Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog. No one likes it, and the frog dies.
The problems of faceless communication, r.i.p. frog
Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog. No one likes it, and the frog dies.
Sigalovada Sutta http://suttacentral.net/en/dn31“In five ways should workers and servants as the lower direction be respected by an employer: by allocating work according to aptitude, providing wages and food, looking after the sick, sharing special treats, and giving reasonable time off work.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/226849.pdfBurmese, Cambodian, and Thai men are subjected to forced labor on Thai fishing boats that travel throughout Southeast Asia and beyond; some men remain at sea for up to several years, are paid very little, are expected to work 18 to 20 hours per day for seven days a week, or are threatened and physically beaten.
Buddhists believe that the world is fair. That you deserve what happens to you.
Not this Buddhist.martinfrank wrote:Buddhists believe that the world is fair. That you deserve what happens to you.
retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,
Not this Buddhist.martinfrank wrote:Buddhists believe that the world is fair. That you deserve what happens to you.
My view on kamma and vipaka is somewhat different, in short, because I do not believe the kind of "fairness" you allude to is possible without an external agency's orchestration and manipulation of the universe. Kamma and vipaka are not an atheist proxy for God.
Metta,
Retro.
Hi retro,retrofuturist wrote: Not this Buddhist.
My view on kamma and vipaka is somewhat different, in short, because I do not believe the kind of "fairness" you allude to is possible without an external agency's orchestration and manipulation of the universe. Kamma and vipaka are not an atheist proxy for God.
My own view is that there may be some kamma and vipaka, but it is not for us to speculate and compassion trumps speculation.MN 135 wrote:2. "Master Gotama, what is the reason, what is the condition, why inferiority and superiority are met with among human beings, among mankind? For one meets with short-lived and long-lived people, sick and healthy people, ugly and beautiful people, insignificant and influential people, poor and rich people, low-born and high-born people, stupid and wise people. What is the reason, what is the condition, why superiority and inferiority are met with among human beings, among mankind?"
3. "Student, beings are owners of kammas, heirs of kammas, they have kammas as their progenitor, kammas as their kin, kammas as their homing-place. It is kammas that differentiate beings according to inferiority and superiority."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nymo.html
Not in my part of the world - because I'm not a nun and I have to live and work in a society which gets significant changes to education, social serices, health care etc. imposed upon it, depending on which political party everyone votes for. I therefore consider my vote (as a socialist) to be important.martinfrank wrote:Buddhists don't need to be Socialist or Communists, it would be good enough if they were Buddhists.
I agree with you totally. I didn't mean we should only vote for Buddhists or only for Buddhist parties. I meant Buddhists don't need a Socialist or Communist ideology because Lord Buddha taught us how to act. I vote for the Green-Liberal party and sometimes for Socialist politicians if they show more heart for immigrants and minorities than the other politicians.Aloka wrote:Not in my part of the world - because I'm not a nun and I have to live and work in a society which gets significant changes to education, social serices, health care etc. imposed upon it, depending on which political party everyone votes for. I therefore consider my vote (as a socialist) to be important.martinfrank wrote:Buddhists don't need to be Socialist or Communists, it would be good enough if they were Buddhists.
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I agree with you totally. I didn't mean we should only vote for Buddhists or only for Buddhist parties. I meant Buddhists don't need a Socialist or Communist ideology because Lord Buddha taught us how to act. I vote for the Green-Liberal party and sometimes for Socialist politicians if they show more heart for immigrants and minorities than the other politicians.
Karuna (compassion). People might get some effects of kamma, but that still doesn't mean we should throw out compassion. To use a micro-level example; let's say 2 guys get drunk and get in a fight. They are bleeding pretty bad and need medical attention. We don't say, "it was your fault, tough luck, just lick your wounds." Instead, we call for ambulance and the nurses and doctors fix them back up.clw_uk wrote:I agree with you totally. I didn't mean we should only vote for Buddhists or only for Buddhist parties. I meant Buddhists don't need a Socialist or Communist ideology because Lord Buddha taught us how to act. I vote for the Green-Liberal party and sometimes for Socialist politicians if they show more heart for immigrants and minorities than the other politicians.
Why if the world is fair? Things should just be left as they are ...
If you believe the world is not fair, you will blame your parents, siblings, husband or wife, society, the rich or the poor, men or women, natives or immigrants for your unhappiness. You will be moody and never satisfied.
While you live, your life will be full of hate and jealousy, you'll make a sour face most of the time, and will be never satisfied with your lot. People will pity you or avoid you because you radiate unhappiness.
When you die your heart will be full of hate and greed and you will go to a lesser destiny.
I don't hold "the world is fair" as a view. I don't think about it that way.martinfrank wrote:Buddhists believe that the world is fair. That you deserve what happens to you.
Several kings upheld the duties of the wheel-turning monarch, including the one of giving property to the needy, but then one king failed in that duty:What is the duty of a noble wheel-turning monarch?
- .... and to those who are in need, give property.
The king at least reacted to this bad consequence by reverting to the practice of the mentioned duty:...the King established guard and protection,
but he did not give property to the needy, and as a result poverty became rife.
With the spread of poverty,
a man took what is not given, thus committing what was called theft.
But then the king changed his mind. Thinking that this is a bad insentive, he decided instead to inflict capital punishment on thieves. But this too had a bad consequence. The reaction was that instead of stealing, people started to rob and kill the people they stole from.They arrested him, and brought him before the King, saying:
"Your Majesty, this man took what was not given, which we call theft."
The King said to him:
"Is it true that you took what was not given - which was called theft?"
"Your Majesty, I have nothing to live on."
Then the King gave the man some property, saying:
"With this, my good man, you can keep yourself,
support your mother and father, keep your wife and children,
carry on a business and make gifts to ascetics and Brahmins,
which will promote your spiritual welfare and
lead to a happy rebirth with pleasant result in the heavenly sphere."
"Very good, Your Majesty", replied the man."
The sutta repeats this chain of consequences five times, every time adding more and more consequences to it.Thus, from the not giving of property to the needy, poverty became rife,
from the growth of poverty, the taking of what was not given increased,
from the increase of theft, the use of weapons increased,
from the increased use of weapons, the taking of life increased