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Buddhist Killings

novaw0lfnovaw0lf Veteran
in Buddhism Today
reuters.com/article/2013/04/08/us-myanmar-violence-specialreport-idUSBRE9370AP20130408


Who knows about this? If this is true, than the teachings of Siddhartha have been lost with the majority of its people. Buddhism is becoming like Christianity. I am humbled by this article, though I question its rhetoric.

Comments

  • TheEccentricTheEccentric Hampshire, UK Veteran
    This only speaks for Buddhism in Myanmar, in most other Buddhist countries they aren't like that.
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    Yes, this seems to have about as much to do with Buddhism as the Irish Conflict had to do with Catholic or Protestant teachings. It does speak to the degeneration of the temples over there.

    riverflowInvincible_summer
  • chelachela Veteran
    edited April 2013
    I have heard of this problem developing in Myanmar. Shameful. Clearly those people are not following the 8FP. I do not know what line of Buddhism Myanmar follows (or used to follow), but I hope a highly respected and peaceful teacher can get through to the people. What is terrible is that violence like that spreads like wildfire and people start thinking and doing things in a crowd that they wouldn't have ever dreamed of on their own, in a more peaceful setting. Once a large portion of the population is taking part, it is so much more difficult to put out the flames.

    I also hope someone with some clout in Buddhism can and will speak out against the violence soon, publicly. The last thing we need in the West is non-Buddhists getting the idea that Buddhists are violent terrorists who use force to try to take over. We know how fear and suspicion spread in the West when it comes to minority religions.
    riverflownenkohai
  • SilouanSilouan Veteran
    Every organized religion is obviously made up of individuals. Some have developed spiritually to represent the authentic teachings and we look to them for guidance and inspiration in our lives. Others, like me, continue to struggle with their own ideas, interpretations, agendas, or what have you that are contrary to the religious ideals being transmitted and the negative influence exhibited through actions often have devastating consequences.

    We must be honest with ourselves. Every time we interpret the Dharma, or any other religious teaching, to fit or justify our own needs or wants it weakens and degrades its positive potential not only for the individual person but communally too. No sin goes unhidden as the saying goes, and when we see these negative things happen on such a large scale that we are forced to take notice we must realize that we are in a way responsible for them too for there is no man that sineth not.

    It is easy for us in the West to focus on the shortcomings of those who follow Judaism, Christianity, and Islam because we are quite familiar with their histories, and we aren't really exposed to the histories of the far east, so we naively, or perhaps out of hope, believe that these religions that have their origins there are some kind of Shangri La, but are stunned to discover that similar things are occurring or have occurred over the centuries by followers of those religions.

    This book looks like it would be a worthwhile to read for anyone interested in this topic. When I scrape up enough money I would like to purchase it:

    oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Sociology/Religion/?view=usa&ci=9780195394832
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