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Can Violent Tendencies Be Eradicated?

personperson Don't believe everything you thinkThe liminal space Veteran
edited May 2012 in Buddhism Basics
There is an optimism at the heart of Buddhism.

The Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination present a doctrine of hope because they affirm change and evolution.

Men and women are NOT pawns of "fate," chance, or a capricious metaphysical being.[Note 66]

We can be makers of their own future. Applied to the issue of violence and social disruption, this means violence within the individual and in society can be fixed.

Buddhist texts, however, make it clear that the obstacles to transformation are large...

http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com/2012/05/can-violent-tendencies-be-eradicated.html

Comments

  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    I liked that.

    Violent tendencies in some people can be eradicated. Self-selected small groups of people can be taught to be nonviolent. But there has never been an entire culture including Buddhist cultures that have eradicated violence from their society, and never will.

    Individuals with the right motivation and effort can eliminate the defilements from their behavior. Most people will lack the motivation in spite of any teaching. That's just samsara.



  • Invincible_summerInvincible_summer Heavy Metal Dhamma We(s)t coast, Canada Veteran
    That's what I love about Buddhism - it's existentialism from centuries before Camus, but with a bit more morality to it. It's depressing and negative on the surface, but just dig a bit deeper and you can tell it's actually very empowering and positive.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    "....The light-bulb's really got to want to change....."
  • AMHAMH
    Yes violent tendencies can be changed, and the person needs to want to change them. A lot of people are okay with this behavior and don't see the connections to what happens from it. It may be obvious to others who do not live a life where violence is any part of it how the actions create the reactions, however they don't.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    i recently went to see the new Avengers movie... all the superheroes banding together to fight the evil forces... yadha yadah...
    one of the superheroes was Dr Bruce Banner, alias the Hulk....who revealed that the secret of his being able to turn into the Hulk at will was that 'He was always angry'....

    Eradication is not necessarily the objective.
    Self-control is the objective.
    It's perfectly all right for a person to have violent tendencies - a boxer, for example, has to have violent tendencies, as does a soldier....
    but both these people have to channel these tendencies and use or manifest them only when it is suitable or appropriate to do so.
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited May 2012
    I taught my son proper boxing, and we spar a couple of times a week. He has sensory integration issues, and mild Tourette syndrome. It is controlled violence ( ...and he gets to pay me back for being a homework ass).. and of great therapeutic benefit. He knows to avoid violence.. he knows to stay out of fights.. he knows to not keep the company of corrupt people.. he knows to walk away if threatened.. and he knows, if there is no other option, how to clock someone... with metta.
  • JohnGJohnG Veteran
    Unless the action is based upon a bio chemical, or organic origin, action cannot be eradicated; which to me means perminant removal. ACtion, and response to action is a learned response to an event or emotion. Can one learn not to use violence in a situation, yes.

    We all have fears, prejiduce, and hate, but do we rule these emotions, or do they rule us?
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