7
votes
The buddhist dillema on lesser evil
Such a question assumes death is the cessation of existence. This is not the Buddhist view. Killing the murderer won't solve anything, it merely brushes the dirt under the carpet. Since violent ...
- 7,433
6
votes
The buddhist dillema on lesser evil
Also known at the Trolley Problem from Game Theory. My answer is that this kind of question is a red herring. Ethics is about how you wrestle with experience to try to minimise suffering. Hypothetical ...
- 4,334
5
votes
The buddhist dillema on lesser evil
MN 1.3.1 Kakachupama sutta
Majjhima Nikāya 21 - Kakacūpamasutta
The Parable of the Saw
"Monks, even if bandits were to savagely sever you, limb by limb, with
a double-handled saw, even then,...
- 1,601
5
votes
Accepted
Do arhats exist after death?
If you want to see what the authoritative figures have to say on the topic, here's a quote from What Happens to an Arahant at Death? A Dialogue between Bhikkhu Bodhi and B. Alan Wallace:
BB: The ...
- 57.7k
4
votes
The buddhist dillema on lesser evil
Here is an alternate perspective from the Mahayana tradition. (I'm not equating arahant & bodhisattva, but if you are asking what a Buddha would do it is perfectly legitimate in my mind to ...
- 479
4
votes
The buddhist dillema on lesser evil
An arahant would certainly have perfected the 5 precepts at the least and would abstain from harming anyone. I also belive that the Buddha might have said that an arahant was even incapable of killing....
- 1,334
4
votes
A view of the self
Here's an analogy. Stream entry is like that point in time where you have completely understood how diet, exercise, obesity, metabolism, homeostasis, ageing and non-communicable diseases work. You've ...
- 36.9k
3
votes
The buddhist dillema on lesser evil
It's impossible for an Arahant to kill intentionally as he has no aversion. An Arahant might try to bring the killer into his senses if he thought it's possible. Just like how the Buddha distracted ...
- 25.7k
3
votes
Is it bad karma to disagree with an arhat?
According to the Nibbedhika Sutta:
"Intention, I tell you, is kamma. Intending, one does kamma by way of
body, speech, & intellect.
If you see this answer, bad karma or not, is related to ...
- 36.9k
3
votes
Do fully enlightened "persons" still meditate, and why?
Yes, Buddha did meditate. This is for the pleasant abiding here and now.
From the discussion, What did Buddha do to pass his time? --
Some relevant info:
Then the Blessed One, having ...
- 5,617
3
votes
Buddhas vs bodhisattvas vs arhats vs devas vs brahmas
Actually Paceccabuddhas do teach but in brief and in general terms like from one Theravada example after 4 Paccekabuddas received meals for 4 days from a King at his palace when the King asked them ...
3
votes
A view of the self
Sakkāyadiṭṭhi means to view one or more of the aggregates as a real solid inherent self.
Mana is simply conceit; a fleeting self-view arising in the mind it is superior to 'another'. Both 'self' & ...
- 39.5k
2
votes
Is a Mahayana Buddhist *required* to take a Bodhisattva vow?
Cultivating bodhicitta (both ultimate and relative) is absolutely indispensable on the Mahayana path; and one who has vowed to do so is called a bodhisattva. From my understanding, this vow can be ...
- 479
2
votes
Is it possible to recognize a person who has achieved Arhatship?
As a rule of thumb, they will be
Very calm (stable). Not swayed by pleasurable/exciting things, not upset or frustrated by pain/failure/disagreement.
Immovable. Impossible to disturb. Solid like a ...
- 57.7k
2
votes
The buddhist dillema on lesser evil
The arahant would not kill the killer. A Buddha would not kill the killer.
Even if by killing the killer, lives would be saved in thousands, the arahant or a Buddha would not kill the killer. Even ...
- 2,657
2
votes
What is path and fruition?
But what is the attainment of path? How would one describe rightly the
attainment of the path?
The path to nibbana has four steps as you mentioned stream entry, once returner, non returner, ...
- 688
2
votes
A view of the self
If a very young child looks in a mirror, it sees an object there that it cannot identify as itself. A slightly older child recognizes that the object it sees in the mirror is itself. A bit older than ...
- 4,946
2
votes
A view of the self
An excellent question!
We are all growing and learning, both of which are a part of cultivation. The process of defining the self and the Dharma attached is somewhat like refining our integrity; ...
- 168
1
vote
Are the bodhisattva vows better suited to the lay side of Buddhism?
As a practical observation, per AN4.99 there are four kinds of people found in the world:
One who practices to benefit themselves, but not others;
one who practices to benefit others, but not ...
- 9,284
1
vote
Accepted
What do Venerable Cha Mo's similes on the Flower's Scent and the Perfumed Rag mean with regard to satkāyadṛṣṭi?
The meaning seems very clear from reading the Pali sutta. It just means, whoever has overcome the five lower fetters (which includes the self-view), may still have lingering sense of "I".
The first ...
- 57.7k
1
vote
What do Venerable Cha Mo's similes on the Flower's Scent and the Perfumed Rag mean with regard to satkāyadṛṣṭi?
yes Puthujjanas struggle already with sakkay ditthi, but there is not much more to say than what is stated by the non-puthujjana Khemaka.
The lack of sakkya ditthi just means
“Friend, concerning ...
- 561
1
vote
Do arhats exist after death?
I once read a story (perhaps based on a Sutra) and Lord Buddha used this analogy when asked about existence after death of enlightened beings:
Fire exist due to air, burning substance, etc. As in ...
- 730
1
vote
Accepted
If every bad event is because of karma, how can anyone ever murder an arhat or buddha?
If I remember correctly, Buddha once said that Devadatta's throwing a rock and hurting Buddha's foot was caused by Buddha's past bad karma from a previous life.
Even for Buddha's and non-returners/...
- 57.7k
1
vote
Is it bad karma to disagree with an arhat?
One thing to keep in mind is that the pluralistic society that the Buddha lived in had a very strong tradition of religious freedom and freedom of speech in religious matters. Lay people could listen ...
1
vote
Is it bad karma to disagree with an arhat?
Of course it is! Almost by definition. Buddha's words are true and beneficial. Therefore by disagreeing you are setting yourself up for suboptimal results in the best case, if not for disaster. With ...
- 57.7k
1
vote
Can a person without any of the five physical senses attain arhatship?
“Avuso, how many conditions are there from which right view arises?”
“Avuso, right view arises from 2 conditions, that is: the voice of another and wise attention.
These, avuso, are the 2 conditions ...
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