Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
SarathW
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Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by SarathW »

Can a Buddhist become a soldier?
I was watching a lot of war account by Sri Lankan solgers who won the war with LTTE.
Then a word slip from one of the soldiers about taking some sort of a tablet.
So I Google and found the following video and was surprised about the drug use among solgers.
Now I never think of a soldier as a hero. I think they are a bunch of people who use drugs.
I may be wrong as the Army commander who won the LTTE war said he never took Alcohol.

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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

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SarathW
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by SarathW »

Yes Hacksaw Ridge is a good movie.
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by DNS »

SarathW wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 12:28 am So I Google and found the following video and was surprised about the drug use among solgers.
Now I never think of a soldier as a hero. I think they are a bunch of people who use drugs.
It's not just the 5th precept that is not observed, but virtually all 5 precepts are often broken by soldiers (during wartime).

There is the obvious killing. (1st precept)
Some steal valuables during the course of taking over an area. (2nd precept)
Some engage in sexual misconduct during the lawlessness and chaos of warfare. (3rd precept)
Some are required to lie to keep the secrets of their operations. (4th precept)
Drug, alcohol use. (5th precept)

That said, the Buddha did not forbid kings from having a standing army. We could assume that the army and the soldiers were strictly meant for defense and not for offensive measures, not for taking over other lands and nations.
SarathW
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by SarathW »

Sorry for posting the following video in the Sinhalese language.
This is a story of a Hindu LTTE fighter who got injured while fighting.
His sister (17years old with a child) died while in the custody of LTTE.
He became a Buddhist and vow never to practice violence against any being.
He gave Dana to 150 monks and now building a Temple in Mulative with his own funds.
Now he advise to practice Satipathana (in his own words)

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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

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Ajahn Sona in conversation with Pamutto Bhikkhu
dharmacorps
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by dharmacorps »

If one keeps the precepts and observes right livelihood, then being a soldier in the front lines or infantry would likely be difficult or impossible. You are in a position where you could be ordered to kill or facilitating it directly.
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by SarathW »

dharmacorps wrote: Sun Nov 28, 2021 8:45 pm If one keeps the precepts and observes right livelihood, then being a soldier in the front lines or infantry would likely be difficult or impossible. You are in a position where you could be ordered to kill or facilitating it directly.
or die without having the opportunity to know Dhamma.
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by StrivingforMonkhood »

It's kind of like being a multi-millionnaire (not exactly). Theoretically, it's possible to be a super rich Buddhist, but in reality, not so much.

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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by SteRo »

SarathW wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 12:28 am Can a Buddhist become a soldier?
Of course, just think of Myanmar people. Myanmar society is a buddhist society. Myanmar military recruits a lot of soldiers who even kill their own people.
Cleared. αδόξαστος.
SarathW
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by SarathW »

SteRo wrote: Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:05 pm
SarathW wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 12:28 am Can a Buddhist become a soldier?
Of course, just think of Myanmar people. Myanmar society is a buddhist society. Myanmar military recruits a lot of soldiers who even kill their own people.
Perhaps the question should be "is it appropriate and not violating the Noble Eightfold Path when a Buddhist become a soldier.
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by TRobinson465 »

They can. they just wouldnt be very good Buddhists for the most part if they were actively fighting. Although if you were just in the reserve or were in the military during a peaceful time it wouldnt matter. Although some Buddhists do become soldiers because they have to (conscription). Thailand and i think myanmar conscript soldiers i think. although the military in those countries mainly use their soldiers for taking over their own countries rather than other people's. So not that bad karmically for the foot soldiers since fighting civilians (who wont usually fight back and just put up with it) is generally less bloody than fighting other soldiers.
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by Cause_and_Effect »

SarathW wrote: Sat Nov 27, 2021 12:28 am Can a Buddhist become a soldier?
I was watching a lot of war account by Sri Lankan solgers who won the war with LTTE.
Then a word slip from one of the soldiers about taking some sort of a tablet.
So I Google and found the following video and was surprised about the drug use among solgers.
Now I never think of a soldier as a hero. I think they are a bunch of people who use drugs.
I may be wrong as the Army commander who won the LTTE war said he never took Alcohol.

We can't really use Sri Lanka example since SLA were arguably worse than LTTE in commiting attrocities.
Bottom line is war is against the Dhamma.

The Dhamma and true religion is a transcendent thing and goes against the worldy stream. It is the proper way to conduct and live the holy life.
Times of war are an abnormality and are entirely worldly. However sometimes it is necessary as we live in the world.
It goes against precepts to kill, but I see them as not blind commandments and in times of conflict there may be no other option to ensure survival.

Unlike religions such as Islam where violence is sometimes condoned, in Buddhism there is a clean break as I see it where violence is never condoned. Yet it may still be necessary in the worldly life,and if you are not a monk you may need to participate in it to protect yourself or loved ones.
The Buddha did not comment on war only that killing leads to hell.
So if one is required to fight in war one temporarily reduces aspects of their dhamma life for a military life. Hopefully whatever negative kamma that accrues during military life can be made up for later in peacetime,and hopefully one can maintain as much as possible noble conduct during the war i.e. no torture etc.

The fact is war and survival are ways of the world and cannot be avoided sometimes. They are outside the Buddha Dhamma. The belong to the domain of archetyal warrior discipline which its own path. The Buddha was born into the warrior caste remember and the Samurai are an example of the warrior caste who practiced Zen Buddhism but had their own values aligned with the military life.
"Therein monks, that Dimension should be known wherein the eye ceases and the perception of forms fades away...the ear... the nose...the tongue... the body ceases and the perception of touch fades away...

That Dimension should be known wherein mentality ceases and the perception of mind-objects fades away.
That Dimension should be known; that Dimension should be known."


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SarathW
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by SarathW »

We can't really use Sri Lanka example since SLA were arguably worse than LTTE in commiting attrocities.
Bottom line is war is against the Dhamma.
I see your point.
I think LTTE lost this undefeatable war due to their Adhamma practice. I am not claiming that the Sinhalese are totally clean but they were the lesser evil.
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Re: Can a Buddhist become a soldier?

Post by Cause_and_Effect »

SarathW wrote: Wed Dec 08, 2021 6:50 am
We can't really use Sri Lanka example since SLA were arguably worse than LTTE in commiting attrocities.
Bottom line is war is against the Dhamma.
I see your point.
I think LTTE lost this undefeatable war due to their Adhamma practice. I am not claiming that the Sinhalese are totally clean but they were the lesser evil.
It's a nice thought but the SLA showed little to no Buddhist values at all in this 26 year war, also committing war crimes and attrocities en mass. They were generally adhammic in their conduct, although it leads again to the question of what could constitute dhammic practice in a war situation? Not committing unnecessary attrocities, which they failed.
Actually as I understand it they didn't really show any sign of winning the war until after one of the high ranking LTTE commanders defected and joined the SLA as he was tired of fighting with no resolution. This was the pivotal moment.
That his name was 'Colonel Karuna' meaning 'compassion' is ironic considering his actions but it cannot be denied he was probably the biggest single factor in ending the bloodshed. So perhaps compassion or karuna of some form did win out in the end.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-saga ... n_b_227792
"Therein monks, that Dimension should be known wherein the eye ceases and the perception of forms fades away...the ear... the nose...the tongue... the body ceases and the perception of touch fades away...

That Dimension should be known wherein mentality ceases and the perception of mind-objects fades away.
That Dimension should be known; that Dimension should be known."


(S. IV. 98) - The Dimension beyond the All
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