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confusion

finsofinso
in Buddhism Basics
few days before, on my way, i came across a fly struggling in the spider web. i felt very sorry for that fly and thought of helping it out from that web. but i could not free the fly easily. ''if i free the fly, i am destroying the home of the poor spider but if i didn't, some body is going to loose his life". this very thought took me long to help that dying fly. finally i helped that fly out thinking that the sin will be little less. did i do the right thing???

Comments

  • CittaCitta Veteran
    That fly/spider scenario has played out for millions of years..literally. It is none of our business. The world does not revolve around human intentions.
    ZerolobsterRebeccaSNomaDBuddha
  • karastikarasti Breathing Minnesota Moderator
    On the plus side, a spider can rebuild a web pretty quickly. But they also need to eat, or they will die. The "No harm to beings" doesn't apply to the animal world as it does the same as humans, otherwise most animals would starve. I think what you did was fine, but I think it would have been equally as fine to let nature take course as well.
    Jeffrey
  • ZeroZero Veteran
    finso said:


    did i do the right thing???

    You related to the fly's plight more than that of the spider.

    From the fly's point of view, you did the right thing - from the spider's point of view you did the wrong thing.

    The fly and the spider shall reach the conclusion of their journey in any event, with or without your intervention.

    You will too.
    Jeffrey
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    finso said:

    few days before, on my way, i came across a fly struggling in the spider web. i felt very sorry for that fly and thought of helping it out from that web. but i could not free the fly easily. ''if i free the fly, i am destroying the home of the poor spider but if i didn't, some body is going to loose his life". this very thought took me long to help that dying fly. finally i helped that fly out thinking that the sin will be little less. did i do the right thing???

    It sounds like your intentions were good. The spider was probably annoyed but can rebuild his web. ;)
  • howhow Veteran Veteran


    Reminds me of some powerfull well intentioned being, looking down and separating us from our food so that some other beings will not be eaten. This is really about you and your relationship to dukka. The right and wrong of it (if there is such a thing) is really best addressed by your own meditation.
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