The first tenet or precept of Buddhism

[shyfrog]

"Do not Kill"

This is the first precept of Buddhism. But what, exactly, does that mean? Why do Buddhists, in particular Buddhist Monks, train in the arts of self-defense?

Simple: To allow someone to kill you, breaks the first precept of Buddhism.

Think about that

Self-defense is the first protection against killing.

[shyfrog]

Self-defense is the first protection against killing.

Nice.

Also worth noting, the Judeo-Christian commandment is more accurately translated as "do not murder" (meaning kill with hatred).

I firmly believe that using force, especially deadly force, against another person should always be a last resort. But, if they leave me no other choice, then they have made that choice for me.

[shyfrog]

Lets talk about extremes...

"Violence is not the answer" is just as extreme as "Violence is the answer". They are opposites.

Buddhism (and also many other religions, philosophies, ideals) teach that balance is the truth. Seek to find the middle path.

The Yin and Yang show that one cannot have light without dark or dark without light.

Mormonism teaches moderation in all things.

Circumstance, motive, reason, agency, individual action, so many factors... they all need to be taken into consideration.

We are all selfish to begin with. Extreme on one side. When we self-actualize, we see that selfishness.

We can continue to serve the animal and indulge in that extreme, fulfilling ONLY our own desires, whims, ideas, and fantasies.
Or we can choose to recognize it and seek to move away from the animal and become a sentient, thoughtful, balancing, understanding, and rational being.

But, move too far from that position to the other end, and we become less human and more extreme again. We become static, unmoving, silent, unseen, nothing. It's an extreme and we need to self-actualize again and balance.

Balance. Adaptation. Understanding. Cognizance. Awareness. Being.

[shyfrog]

The Tao of Kung Fu # 30 - "Peace lies in the man who walks the Path."

It's just a TV show... but they actually did insert Taoist and Buddhist thought into the series

[Patrick]

From my study of Buddhism, I get the sense that it offers suggestions rather then tenets or dogmas. What do you think "Do not kill" means? Go and live according to that.  I do know that many schools of Chinese martial arts seem to have Buddhist roots (especially Chan/Zen).

Certainly, such practice of martial arts has to acknowledge that death may be possible in its practice.

In general, I've found that Buddhism and Taoism offer some helpful suggestions in leading a happy life so I have adopted some of them and most closely identify with the two philosophies.

To me, "Do not kill" means to not kill someone except in self-defense and when dealing with non-human life, do not kill unnecessarily (i.e. cows are fine for protein but don't pull the wings off flies).  I know many Buddhists are vegetarians because of this precept but my feeling is..most animals will die a horrible death and live a short life. My body evolved to require animal protein. Ergo, since they are mostly doomed, I must find and consume animal meat in the most humane way possible. Incidentally, the Buddha supposedly died from eating bad pork. So eat some bacon for Buddha.

Capital punishment? No. There are too many better, more evolved ways to punish the guilty. Currently, it costs more to execute a convict then house them for life.

What do you mean by "move away from the animal."  What can change the fact that we are social animals. For me, the path is embrace and recognize our animal nature AND recognize that a key to our nature..consciousness/critical thinking allows us to more fully actualize who we are as Homo Sapiens. To be a human animal does not mean I live like Grog and kill when I wish, etc. It means I strive to fulfill my full evolutionary potential.   Just a few rambling thoughts from an upright primate.

Thanks for the post,

[Jacobus]

Moderation in all things is a good idea, but some people take it a little too far.

[CurtHowland]

Wait wait, I know this one, it was in _A Fish Called Wanda_...

"Every Man for Himself"

Yeah, that's it!

[David]

I have become very facinated by the potential of the Golden Rule to moderate extremes in behavior by its insistance that you live by the standards you set for others.  "Treat others as you would want treated", or the much older version:
  "This is the sum of duty. Do not unto others that which would cause you pain if done to you."
    -- Mahabharata 5:1517, from the Vedic tradition of India,  circa 3000 BC
Scarboro Missions has a neat page showing the different versions of the Golden Rule.  They call it a universal ethic, and I would certainly agree.  It is a shame that it is not universally followed.  I think it is inconvenient for many people, and thus discarded, much to societies detriment. 
http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule/sacred_texts.php