decades. But, the basic function of the military is one of service.
I don't think that in many Buddhist countries where our Dhamma sisters and brothers in the military, civil service, police and first responders serve everyday think to themselves, "I'm such a bad Buddhist!" In fact, in Korea two year service in the military is mandatory and Japan has the death penalty. It is not an open and shut case of how Buddhist societies work, it's just as complicated as our own.
How I wish we could all run out to California and be Yoga teachers, but that's just not in the cards for some of us As others have said, there are many positions in the Marines that have nothing to do with combat. You could also consider joining the Coast Guard, which is more a domestic military than the Marines. Lastly, don't always listen to the recruiters, once you sign up you are theirs and that's that. I am in federal service with the VA, so I am pretty familiar with the possible positive and negative outcomes.
May the Three Jewels aid in your decision!
"Upon a heap of rubbish in the road-side ditch blooms a lotus, fragrant and pleasing.
Even so, on the rubbish heap of blinded mortals the disciple of the Supremely Enlightened One shines resplendent in wisdom." Dhammapada: Pupphavagga
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/
Even so, on the rubbish heap of blinded mortals the disciple of the Supremely Enlightened One shines resplendent in wisdom." Dhammapada: Pupphavagga
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
Hi Dhammakid
Just continue to be mindful of the five precepts, then good luck with your military experience. My brother had been through service himself and it made him a stonger person. He discover who he really is despite up against all the brainwashing to conform to their way. So you can still learn a lot about yourself in that environment. The only drawback is my brother develop Post Dramatic Stress Syndrome, which causes him to have anxiety attacks and he can never sleep for long hours without waking up constantly. He is slowly coping with the condition, being mindful of it has help give him some relief. And, I hope you are never place in a situation where you have to challenge your Buddhist's beliefs. If so, I hope you choose the noble way.
And Mukunda is right. The military isn't a job, it will be your life. You will have little to no personal freedom, since they own you. There will be lots of challenges, hope you are prepare. Good luck.
Just continue to be mindful of the five precepts, then good luck with your military experience. My brother had been through service himself and it made him a stonger person. He discover who he really is despite up against all the brainwashing to conform to their way. So you can still learn a lot about yourself in that environment. The only drawback is my brother develop Post Dramatic Stress Syndrome, which causes him to have anxiety attacks and he can never sleep for long hours without waking up constantly. He is slowly coping with the condition, being mindful of it has help give him some relief. And, I hope you are never place in a situation where you have to challenge your Buddhist's beliefs. If so, I hope you choose the noble way.
And Mukunda is right. The military isn't a job, it will be your life. You will have little to no personal freedom, since they own you. There will be lots of challenges, hope you are prepare. Good luck.
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Fede
- Posts: 1182
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:33 pm
- Location: The Heart of this "Green & Pleasant Land"...
- Contact:
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
Forgive me, but this is a ludicrous and fatuous response and says nothing at all.Mukunda wrote: I suppose you can (and will) read that however you choose.
Every single person who posts on this forum is a real person and has real experiences and means real warmth in their responses.
Do you - posting here, alongside us - consider yourself to be more 'REAL', than we are then?
the fact that this thread has evoked such a plethora of responses ranging from the entirely supportive to the animatedly opposed, would suggest a very real diversity of very real opinions, views and principles.
You can't get any more real than this 'up close and personal' thread.
Sorry Ben.
Off Topic.
"Samsara: The human condition's heartbreaking inability to sustain contentment." Elizabeth Gilbert, 'Eat, Pray, Love'.
Simplify: 17 into 1 WILL go: Mindfulness!
Quieta movere magna merces videbatur. (Sallust, c.86-c.35 BC)
Translation: Just to stir things up seemed a good reward in itself.
I am sooooo happy - How on earth could I be otherwise?!
http://www.armchairadvice.co.uk/relationships/forum/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Simplify: 17 into 1 WILL go: Mindfulness!
Quieta movere magna merces videbatur. (Sallust, c.86-c.35 BC)
Translation: Just to stir things up seemed a good reward in itself.
I am sooooo happy - How on earth could I be otherwise?!
http://www.armchairadvice.co.uk/relationships/forum/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
I'm sorry my response doesn't meet your expectations or standards.Fede wrote:Forgive me, but this is a ludicrous and fatuous response and says nothing at all.Mukunda wrote: I suppose you can (and will) read that however you choose.
Every single person who posts on this forum is a real person and has real experiences and means real warmth in their responses.
Do you - posting here, alongside us - consider yourself to be more 'REAL', than we are then?
the fact that this thread has evoked such a plethora of responses ranging from the entirely supportive to the animatedly opposed, would suggest a very real diversity of very real opinions, views and principles.
You can't get any more real than this 'up close and personal' thread.
Sorry Ben.
Off Topic.
If you truly think contact with other human beings "can't get any more real than this 'up close and personal' thread", I am very sorry for you.
And you are right, this is
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
That's not what Mukunda is saying. He wasn't refering to himself. He was recommeding Dhammakid to have in person sangha and teacher for support. Someone who can be there in person for him. It is just an additional support rather than just having an online support. Having an in person or "real" support would help him overcome some of the difficult obstacles that lies waiting for him in the military. Online support is good to have but it is still limited and somewhat impersonal. Dhammakid can benefit more if he had a real life sangha whom he can go to have lunch with to give him the needed emotional support which can make a world of difference. Just imagine if you have a friend who is in difficult times, would you have been a better help through contact on the computer or in person? That is what Mukunda is saying when he refers to "real" not that we are fake but we can't be there in person to give that human to human contact.Fede wrote:Forgive me, but this is a ludicrous and fatuous response and says nothing at all.Mukunda wrote: I suppose you can (and will) read that however you choose.
Every single person who posts on this forum is a real person and has real experiences and means real warmth in their responses.
Do you - posting here, alongside us - consider yourself to be more 'REAL', than we are then?
Re: Staying Buddhist in the Military
Wind wrote:That's not what Mukunda is saying. He wasn't refering to himself. He was recommeding Dhammakid to have in person sangha and teacher for support. Someone who can be there in person for him. It is just an additional support rather than just having an online support. Having an in person or "real" support would help him overcome some of the difficult obstacles that lies waiting for him in the military. Online support is good to have but it is still limited and somewhat impersonal. Dhammakid can benefit more if he had a real life sangha whom he can go to have lunch with to give him the needed emotional support which can make a world of difference. Just imagine if you have a friend who is in difficult times, would you have been a better help through contact on the computer or in person? That is what Mukunda is saying when he refers to "real" not that we are fake but we can't be there in person to give that human to human contact.
