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Buddhism&Medicine
Weird_Artist
Explorer
hello, I have had a quick search and can't seem to find the exact answers I am looking for:
Does Buddhism approve of the many life lengthening treatments available today? Or are we simply prolonging our suffering?
Because doctors are human, therefore some of them may well have sexual thoughts although they suppress them, are intimate examinations appropriate for the No sexual misconduct 'rule'?
How does Buddhism work with antibiotics? Is killing Bacteria or Viruses technically OK? What about parasites such as worms? Where is the line that separates killing and healing?
I know that all answers are points of view based on Buddhist teaching, I'm not looking for definitive yes/no, just guidance from those of you in the know, to make my own conclusions. Thanks!
Does Buddhism approve of the many life lengthening treatments available today? Or are we simply prolonging our suffering?
Because doctors are human, therefore some of them may well have sexual thoughts although they suppress them, are intimate examinations appropriate for the No sexual misconduct 'rule'?
How does Buddhism work with antibiotics? Is killing Bacteria or Viruses technically OK? What about parasites such as worms? Where is the line that separates killing and healing?
I know that all answers are points of view based on Buddhist teaching, I'm not looking for definitive yes/no, just guidance from those of you in the know, to make my own conclusions. Thanks!
0
Comments
It tends toward whatever does the most good or does the least harm.
There's nothing inherently wrong with lengthening our lives, in some of the texts its said that the human lifespan over time will vary between an average of 10 years up to 84,000 years. If we're too attached to extending our lives though, obsessing about our diet and exercise we won't have the mind for proper practice and when death inevitably comes, whether its at 75 or 105, we'll have mental suffering.
"Because doctors are human, therefore some of them may well have sexual thoughts although they suppress them, are intimate examinations appropriate for the No sexual misconduct 'rule'?"
First, its not a rule, its a precept so someone would have to take it voluntarily in order to break it. Second, its a medical procedure not a sexual one. If a doctor was getting his kicks out of it or abusing his patients then I think it probably would.
"How does Buddhism work with antibiotics? Is killing Bacteria or Viruses technically OK? What about parasites such as worms? Where is the line that separates killing and healing?"
Don't know, this gets down to what is considered a sentient being. I don't think that bacteria or viruses are, neither does HHDL. Parasites or worms are a harder case. I imagine it would be breaking the first precept to kill them but I imagine under those circumstances most of us would go ahead and kill them if it meant being healthy or not.
Lama Yeshe (FPMT) was extensively treated for enlargement of the heart at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, although he stated that he was miserable about it. When he finally went into cardiac arrest, the resuscitation efforts went on for about two and a half hours, bless him.
Tibetan Medicine has its own type of antibiotics, so killing bacteria apparently is ok.
I'm not sure what you mean by "life=extending treatments". I would think that extending one's life is good; it gives one more time to contribute to humanity, further oneself on the path toward Enlightenment, and help alleviate suffering for others. Tibetan Medicine doesn't advocate unnecessary surgeries, because they disrupt the "Qi" meridians of the body (whatever that's called in Tibetan). I have this from a highly-respected Tibetan doctor, the niece of one of HHDL's former docs.
In addition, things like viruses are generally not considered to be 'living beings' (pana). As Bhikkhu Bodhi explains, pana means "that which breathes" and denotes "any living being that has breath and consciousness," which would most likely exclude viruses, and possibly even bacteria. Not only that, but vaccines don't actively kill bacteria and viruses anyway, our own immune system does. And since there's no intention (i.e., kamma) involved in the functioning of our immune systems (as it's an automatic bodily process), it wouldn't violate the first precept in either case, so it's a moot point.
When it comes to things like parasites, however, which are a bit more advanced and do seem to possess at least a rudimentary consciousness, it may technically be a violation of the first precept to kill them. But this seems to be a grey area.
From the Buddhist point of view, this is unfortunately, but it's also the nature of life. Buddhism acknowledges that life is full of danger and death; it simply seeks to limit how much we contribute to that while also trying to alleviate our minds from suffering.
If a person's health depends on ridding their body of a harmful parasite, it's something that's done grudgingly and can be off-set (sort of speaking) by other skillful deeds, or what in Buddhism is called 'making merit' (e.g., giving to charity, volunteering at an animal shelter, offering alms to monastics, practicing meditation and developing wholesome mental states like metta, etc.) and dedicating any merit made from their good deeds to any of the beings they may have harmed, whether intentionally or unintentionally, as a way of saying they're sorry and to show respect.
I sometimes feel 'cheated' of a quick and painless death as I have a sudden death syndrome but have had an ICD (implanted defibrillator) which prevents death from cardiac arrest. However, what I consider now is that I have more time to practice before the inevitable occurs!
I also use the suffering that is entailed with medication, my heart condition and frequent surgeries to further my practice.