43
votes
Accepted
If a buddhist should not kill a mouse living in their home, what justification do they have to rid themselves of a parasite such tapeworms
The Mahayana perspective on social and ecological ethics is based on the high ideals of symbiosis, harmony, and cooperation.
In the old times there were wandering monks who did not work and lived on ...
- 57.2k
13
votes
If a buddhist should not kill a mouse living in their home, what justification do they have to rid themselves of a parasite such tapeworms
Where does one draw the line for which forms of life are ok to destroy, and which ones are not?
That (i.e. "which forms of life?") might be not the right question.
If you're describing the ...
- 45.2k
9
votes
Accepted
Found items and the Second Precept
The Vinaya actually goes into all of this under the rule against stealing. The question involves the factors involved in stealing:
the object has an owner,
you perceive that the object has an owner,
...
- 24k
9
votes
Marriage and porn
Technically, watching porn doesn't break the 3rd precept, but it weakens it. In other words, it weakens the merits you gain by keeping to the precept apart from accumulating bad karma.
- 25.7k
8
votes
Buddhist attitude towards prostitution and non-procreative sexual activity
Does it mean having sex with prostitute does not considered sexual
misconduct?
It does not break the 3rd precept, if both parties are proper(not belonging to the 20 kinds of improper partners). ...
- 25.7k
8
votes
If a buddhist should not kill a mouse living in their home, what justification do they have to rid themselves of a parasite such tapeworms
Theravada Buddhist Answer.
Whichever way you spin it, killing(intentionally) is bad Karma which you will have to pay for at some point in Samsara unless it becomes defunct. You can draw the line ...
- 25.7k
8
votes
Five Precepts - did Buddha really preach them?
The five precepts are mentioned in Dhammika sutta. The main reason for teaching the fifth precept is said to be that intoxication easily instigates people to break other precepts by concealing the ...
- 4,233
8
votes
Why does the Buddha, in the Pali Canon, periodically engage in harsh speech?
The answer to this comes in the Kesi Sutta:
As he was sitting there, the Blessed One said to him: "You, Kesi, are
a trained man, a trainer of tamable horses. And how do you train a
tamable ...
- 36.4k
7
votes
Marriage and porn
Some socially 'Islamic' people (as distinct from Muslim practitioners) get married on a Friday and divorce on the Monday just so they can have sex on the weekend & not break the rules. Obviously, ...
- 38.5k
6
votes
The Third Precept and Prostitution
I am a Buddhist, happy, content prostitute. I am not a greedy person, nor am a sex addict (or anything of the like). This is the chapter in which my life is. I have used my current profession to ...
- 77
6
votes
If a buddhist should not kill a mouse living in their home, what justification do they have to rid themselves of a parasite such tapeworms
The original poster asks: "Where to draw the line..."
Therein is the key to the answer: there is noplace you can draw the line, thin and bright, therefore you cannot draw it.
There is, however, an ...
- 171
6
votes
Accepted
How do different traditions define "intoxicant"?
Let me first explain the original Pāli version of the fifth precept, according to what I learnt from prof. Richard Gombrich, who knows Pāli well and is a Theravāda scholar, but is not a Buddhist.
...
- 2,700
6
votes
Does the fifth precept ban smoking?
I always approached the precepts as very important guidelines rather than rigid rules for banning one's actions.
Certainly, while on the eightfold path, if one intakes a substance that even subtlety ...
- 7,082
6
votes
Are the movie Fight Club, and Project Mayhem in it, buddhist?
I don't think so.
it predicates detachment from material possessions
That's not enough to call it Buddhist.
Buddhism might be known for what it is, rather than for what it isn't. Maybe Buddhism isn'...
- 45.2k
6
votes
Unknowingly Drinking Alcohol
Your 5th precept has not broken because the alcohol has not enough to make your unwholesome consciousness arise after drink.
This precept have 4 elements to done. You already done the last 3 elements,...
- 6,096
6
votes
Accepted
Is Buddhism in conflict with manliness?
OP: To be man we have to compete, obtain resources and protect our families. Could it be all achieved reasonably and with compassion?
Could a man following Dhamma be a real, good man?
What you ...
- 36.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Trouble understanding "sensual misconduct"
It is true, the precept reads "kāmesu", which literally means "in regards to sensuality", but in this instance as elsewhere, kāma refers specifically to sexual sensuality - it's ...
- 24k
5
votes
What is the origin of the Five Enobling Virtues?
I found it here for free download:
The Five Precepts :
The Buddhist Golden Rule
By His Royal Highness the late Supreme
Patriarch Prince Vajirananavarorasa
I found it linked from this page: 'The 5 ...
- 479
5
votes
Accepted
Question on sexual immorality and a family situation
It is not officially a breach of the 3rd precept, which, per definition, relates to actual sexual activity with specifically defined people (such as another person's husband or wife or children/...
- 38.5k
5
votes
If we tell lies to save lives, will that be a sin?
There are no sins in Buddhism, only skillful and unskillful behaviors. You have to ask yourself whether the behavior causes suffering. If it causes suffering you shouldn't do it. Not because it is a ...
- 161
5
votes
Killing a mouse in the house with a third party
The Buddha did not actually arise for the purpose of teaching about good & bad kamma. The teaching about good & bad kamma is merely a 'secondary' teaching in Buddhism. These kinds of questions ...
- 38.5k
5
votes
If Kombucha Tea (trace amounts of alcohol) is used as medicine, is it considered a breach of conduct?
The purpose of that precept is to prevent loss of heedfulness through intoxication.
If your reason to drink tea of some kind with very little alcohol in it, is for medicinal purposes, and if it does ...
- 36.4k
5
votes
Should Buddhists drive a car or a motorcycle?
Please also see this answer.
When you walk you might accidentally step on ants or other small insects. Does that mean you should stop walking?
From Dhammapada 1:
On one occasion, blind Thera ...
- 36.4k
5
votes
Husband has sexual activity with other woman with the consent of wife
It does not break the third precept if the husband has the wife's willful(not forced) consent. It's somewhat similar to kings having more than one queen.
Having said that, there is no such thing as ...
- 25.7k
5
votes
the five precepts and marijuana - does marijuana count as an intoxicant?
Yes. Marijuana is an intoxicating substance.
From AccessToInsight.org's The Five Precepts: pañca-sila:
Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami
I undertake the precept to refrain ...
- 36.4k
4
votes
Is moderate drinking acceptable in Buddhism?
The problem with most answers to this question is that they render Buddhism worthless to many people.
None of us here know exactly what the Fifth Precept means. It is quite possible that what it ...
- 589
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