I observe the 8 precepts and truly choose to perceive them as the language of the precept acceptance states: " I undertake the training rule to..." In this sense, we are the owners of our actions, our kamma, and our adherence to these training rules influences our path of purification. Yet...

The precepts are training rules. To violate the First Precept, one's intention is at issue. By any act (kamma) we are kammic owners and heirs of that action. So, it's difficult to say in any given case whether euthanasia is appropriate or ethical. The ethics of the act depend on the circumstances, I...

I was reading a posting yesterday about "safe spaces," but decided not to contribute to the discussion. I will mention, on reading again this "Thanksgiving Reflections" section, on how all of us that read this posting, and all that posted on it, did so in a thoughtful, intelligen...

Bhante's comment is excellent, and Ben's above is important, too. We're using the term "breach" here the way the word precept might be used as a "law." I usually don't think of the precepts in terms of them being laws or regulations. From the Pali, the taking of the precepts is t...

...thus he is one who reunites those who are divided, a promoter of friendships, who enjoys concord, rejoices in concord, delights in concord, a speaker of words that promote concord. MN 41 Unfortunately Ven. Bodhi takes simplistic views on such serious and complex concerns: views more divisive and...

A very Happy Birthday, Alobha, with wellness, happiness and peace in the coming years.

I have absolutely no idea what the above sentence means, Don’t be overawed by it. It’s just philological shoptalk and notwithstanding the highfalutin jargon the underlying ideas are actually fairly simple. In fact when you next come to Thailand I can probably explain valency-reduction to you in les...

" It’s true, of course, that in English we need to use a past participle to translate it, (“that which has been heard/listened to”), but this is only because like all modern languages in the Germanic family (excluding Icelandic and Faroese) English has lost the proto-Germanic feature of using b...

When I was a samanera in Thailand, instant coffee at night was the difference between being distracted by hunger (having eaten last at 11 am) and not being hungry at night during the chanting and, later, interesting discussions that took place among the folks at the wat before retiring to sleep.

Thank you for sharing the sutta quotes on what is good and who should be avoided - they are of interest and certainly have great applicability. You're welcome. I feel it's crucial to couch investigations such as these in the original teachings of the Buddha (or the closest thing we've got to "...

I tend to see this the way Ven. Subharo does. I've met Ajahn Geoff as well. He reminded me at first of one of my graduate school professors: serious, uncompromising, and impatient with silly questions. In other words, I was intimidated, and I'm not easily intimidated. As time went on, I saw how he w...

Ben, you're so right. Environmental and economic violence are leading, disturbing causes.

Metta to you and your family.

AD

It will be interesting to see the reactions from Buddhists as to these developments in France, and in general to the activities of ISIS around the world. I think of a talk that Ajahn Brahmali gave, when he described people that cause us anguish and engender feelings of aversion. His focus was to see...

It can also be helpful to note that the Buddha was speaking to the Kalamas, who were not monks/nuns, nor disciples of his. The Kalamas, as I recall this Sutta, were exposed to a number of teachers that passed through their city. I do believe that the Buddha encouraged them to doubt, to doubt in a he...

Will those members who are vociferous against illegal downloading and peer to peer sharing first stipulate that they have never photocopied books? :anjali: I wouldn't portray myself as "vociferous against illegal downloading". I just acknowledge what it is. Would copying part of a text bo...