What is Duty?

JohnG

Okay, I'm on an information quest. To you, what is the meaning, and purpose of duty?

genkaku

How about ... to take responsibility for what needs to be done?

Zero

Duty is an obligation.
Its purpose, to harmonise responses.

how

Duty means connection. It is it's purpose.

Nevermind

I'd say the meaning is essentially responsibility, and the purpose basically cooperation (as opposed to purely self-interest).

lobster

JohnG said:

Okay, I'm on an information quest. To you, what is the meaning, and purpose of duty?

I don't have duties. As @Nevermind says, responsibility, yes. Is it our duty to be irresponsible (Nihilism)? I think not - so to speak . . .

Nevermind

It's a nihilists duty to show us what's meaningful.

Citta

Duty is one of the meanings of dharma. Its an ancient idea in Buddhism inherited from the Vedas, that we each have our own role to perform in life, our own dharma with a small 'd '. That includes duty.
If you are soldier that is your dharma. If you a teacher or homemaker or Big Mac chef that is your dharma...not in the sense that it is fixed. But in the sense while while you do it you do it as best you can.
Buddhism is not a product of modern social functioning.

Zayl

To me, Duty is doing what needs to be done, no matter your personal thoughts on the matter. If I see a car crash, I'd consider it my duty, since I had a little bit of emergency medical training when I was younger, to aid the victims however I could.

Stuff like that, you know.

Theswingisyellow

When given a set of circumstances, one's obligation is to do what's right.

JohnG

Thank you all for the input. But, how far is far in performing ones duty? To a warrior I can understand to the point of death; as a cop or firefighter this duty can go that far as well, but what of duty to family, and friends? How far can this duty be legitimately carried out to?

Citta

I am sure they ( family and friends ) will let us know.

JohnG

lobster

Some interesting ideas have come up. Duty as a destiny, or karmic responsibility. Ideas of commitment. It is almost as if life provides us with a role or unfolding expression . . . does it come from the same root as due? In other words duty is what we return?

Victorious

Duty isnt that when you pay Tax at the airport? I always go through Duty-free....Sorry John I just had to...

/Victor

JohnG

Hey take the tax free when you can.

how

I've seen too much suffering in the world
be justifyed away as someones "duty"
to paint it in the glowing colors seen here.

lobster

Duty as the imposition of justification. Good point @how. Is it for example the duty of a soldier to kill? Is there a 'higher' or more skilful possibility? For all of us? Is it our duty or potential to find it?

taiyaki

To hold space, to respond with kindness in all circumstance.

JohnG

How far would be considered duty to family? How far should or must go towards ones duty to family? Is there a limit? Would a Buddhist consider up to death to protect ones family, ones duty? For me that would be acceptable, but what would Karma hold in it's laws for such a person?

lobster

Would a Buddhist consider up to death to protect ones family, ones duty?

I have a feeling you are attached to killing members of someone's family to protect a family you are attached to.
Perhaps it is your 'Buddhist duty' to answer this question . . .
What do you think?

JohnG

Not in that direction, :cool: to kill another to protect one's family, that would be a blood feud for no purpose. But what of and denying the self to keep a parent safe

lobster

Sounds like you have a specific question?
A specific situation?
A specific answer to arrive at.
You are not being asked to reveal that. I would suggest you use your best judgement. That is where duty can be explored and found . . . life . . .

JohnG

Jeffrey

Giving the gift of blameless self conduct.

Victorious

JohnG said:

Not in that direction, :cool: to kill another to protect one's family, that would be a blood feud for no purpose. But what of and denying the self to keep a parent safe

Ah but does that self have a child?

What is that selfs duty towards others than that single parent?

And does it really matter what the karmic outcome is in such a case?

/Victor

JohnG

Well I had some unusual situations in my employment, I'm a cop, and learned never to believe that I've seen or heard everything. Now here's the situation; a son takes care of his mother, son is single, and the mother is living with the son. Well the son has fallen on hard financial times, and is going to lose the house in foreclosure. The son cannot support the mother, and is destined for the street. But, the mother will not move into a place where she can be cared for because the son cannot afford for both to live together anymore. So, the son's pension would ensure the mother a comfortable life, and he won't be worrying her living homeless, so the son commits suicide to ensure his mother would be cared for.

So, is this a dilemma or not? And 'you' thought you had a weird day. :eek2:

genkaku

“When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.”
-- George Bernard Shaw

Citta

Well as a stupid man I also see things that need doing being done by women and men who do them out of duty, and who are not ashamed, but would rather they didn't need doing.

Shaw was a big finger pointer at others. His moral indignation was somewhat undermined by his treatment of his wife and his string of mistresses, which he denied having... until a public row when two of them set about each other...
He also was one of that unfortunate tribe who feel the need to lecture others about their vegetarianism.
.After his death his longsuffering and dutiful wife revealed that he had suffered from Pernicious Anaemia and had been kept alive for the last decade of his life by injections of liver extract , and that she had colluded with his physician to keep this fact from him...He thought they were vitamins.
GBS unaware of the reason for his well being continued, to tour the country and the US castigating meat eaters in that curious high whiny voice he had. lol.

lobster

So, is this a dilemma or not?

Did you or your colleagues come up with potential resolutions different to the 'dutiful' son?

JohnG

suicide is suicide, involuntary commitment.

But, the fact did fascinate me, in Buddhism, would this have been wrong? And if so how?

mfranzdorf

It seems like this would be quite traumatic for the mother. First losing the son, and then if she realized why he killed himself she would be riddled with guilt. As far as "wrong" though? It is my understanding ( admittedly limited) that in Buddhism there is nobody/nothing that would cast such a judgement upon you. Plus, if the sons intention for what he did was to ultimately ease his mother's suffering, he was showing compassion for her. Rough deal all the way around.....