Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)

A place to discuss casual topics amongst spiritual friends.
User avatar
genkaku
Posts: 416
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:14 pm
Location: Northampton, Mass. U.S.A.
Contact:

Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)

Post by genkaku »

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.
Individual
Posts: 1970
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:19 am

Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)

Post by Individual »

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.
That was dealt with several months ago.
The best things in life aren't things.

The Diamond Sutra
User avatar
Prasadachitta
Posts: 974
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:52 am
Location: San Francisco (The Mission) Ca USA
Contact:

Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)

Post by Prasadachitta »

Individual wrote:
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.
That was dealt with several months ago.
SADU!!!

:clap:
"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
nathan
Posts: 692
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:11 am

Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)

Post by nathan »

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}
User avatar
robertk
Posts: 5613
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:08 am

Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)

Post by robertk »

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.
Element

Re: Military destiny (to Retrofuturist, Appicchato, and others)

Post by Element »

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.
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.
Post Reply