Sila in the Forum

[SamKR]

How much do we (Buddhist members of the forum) observe the five precepts while discussing in the forums? How much are we aware of right speech while having discussions?
How much kindness, humility, and other good things are seen in our posts? How much do we boost our "ego" by our posts? (Personally, I have more problems with the last one which I realize later.)
I think this is very important thing to ponder.

[Hoo]

Hi SamKR,

JMHO, but I agree. However, I think that's a trip each person will make (or not) for themselves. I, personally, believe that we create kamma and show the world what Buddhists are like every time we touch our keyboards. I have lots of pre-Buddhist experience being a combative jerk. So maybe it's no surprise that I resonate with teachings like http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.008.nypo.html The Sallekha Sutta: The Discourse on Effacement, or the Brahma Vihara.

Lest I be perceived as claiming to be some kind of model of excellence, I'm not good at what we are suggesting. They call it "practice" because of people like me who need lots of it

Hoo

[Vepacitta]

People tend to jump down each other's throats on the I-net. I remember why I gave up the I-Net years ago.

You can't say anything without being jumped upon and misnterpreted - even when you try and explain.

One just ends up getting defensive - it just seems to increase clinging.

Your friendly, neighbourhood Asura,

V.

Be well.

[KonstantKarma]

The Internet is the ultimate realm in which to test dhamma.

[PeterB]

Oh no it isnt...

[KonstantKarma]

Oh no it isnt...

Are you calling me a liar, punk? Do ya wanna fight? *rolls up sleeves*


I think customer service probably tops all else.

I've been lied to a million times, spit at, robbed, fought, had my coworkers bashed over the head and beaten unconcious, dealt with dead bodies, been caught in crossfire between cops and fugitives, met half the homeless population (one who carried their chickens with her), had to carry an old woman who fell and broke her leg, cleaned up after suicides, cleaned up after children vomiting, cleaned up after asking drunks to please put their wangs back in their pants and stop pissing everywhere, had poisonous snakes in the hallways, tried to salvage from when people flood a toilet and it comes through three floors... Seen women beat men into a pulp, vice versa, seen animals starved to death.

Day before yesterday I had to go rescue the cutest baby frog that had found his way inside, making the women scream.

Never a dull moment. Customer service!

[Vepacitta]

Some job Konstant ... !

I-Net sometimes gives people I-Balls that they normally might not have.

Usually, it's just that people look for a fight on the I-Net - no matter what is said. Can't give on anything - can't apologise.

oy.

YFNA,

V.

[PeterB]

[David N. Snyder]

I always get a kick out of people who use the internet to complain about how bad the internet is.

But I'm not saying anyone is doing that here, just making a general statement.

I think the internet is like anything and can be used in a good and wholesome way or a bad and unwholesome way. Just as a car can be used for useful transportation or also used as a weapon or carelessly (drunk driving, etc.).

I think it is best for education, a resource, and kalyana mitta.

[poto]

Trying to maintain sila is probably the hardest part of the path for me. I have a tendency to be sarcastic and argumentative at times. I have been making an effort to greatly reduce my forum postings and spend more time sitting. Seems like a lot of the time I end up offending people without intending to do so, some of which is my inability to communicate my views properly. Not sure what else I can do, other than try harder to keep my trap shut most of the time.

[SamKR]

I think the internet is like anything and can be used in a good and wholesome way or a bad and unwholesome way. Just as a car can be used for useful transportation or also used as a weapon or carelessly (drunk driving, etc.).

I think it is best for education, a resource, and kalyana mitta.

I completely agree.

Talking about this forum, it is very useful for those who don't have a large Buddhist community around where they stay. I have had a lot of benefits using this forum: got a lot of useful information and advices from experienced buddhists; even changed my views: from wrong to right (I think ).

We definitely can make use of this forum for developing right speech, developing Metta, and reducing ego. Or at least we can be very careful not to generate any negative kamma while discussing about Dhamma.

[AdvaitaJ]

Greetings!

I think one of the great things about this forum (aside from how much you can learn here) is that it challenges us to "walk the walk." Here in the west, most people have no idea of the precepts, right speech, etc. But here online, most of us know "the rules".



Jim

[retrofuturist]

I always get a kick out of people who use the internet to complain about how bad the internet is.

But I'm not saying anyone is doing that here, just making a general statement.

I think the internet is like anything and can be used in a good and wholesome way or a bad and unwholesome way. Just as a car can be used for useful transportation or also used as a weapon or carelessly (drunk driving, etc.).

I think it is best for education, a resource, and kalyana mitta.

[BlackBird]

[image]

Excellent

I think one of the biggest problems might be the way we project personality onto people's words, there's no way of telling that the emotions we are infusing into someone's words are in fact they way they feel, unless of course you ask them, and even then you're not likely to get a wholly honest response - Because people mostly want to be perceived in a certain light.

That being said, the internet is just like life, there's going to be assholes wherever you go, you just have to tough it out, praise and blame, praise and blame.

metta
Jack