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Buddhist view on the Military

kshamblinkshamblin
edited September 2011 in Buddhism Basics
I've already posted about how I am new to Buddhism and so on and so forth.
However, a question that I can't get out of my mind is what are the Buddhist views on the Military? I'm currently in the Air Force, and I know that everyday when I do my job that inadvertly I assist in the harming of others...perhaps not to ease the suffering of anyone at all. What are the views on this?

Comments

  • Still_WatersStill_Waters
    Strictly speaking, I would say that military service wouldn't qualify as Right Livelihood, part of the Buddha's Eight-fold Path. I've served in the military myself, but that was prior to developing a serious interest in Buddhism. Personally, I can't bring myself to condemn anyone who serves honorably, but you'll need to consider your conscience and your beliefs carefully before deciding what path to follow. Here is a resource you might find useful:

    http://buddhistmilitarysangha.blogspot.com/

    Alan
  • dharmadharma
    Hi kshamblin ,

    This question is addressed in this talk :



    " How does one interpret the first precept in everyday life? Is being a Buddhist and a soldier mutually exclusive? Are there instances when one can perform a 'mercy' killing and not attract negative results?"
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited September 2011
    Of course, the Buddha never forbade soldiers, even those actively engaged in warfare, from being lay-followers; although he certainly didn't approve of their actions, either. The Buddha, much like the Jains, stressed the principle of ahimsa or harmlessness. The main purpose of warfare is to kill others, and the Buddha was clearly of the opinion that killing rarely benefits anyone, if ever. Nevertheless, it all comes down to intention; and if your intention isn't to harm but to protect others, I see less of a problem in it.

    I suggest checking out Thanissaro Bhikkhu's essay "Getting the Message" (pro-pacifism) and Major General Ananda Weerasekera's essay "Buddhism & The Soldier" (pro-military) for two different perspectives.
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    It's interesting to note that there are 8 countries that are majority Buddhist (Thailand - 95%; Cambodia - 90%; Burma - 88%; Bhutan - 75%; Sri Lanka - 70%; Tibet - 65%; Laos - 60%; and Vietnam - 55%).

    Each (except Tibet...and we know what is going on there) has a standing army (approximate numbers): Thailand - 300,000; Cambodia - 200,000; Burma - 500,000; Bhutan - 860,000; Sri Lanka - 400,000; Laos - 130,000; and Vietnam - 5.5 million.

    Note that these numbers vary in some cases (for example with Laos). depending on how you count military and other forces within the countries.

    I can't speak personally about any of the countries except Thailand. In Thailand the military and the Buddhist establishment are very closely affiliated. Buddhist monks are involved in practically every military ceremony you will see, and Buddhist monks often bless the military and military equipment.

    SO what's my point? I'm not really sure. Perhaps that there is a difference between one's spiritual life and one's worldly life.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    The US military has Buddhist chaplains and a website about Buddhists in the military. It claims that serving in the military doesn't violate the 1st precept, but I've never been able to access info explaining their rationale for that. If you're in the Air Force, you might inquire about the Buddhist chaplaincy program (there are a total of 2 for the entire military).
  • kshamblinkshamblin
    @Dakini I've had the same problems. Personally, I feel as if the answer can only be found within myself, through thought and realization. I know now that in this world of information, that the access to knowledge is often found at our fingertips..leaving the mind too quick to "Google" the answers.
    I have found a lot of evidence to suggest, at least to my opinion, that Buddha never strictly said that -Military- service was wrong, but Murder itself is. Maybe I am just justifying my role in the service in hopes of staying away from reforming my lifestyle, fear of change and such..but I feel as if my service is purely defensive in nature, and I have never held an ill will against the enemies of the country, and hope only that through my service, can we find peace. Maybe it will take several lifetimes for me to find this answer, but I know that without a military that Buddhism in the United States could never exist.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    Sounds like you've really done a lot of thought on the subject. From what I've learned on this forum, the Buddha did say striking out in self-defense was ok, but that killing in self-defense was not.

    And yes, we all know what happened to Tibet, lacking a standing army, when the Chinese arrived.
    Take a look at the blog Still Waters provided. There's an article about officers from the Thai military meeting with US navy troops on board ship to discuss Buddhism in the military.
  • genkakugenkaku Northampton, Mass. U.S.A. Veteran
    @kshamblin -- The military (in which I also served) is centrally focused on killing other people ... not always, but that is its bedrock premise and as such deserves consideration by any Buddhist in my opinion.

    But in one sense, your current occupation makes you luckier than other Buddhists who are more likely to overlook their own connections with depriving others of life. Is there a breath we breathe or a step we take that is does not deprive another ... a bug, a blade of grass, another human being? Simultaneously is there a breath we breathe or a step we take that cannot enhance the life of another? This may all sound pretty airy-fairy or spiritual or something, but it's worth checking out, in very concrete terms. How shall we express our responsible and attentive lives as we live them? There is no one way, but there is your true way. Now the question becomes, what is your true way?

    Buddhism as a practice suggests attention and responsibility, whatever the circumstances. Military, civilian, man, woman, tall, short, smart, dumb ... the same -- attention and responsibility are required in a happy life. So bit by bit and effort by effort and corrected mistake after corrected mistake, we all muster our energy and determination ... to be attentive and responsible.

    Just my take.
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran
    Genkaku, I think you have said something very significant here. A lot of what we do on this website is discuss things from conceptual standpoint. We play a lot of intellectual games here. And sometimes that is very different from the more concrete aspects of actually living life.
  • Still_WatersStill_Waters
    I feel as if my service is purely defensive in nature, and I have never held an ill will against the enemies of the country, and hope only that through my service, can we find peace. Maybe it will take several lifetimes for me to find this answer, but I know that without a military that Buddhism in the United States could never exist.
    I think your perspective is excellent. I also believe that it is sometimes necessary to defend our homes, families, and communities from outside aggression.

    My biggest concern is that the decision to go to war is not made by Buddhists nor by those servicemen and servicewomen who are willing to risk their lives to defend their country. The decision to go to war is made by politicians and bureaucrats whose motives are not always the noblest. In a better system, the decision to go to war would only be made by those willing to personally lead the charge.

    Alan
  • justsheajustshea Explorer
    The Dharma is the middle way. Therefore, maybe we can have one foot on the ideal plain, and one foot in the real world. Also, in my humble opinion, our nation, the United States, seems to be stuck in the cycle of samsara, so it is logical that wars would follow. In the end, however, I don't think any of this excuses me from being the best Buddhist I can be.
  • FellFell
    It's yourself your dealing with here. If it seems wrong to you, then find a way out or simply refuse to reenlist. If you feel that it is o.k. and you you can handle it, then go for it, stick it out until retirement. We lay people have alot of wiggle room when it comes to these sort of things.
  • Ski_HuggerSki_Hugger
    I was in the US Army for 17 years and in Special Forces for the last 13. I am a total newb to Buddhism (have been learning and practicing for about 6 weeks) and was drawn to it because of a dissatisfaction with the practice and hypocracy of Christianity, a sincere interest in the teachings and guidance of Buddhism, and most importantly, because a Team Leader of mine was a Zen Buddhist. My Team Leader was one of the most level headed, caring, and focused people I've ever been around. He did not preach at people and did not even let on to his Buddhist following unless asked. I did ask and we had many discussions while deployed in the Middle East. I asked him how he could be a Buddhist and at the same time do what we needed to do in the course of our work. His response was that it was his belief that the Buddha's primary goal was to guide through teaching and help people to figure things out on their own based on that guidance. He believed that while his livelihood could and did put him in the position to take a life, he thought carefully about every action. His primary goal was to always save life when possible but when innocents or his men were at risk, he did what he had to do to keep them as safe as possible. I don't know if this helps and again, I am a newb, but I embrace the idea of "figuring out for myself" based on the teachings, and using the teachings as a guide to always try and do what is best.
  • Still_WatersStill_Waters
    I don't know if this helps and again, I am a newb, but I embrace the idea of "figuring out for myself" based on the teachings, and using the teachings as a guide to always try and do what is best.
    That's really all any of us can do. Although military service may be less than ideal as "right livelihood," we certainly need compassionate, caring individuals in the military as much as anywhere else.

    Alan

  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    I was going to start a thread about this but I'll post it here.

    This was a year ago but apparently it was unreported.

    Forget Buddhism for a second

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/toxic-legacy-of-us-assault-on-fallujah-worse-than-hiroshima-2034065.html
  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    This is going to seem stupid but I missed the part where you were in the military. You are a very brave person.

    I think the Buddhist view is to just not be in the US military.
  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    I think I owe you more than my little response.

    My view is that you're putting yourself in a position where you may have to harm people whether for the good or the bad on order. That would take something out of me.
  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    what you can't edit posts anymore?

    with respect shamblin
  • SpacelessSpaceless
    I've already posted about how I am new to Buddhism and so on and so forth.
    However, a question that I can't get out of my mind is what are the Buddhist views on the Military? I'm currently in the Air Force, and I know that everyday when I do my job that inadvertly I assist in the harming of others...perhaps not to ease the suffering of anyone at all. What are the views on this?
    According to the wise mentioned that the best military actions is not to resort in using the armed. Air Force pilot should travel like commercial pilot enjoying instead of engaging your mind under the influence of political control. The conflict amongst countries arise because leaders lack of magnanimity. To save innocent civilians, the leader of any country who try to start a war should be mercifully put into silence. :p
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    The US military has Buddhist chaplains and a website about Buddhists in the military
    Are there *actually* any Buddhist chaplains in the military? I know the provision for them exists, and there's even a collar device for them (at least in the Air Force). But when I called the HQ of the AF Chaplain Service in Washington a few years ago, the person I spoke with told me there were no Buddhist chaplains in the AF currently. It'd be cool if there were! I'm not sure who qualifies as a Buddhist chaplain though, since there's no such thing as ordination or credentialing in Buddhism (that I'm aware of).
  • vinlynvinlyn Colorado...for now Veteran

    Are there *actually* any Buddhist chaplains in the military? I know the provision for them exists, and there's even a collar device for them (at least in the Air Force). But when I called the HQ of the AF Chaplain Service in Washington a few years ago, the person I spoke with told me there were no Buddhist chaplains in the AF currently. It'd be cool if there were! I'm not sure who qualifies as a Buddhist chaplain though, since there's no such thing as ordination or credentialing in Buddhism (that I'm aware of).
    I don't know the answer to your question. I was out to the USAF Academy a few weeks ago, and the beautiful chapel there does have a Buddhist room in the basement, next to a room for Jewish services.

  • TheLastGambitTheLastGambit
    edited September 2011
    The US military has Buddhist chaplains and a website about Buddhists in the military
    Are there *actually* any Buddhist chaplains in the military? I know the provision for them exists, and there's even a collar device for them (at least in the Air Force). But when I called the HQ of the AF Chaplain Service in Washington a few years ago, the person I spoke with told me there were no Buddhist chaplains in the AF currently. It'd be cool if there were! I'm not sure who qualifies as a Buddhist chaplain though, since there's no such thing as ordination or credentialing in Buddhism (that I'm aware of).
    I know the Navy commissioned who I think was the first Buddhist Chaplain back in 2004 and since then it has grown, but not by much. The Army "soon" followed when they commissioned their first Buddhist in 2009 (with orders to the Middle East). Since being in the Navy, I've yet to run in any Buddhist chaplains -- I know it was a service offered in Boot Camp, but I never went as I wasn't a Buddhist at the time. To be a Buddhist chaplain you need:

    1) A bachelors or Masters degree in theology/ministry or related studies (graduate degree in Buddhist Studies recommended)
    2) You still have to get ordained and endorsed by the Buddhist Churches of America, who actually won't ordain you for the sole purpose of chaplaincy.

    The rest of the requirements are typically all the same ones to join in the first place, Buddhist Chaplain or not.

  • TheLastGambitTheLastGambit
    I've already posted about how I am new to Buddhism and so on and so forth.
    However, a question that I can't get out of my mind is what are the Buddhist views on the Military? I'm currently in the Air Force, and I know that everyday when I do my job that inadvertly I assist in the harming of others...perhaps not to ease the suffering of anyone at all. What are the views on this?
    Sorry for the double-post but I realize that I never contributed much to the OP's question and I missed my chance to edit. In any rate... it's my opinion -- being in the Navy myself -- that Buddhism and the military is a delicate dance and seems out of place. To me, there's just something noble in the idea of playing a part in protecting friends and family; does is equate to "Right Livelihood"? I wouldn't think so, but I don't think it's a terrible sin either, especially if you're playing a more passive role.

    I'm sure there must be some way to get in contact with a Buddhist Chaplain if you still feel uneasy -- even if it's not the same branch.
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