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Quotes and Basic Facts to Add Some Oomph to our Answers - BUDDHISM
A quick checklist giving an easy way to apply Buddhism to a moral issue
1. Check whether any of the five precepts can be applied to the issue. Remember that
there may be a variety of interpretations.
2. Check whether there are any other Buddhist teachings which have an impact on the
issue (e.g. Right Livelihood on drug dealing, rebirth on abortion)
3. Where there are a variety of interpretations, or a conflict between different
priorities, think about the assumptions made by each side and whether the Middle Way
can be applied to give an answer lying between them.
GENERAL FACTS
Ahimsa - Non-violence: the ethical principle of not harming other living
beings
Eightfold Path 1. Right vision, or understanding: understanding that life always involves
change and suffering; realising that following the Noble Eightfold Path is
the way to overcome suffering and be really happy.
2. Right emotion: committing oneself to wholeheartedly following the path.
3. Right speech: speaking in a positive and helpful way; speaking the truth.
4. Right action: living an ethical life according to the precepts.
5. Right livelihood: doing work that doesn’t harm others and is helpful to
them.
6. Right effort: thinking in a kindly and positive way.
7. Right mindfulness: being fully aware of oneself, other people, and the
world around you.
8. Right meditation, or concentration: training the mind to be calm and
positive in order to develop Wisdom
Five Precepts - Behaviour to avoid:
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harming living beings
taking the not-given
sexual misconduct
false speech
taking intoxicants that cloud the mind
Karma/Kamma- 'Action' or 'The fruits of action': this basically means the
effects that all our actions (or more strictly, the motives for them) have on
our future, by setting up habits or patterns of behaviour. An enlightened
person is free of karmic effects.
Used in an
exam
answer
GENERAL FACTS
Middle Way - Practically speaking applying the Middle Way to ethics means
avoiding the extremes of indulging your desires and of totally denying them,
in order to overcome the illusions you have and find a middle position of calm
and content between two types of greed. Judgment on ethical and moral
issues should be made situationally, allowing exceptions to the norm.
Nirvana - 'Blowing-out' (of the flames of greed, hatred, and delusion, or of
the ego). This state was first achieved by the Buddha, which is the goal of
all Buddhist practice, usually translated as 'enlightenment'. Nirvana is not a
place or an after-death state but a fully awakened state of mind. As a
principle, nirvana is distinguished from its opposite, Samsara : the
unenlightened universe.
Rebirth - Traditional Buddhist belief that the process of karma associated
with one individual goes on to be associated with a new individual after
death. This should be clearly distinguished from reincarnation, the teaching
that there is an immortal soul which passes on from one body to another.
Used in an
exam
answer
Quotes to Add Some Oomph to our Answers
1. RELIGION AND ANIMAL
RIGHTS
Religion and Life
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2. RELIGION AND PLANET
EARTH
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3. RELIGION AND PREJUDICE
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At first one should meditate
intently on the equality of oneself
and others as follows: ’All equally
experience suffering and
happiness. I should look after
them as I do myself.’
Bodhicaryavatara V90
Our life is shaped by our mind: we
become what we think. Suffering
follows an evil thought as the
wheels of a cart follow the oxen
that draw it.
Our life is shaped by our mind: we
become what we think. Joy follows
a pure thought like a shadow that
never leaves. Dhammapada
Let none through anger or ill-will
wish harm upon another. Sermon on
Loving Kindness
The pure-hearted, having clarity of
vision. Being freed from all sense
desires, is not born again to this
world. Sermon on Loving Kindness
Quotes to Add Some Oomph to our Answers
4. RELIGION AND EARLY LIFE
(abortion)
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Religion and Life
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Of course, abortion… is an act of
killing and is negative, generally
speaking. But it depends on the
circumstances. If the unborn child
will be retarded or if the birth will
create serious problems for the
parent, these are cases where
there can be an exception. I think
abortion should be approved or
disapproved according to each
circumstance. Dalai Lama 1994
So with a boundless heart should
one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire
world; Sermon on Loving Kindness
Religion and Morality
1. RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TO
MATTERS OF LIFE (MEDICAL
ETHICS) (transplants, IVF)
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2. RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TO
THE ELDERLY AND DEATH
(hospices, euthanasia)
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I should dispel the suffering of
others because it is suffering like
my own suffering.
Bodhicaryavatara
Quotes to Add Some Oomph to our Answers
Religion and Morality
3. RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TO
DRUG ABUSE
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4. RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TO
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
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An action, even if it brings benefit
to oneself, cannot be considered a
good action if it causes physical
and mental pain to another being.
Buddha
If a person foolishly does me
wrong, I will return to him the
protection of my boundless love.
The more evil that comes from
him, the more good will go from
me.
The Buddha