Pacifism, Ethics and Dhamma

[SarathW]

Would you kill to save a child's life?

No.

If you want to create a new thread about objection of conscionce, please do. I will not debate, though. Only post my positions.

I then replied

Because it would subtract from your own, personal, goal of nibbna? Surely that's immoral?

I don't deny that killing is bad kamma, however the Buddha taught that there is black kamma, white kamma and grey kamma. Surely it's more noble to save an innocent and accept pain than to ignore the innocent in the hopes of having personal peace?

In some countries it is your legal obligation to help someone in need. (accident victims, sick person on the road etc)
You can be sued for not doing so.

[Nicolas]

My answer to the Hitler dilemma is I don't know. By principle, I wouldn't kill. But since I am not sure I can do it for a couple of people, I cannot possibly know if I would not do it to save millions

Its simple really

If you knew that putting a bullet in Hitlers brain would save millions of babies from the gas chambers, would you do it? Or would you refrain from such an act?


It would seem that if you answer no, then you simply sacrifice millions just so you can be free from pain. Doesn't sound that noble does it?

It's simple to you, not to me.

Yes, it doesn't sound noble, but perhaps in the buddhist cosmological reality it is nobler. It really depends on how much faith you have. You are trying to debate "on my terms", but that's impossible because it is very abstract to you, so you can't relate to my position at all and you think it's ignoble. I understand the criticism, but the teachings, or at least the orthodox teachings, support my stance.

You're not going to get a better answer to this, sorry. It isn't satisfactory, I know, but I can't do much better.

[SarathW]

We all are roll-players in this life (Samsara)
It is unfair to assume we all play the same roll.
Even a Monk play a roll.
As far as I know (think) only an Arahant will not play a roll.

[SarathW]

Even a Monk play a roll.
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I expect Thelonious Monk must have played quite a few rolls in his career, but I'm not sure if it's true of monks in general.

What I meant was that following the path is a fabrication.
Hence it is a roll-play.

[Dhammanando]

Hence it is a roll-play.

I believe you mean role-play (or rôle-play, for the more pedantic).

[SarathW]

Hence it is a roll-play.

I believe you mean role-play (or rôle-play, for the more pedantic).

Thank you Bhante.
Please excuse me for my English.
I learnt my English by reading bill boards.
The first English word I learnt was "Bata" (bill board for a Bata shoe company)