Young men (and sometimes women) have always fought the wars. This is partly because they are young and healthy. It is also partly because they are young and stupid. The stupidity has to do with a working knowledge of the possibilities and ramifications of the choices they envision.
OK -- is there another profession or field of exercise that is different? Don't we all start out ignorant of the ramifications of our choices? I think so. True, the military is dedicated to applying deadly force and other professions are not-so-obviously dedicated in that way. There is health and discipline and, yes, propaganda, that infuses military training. I guess it won't kill you ... unless it kills you.
Whatever you choose to do, please just pay attention and take responsibility.
Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)
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Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)
That was dealt with several months ago.nathan wrote:I say this in compassion because I know far fewer people in the free world, since the last war, who have not had a hit from the bong, FIRST. Stop that.
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Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)
SADU!!!Individual wrote:That was dealt with several months ago.nathan wrote:I say this in compassion because I know far fewer people in the free world, since the last war, who have not had a hit from the bong, FIRST. Stop that.
"Beautifully taught is the Lord's Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for himself." Anguttara Nikaya V.332
Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)
Excellent, all the best and be safe Individual. Genkaku, I wouldn't compare the generation that is maturing now to any that went to war before. Some people become warriors before they can grow a beard, not that they necessarily wanted to, life happens. A young man I first met 12 years ago as a child is shipping out to Afganistan very soon. I don't know many seniors who have their act together to the same extent and can see things as clearly as he does. He knows exactly what he's doing and why. He just doesn't understand the lack of respect he gets from some people in his home country.
But whoever walking, standing, sitting, or lying down overcomes thought, delighting in the stilling of thought: he's capable, a monk like this, of touching superlative self-awakening. § 110. {Iti 4.11; Iti 115}
Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)
I meet generals in the Thai army almost very week at the Buddhist center I go to in Bangkok (teacher Sujin Boriharnwanaket).
One of them wrote a book on Dhamma not so long ago if I remember correctly.
One of them wrote a book on Dhamma not so long ago if I remember correctly.
Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)
A Buddhist way is the weigh up the benefits, dangers and any skilful methods to avoid the costs or dangers.
These are called the assāda, ādīnava and nissaraṇa.
In the modern world, this is called cost-benefit analysis.
These are called the assāda, ādīnava and nissaraṇa.
In the modern world, this is called cost-benefit analysis.
If, when touched by a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one discerns, as it actually is present, the origination, passing away, allure (assāda), drawback (ādīnava) & escape (nissaraṇa) from that feeling.