Dhamma Attitude to Suicide
It appears to me none of the religions except Buddhism abhor the violence that include self inflicted violence. What I mean is the suicide bombing in the name of religion or terrorist cause. Destruction of life whether it is self or otherwise or any living being is alien to Buddhism.
This is where Buddhism stand alone in high ground.
This is where we have to define the role of a suicide bomber in the modern society. There is no justification for the existence of similar entity and for that matter intolerance or discrimination of any human being for his or her origin, class, creed, religion, race, sex and whether rich or poor.
We are at a cross roads.
There is alarming trend of religious fanaticism and atheistic views raising their heads.
This is where the Buddhist Moral Principles should stand erect and relevant. They are strikingly different from all modes of other religions where it is espoused that killing oneself for the sake of a religion or sect (there was a similar sect-Ishihara- in Japan) is as the supreme sacrifice and results in being born in heaven. This is a myth we must dispel with utmost vigour.
This is happening in Ceylon, too but for a different reason and goal. Labile children with childhood trauma are selected and indoctrinated to take life for a course which they themselves cannot enjoy in return. The fallacy of this inhuman misdemeanour has to be born clear of all religions. The religious leaders and dignitaries have failed in their duty and the present political systems, whether authoritarian, capitalistic, communist, religious or liberal systems have failed to deliver any form of organisation except further division. Devoid of human values (we may call it moral principles) the perceived global village is collapsing.
This is where Buddhism stand alone in high ground.
This is where we have to define the role of a suicide bomber in the modern society. There is no justification for the existence of similar entity and for that matter intolerance or discrimination of any human being for his or her origin, class, creed, religion, race, sex and whether rich or poor.
We are at a cross roads.
There is alarming trend of religious fanaticism and atheistic views raising their heads.
This is where the Buddhist Moral Principles should stand erect and relevant. They are strikingly different from all modes of other religions where it is espoused that killing oneself for the sake of a religion or sect (there was a similar sect-Ishihara- in Japan) is as the supreme sacrifice and results in being born in heaven. This is a myth we must dispel with utmost vigour.
This is happening in Ceylon, too but for a different reason and goal. Labile children with childhood trauma are selected and indoctrinated to take life for a course which they themselves cannot enjoy in return. The fallacy of this inhuman misdemeanour has to be born clear of all religions. The religious leaders and dignitaries have failed in their duty and the present political systems, whether authoritarian, capitalistic, communist, religious or liberal systems have failed to deliver any form of organisation except further division. Devoid of human values (we may call it moral principles) the perceived global village is collapsing.
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