Ethics

So never kill, that's step one in ethics. 

I'm not aware of the Buddha saying the Buddhist ethics is only for those on the path, but I kind of feel like it is. Of course there's a parallel between the 10 precepts and ethics, but you know, the ideals of an enlightened being are going to be not always applicable to those who aren't on the path. I've never really seen a good article on Buddhist ethics. They tend to be more written about by a certain personality with religious status. 

Take for instance you country is invaded by horrible brutal people, who just want to steal your land. Now you could quote Shantideva , give them the other cheek to strike too. That wild point making doesn't really seem practical or advised for regular people. 

So my question today is, is the Dharma allowed to be elaborated for ordinary people? Can we go from the Arupaloka to the Kamaloka or the Rupaloka? (Trailokya)

I'm asking this because of this article: Buddhist Pacifists at War. 

I used to go to talks by visiting speakers in the philosophy department at the University of Wisconsin. One guy said he wouldn't get into a Star Trek transporter because it wouldn't be the same person beamed down. Another argued for the concept of a just war. The example is that fighting Hitler was a just war. I was sort of shocked that, yea, maybe there was a just war, when the other side is unjust. 

The illusion that Buddhists don't war has already been shattered with the collection of essays in Buddhist Warfare, the Wikipedia entry Buddhism and Violence and Zen at War.

Todays post was inspired by this article (Buddhist Pacifists at War in JSTOR Daily). I didn't know about Marici. That post is inspired by an article by Ian Sinclair "War Magic and Just War in Indian Tantric Buddhism" in Social Analysis. 

It's weird, a country can't really be Buddhist, it's going to have a percentage of Buddhist people in the country with varying degrees of taking refuge in the three jewels. But there's an idea that Buddhist countries would not wage war if they were truly Buddhist. That absurdity shows that a country can't be Buddhist. Maybe the highest concentration of people who claim to be Buddhist. Cambodia claims to have 98% Buddhist population. Thailand 93% and Burma 90%.

USA supposedly has 1.2%, up from the 0.7% Pew figure I thought was the number. 

Anyway, that brings me back to ethics, striving towards enlightenment, and not being enlightened and practicing Buddhism. 

I kill insects. This might be a cultural belief and not Buddhist. I just don't think I have to suffer insects inside. Perhaps I haven't transcending my cultural conditioning, perhaps my metta meditation is inadequate. I know people who question your practice if you don't do what they ethically think you should. I'm not even sure the underlying idea that you should focus on yourself and not worry about others is true. More questions than answers when I look into it.

I choose to follow the 10 precepts to the best of my ability out of selfishness. It helps me to meditate, it simplifies life. I've read it leads to the gladdening, and I like the gladdening, selfishly, but also for the benefit of others. Friendly jovial people with joie de vivre are good advertisements for Buddhism, but authenticity is important too. I can't help but think of Troy in Community yelling, "I am not a mascot." He doesn't have to be perfect to represent African Americans, he can just be himself. He was saying that to Shirley who had high religiosity. 

I have witnessed some of the greatest acts of kindness in the sangha, but it's not exclusive to the sangha. I like focusing on virtue, like I like to focus on developing my Buddha nature. 

Is there value in pursuing unrealistic ideals that humans often fall short on? I think so. It's good to aim for things, you're more likely to get somewhere by trying, even if it doesn't go exactly to plan. 

I certainly can adopt a kind of righteous moral tone in essay. I think that can be useful in the body politic. 

I will admit to committing grave ethical mistakes that we'd have to know each other better to go into. I'm often raked through the coals of my harm to others, in my memories, and I have very deep regrets. The remorse for my mistakes has made me think a lot more about ethics. 

I confess ethically to myself in a journal, in the absence of closer spiritual friends.