Category Archives: Ethics

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Reality TV and the Fifth Precept

1 Comment

A reader wrote in:

I just got through reading about the five precepts. Whew. There are some tough ideas in there to try to put into practice. If the idea of not watching my favorite reality television show causes me great suffering, shouldn’t I watch it? I say this half-joking. I don’t think that there is anything redeeming about reality television. It’s negative and preys on people’s misfortune. I guess that I am drawn by the outrageous suffering – an ugly human trait. I find that it makes me feel better about my own problems. I view it like junk food for your brain. I figure a bag once a week isn’t so bad. But, maybe I should reconsider. 

Have a great week!


My response:

The original question, I suspect, is referencing my quote of Thich Nhat Hanh’s version of the Fifth Precept.


About the only “reality show” I watch is “Life Below Zero,” about several groups of people living in northern Alaska. Each week, they have some kind of real, non-manufactured challenge to work around. They usually master the situation, but sometimes, nature gets the upper hand. This is a show about people overcoming hardships and making a life where people really aren’t meant to be. Granted, there is always a cameraman there, so the “danger” of some of the situations may be exaggerated a little, but the overall tone of the show is uplifting. I’d recommend it. 

I’m not here to push my favorite shows on you, but there is a big difference between something like Life below Zero and the Kardashians. 

I’m not about to slam TV in general; I watch plenty of shows. But the ones that are purely negative, and you know which ones I mean if you watch them, are bad for you. Right mindfulness, Right concentration, several other steps of the Path could apply to this situation. You think about the strife and discord on those shows, and before long, you start worrying and dwelling on that stuff, and it spills over into your own life. As Thich Nhat Hanh said in that original post, it’s a kind of toxin.

Why does negative TV, like the shows you describe, make you feel better by seeing that other people have worse lives than you do? We all have issues and problems in our day-to-day lives, and there’s no way around that for any of us, celebrities and the wealthy included. In many ways it’s the same thing as watching a train wreck or a traffic accident on the side of the road— it’s hard to not watch sometimes.

To put a positive spin on the issue, seeing other people’s suffering gives us a sense of community and togetherness; it reinforces the idea that we’re all in this together. Also, we tend not to appreciate what we really have unless we have some frame of reference for comparison, and both positive and negative frames are needed. It’s not psychologically or spiritually healthy to actually take joy in their suffering, but in a way it feels good to know that our lives aren’t any worse than those people on TV.

As you point out in your note, you know that’s not good. And from the Buddhist point of view, it’s definitely wrong. The goal for any Buddhist should be to eliminate suffering wherever possible, not be entertained by it. You probably can’t really do anything to help those people on TV (and their problems were most likely recorded months ago anyway), but there’s plenty of other more wholesome, more healthy activities you could be doing instead of TV— or even more positive shows to watchif TV is important to you.

It’s hard to avoid experiencing negativity in the modern world, but there’s no reason you should make a conscious effort to invite it into your life. Work to make your own life, and the lives of those around you, better.

What do you think? Post your comments on the site below. Got any GOOD and POSITIVE shows to recommend?

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Raising Buddhist Children

1 Comment

A reader recently wrote:

Hi Brian,

Glad to see the blog posts are back up. I’m eagerly awaiting new podcasts. Wished your book was an audio book.

I’m emailing today to ask: how do you raise my 5 year old buddhist? I think he’ll benefit tremendously from meditation and his mind hasn’t been packed with my family’s Catholic tradition. When do you get a kid started? How do I start him?

Thanks again for all your work on the website.

My Response:

First, I should point out that The Five-Minute Buddhist’s Buddhism Quick Start Guide is available as an audio book, as well as paperback or eBook for all major platforms. The big books may be coming someday, but there’s no schedule for that yet.

Now on to your real question. I don’t have any children, but have taken a bit of time to think through this. Hopefully, we’ll get some advice from someone with experience in the comments below the post.

I don’t know if there is an especially good time to “start” a child on Buddhism other than right now, as soon as you decide that you want your child to learn about it. The best way to “get into” any religion is to simply live with it from day to day. Let your child see you meditate, and hopefully, they’ll want to join in if they see mommy or daddy doing it.

I remember at that age, my grandparents gave me at least one big book of Bible stories, and I know I really enjoyed that book, not realizing that I was being indoctrinated as well. It’s not subtle, but storybooks not only help teach your child to read, but also instill whatever values and lessons are inside those stories. After a quick search on Amazon, here are a few that I found that look promising:

All four of those are very highly rated, but there are dozens of similar titles available.

Another thing to consider is whether or not you want to indoctrinate (that’s an ugly word) your child into Buddhism, or allow them to make their own choices like you did. I don’t know what your path to choosing/accepting Buddhism was, but if you’re like most Westerners, you came here from some other religious background. You may want to simply live your life as a Buddhist and be a good example for your children without pushing them either way. That’s up to you, but it’s a point to be considered.

There are a lot of opinions on this. The topic has come up before here {LINK} in relation to discipline, but the comments after the post are definitely worth reading.

If you have an opinion or advice on children and Buddhist parenting, please post it in the comments or email me.

 

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Eat Your Vegetables!

1 Comment

Dear Brian, 

I am thinking about converting into Buddhism. To me it just feels right. Although after listening to your introduction about the 5 Precepts, I find it hard to follow the 1st and the 5th. 

I have been to Iraq and fortunately I wasn’t put in a position to take another person’s life. I don’t think that I could live with myself, although many others didn’t have a choice… Since then I don’t feel comfortable harming a life, great or small. My problem lies in my being a vegetarian. My wife has hard enough of a time getting me to eat my vegetables now. I know that the mass suffering and the mass murder is very wrong, and I also know that by choosing to eat meat that I condone the chaos. At the same time right now I can’t imagine being a vegetarian. 

For the 5th Precept, I do drink an occasional beer and have a coffee almost daily, but neither excessively. I usually find myself the designated driver. My question is, can I call myself a Buddhist when I have problems with the fundamental elements if Buddhism? Perhaps later in my life I will correct these problems, but for now I am at a loss for what to do. 

I appreciate what you are doing, and look forward to your thoughts about the matter.    
    
My Response:
   
The short answer is that Buddha didn’t say anything about being a vegetarian.  Actually, according to legend, he died from eating spoiled pork. Then again, back in those days, they didn’t have factory-farms, and animals lived a much more “natural” life than they do now.

Here are what I consider the important factors to consider when deciding about vegetarianism:

The food chain and the chain of life are intertwined. No matter what you eat, something dies. There’s no way to avoid that. When judging what kinds of things we eat, it usually boils down to how “sentient” the creature is.

We don’t eat other people. Yes, it’s illegal, but it’s primarily because we can empathize with other people. We recognize that they are sentient and intelligent, and they react just like we would in most circumstances. We wouldn’t want to be eaten, so we don’t eat others of our own kind.

Chickens, cows, pigs, and other food animals are less intelligent than humans, and are generally eaten by most people. On the other hand, how many Americans would eat a dog or cat? Dogs and cats are, in our society, often seen as part of the household, part of the family, and possibly even as surrogate children in some cases. We would never eat one, yet in other countries, where cats and dogs are held in less regard, they often become meals. Are American dogs more evolved or more sentient than in other parts of the world? Of course not– it’s just a matter of perception.

Plants are (we must assume) less intelligent than animals, but they are undoubtedly alive– and we eat them all the time. We have to eat something, and plants are the furthest thing down the list that is edible.

A huge number of people in Asia identify as Buddhist… Do you suppose they are all vegetarians? Definitely not!  Still, keep in mind, many monks and very devout Buddhists choose to be vegetarians, mostly due to the reasons you have mentioned. It seems that the more thought and focus you put into the subject, the more likely you are to choose vegetarianism. Again, that’s a choice, but it’s not a choice that most Buddhists make.

Personally, I’ve always thought that being a vegetarian would be the best thing for me, but I fully admit, I don’t have that kind of willpower. I certainly wouldn’t judge anyone for being in the same situation. Do I feel guilty for eating cheeseburgers? Yes, but feeling guilt is a post for another time.

Thanks a lot for the email!

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Buddhist Helpers

2 Comments
Buddha Tech Support
Buddha Tech Support

Buddhist Helpers

A Reader writes:

Do Buddhist monks work on an individual case-by-case basis with lay Buddhists who seek advise on a specific problem in their lives and then offer a diagnosis and prescription in, of course, Buddhist terms? Or are the 4 noble truths, 8 fold path, 5 precepts, etc., always to be generically self-prescribed? I suppose this question arises from vestiges of Catholic confession, the psychoanalytic model, and just a plain old desire for commiseration.

My Response:

It depends. Monks and monasteries vary a lot depending on denomination, leadership, community involvement, etc. Some don't interact much with the lay community, while others are a central part of it.

I suspect very few monks would turn down a request for help if it were made.

Keeping that in mind, you mention Catholicism. Catholic priests undergo MANY years of training in working with the community. They take courses in counseling, psychology, social work, etc. They are heavily educated in these areas. Many high-ranking Buddhists, on the other hand, have very little formal education. What I'm saying is that most Buddhists would be willing to help you, but they are sometimes limited in their real-world applications of Buddhism outside the monastery.

I'd like to hear about others' experiences with this. Anyone have any really good stories of Buddhist Helps? About bad stories/disasters?

Another answer to your question is that I seem to do it all the time; what can I help you with? 🙂

 

 

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Buddha Salt, Buddha Beer, and Christ’s Corn Chips: Are We Offended Yet?

1 Comment

Someone (I suspect it wasn’t actually a reader) wrote this to me:

2205571Dear Sir/Madam,

As we go to the grocery stores and  kitchens,  we may see “Buddha Salt” by www.buddhasalt.com.

We think it is a great disrespect to use Buddha as a commercial brand. We also feel that it is not good to use Jesus as a brand. Neither Bush salt, nor Obama salt. Himalaya would be already famous enough for a brand, why not use that, or some other brand? Such an abuse should be a great religious hurt to Buddhism and Buddhists. We thus protest and  please transfer this email to people as many as possible, who support us or have normal consciousness for religion.  Let it be clear that the holy religion is not commercial, not for the money.

Buddha is to give wisdom;  Buddhism is to benefit the world, but not to earn money, especially for individual companies.

My response:

I was in a local Chinese restaurant last week, and they had this big sign up for “Lucky Buddha Beer.” I don’t drink beer, and I don’t even much care for it, but you know what? I bought a bottle because it looked neat. The green bottle was a Buddha (Hotei actually, not Buddha, but it’s essentially the same over here), and now it’s sitting on my shelf. I don’t have any idea whether their beer is any good or not, it was Buddha who sold that beer.

6a013486d9362c970c016761745899970b-800wiThere is a certain level of tastelessness to this situation. I’ve never seen “Christ’s Corn Chips” or “Jesus Jambalaya,” and the reason is pretty simple; it would offend people. I can see and understand that. Jesus, after all, is said to be the son of God, or God himself, however you choose to interpret it, and is therefore worthy of more respect than a normal person. That’s from the Christian perspective of course, but here in America, that’s the predominant point of view, and marketing companies know it. Christians tend to take God and Jesus very seriously, and that’s OK because it’s part of their belief system.

Buddha and Buddhism, on the other hand, is not the same thing. Buddha was a great man and worthy of our respect as well, but he was just a man– At least in the beginning and depending on which Buddhist group you adhere to, but my point is that he’s not a god. Did he do great things, and is he worthy of a LOT of respect? Absolutely. But getting too carried away with that respect can be counterproductive to Buddhism.

The writer of the note claims that “Such an abuse should be a great religious hurt to Buddhism and Buddhists.” and I have to ask “Why?” The simple fact that you are “offended” by this, or “offended” by anything probably indicates that you have too much of an attachment towards some idea, and that is clearly a bad thing. I don’t know if Buddha would personally object to his image being used commercially or not, but I am pretty sure he’d object to your being offended by it. Your being offended hurts YOU, not the Buddha or Buddhism as a whole. The only one you are hurting here is yourself with your overattachment to this ideal.

My advice: Lighten up– There are more important things to be offended by and/or fight for.

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Back Off, Move On, Get Over It, Or Fight Back?

A Reader Writes:

My wife has been poorly treated at work and bullied out of her Job. The company is not interested in what has happened, only keeping it all quiet as they are 60% funded by the Government. I feel that we should fight this even though the emotional cost and financial cost could be significant. Are we weak for not fighting? Are we letting others down who will experience the same from these people?

My Response:

It’s hard for me to answer specifically without knowing the details as to how bad the abuse was, and what kind of abuse it was. I assume that since you’re asking me, you want a response from the Buddhist perspective. Well, here goes. There are three points you need to consider:

1) Wife’s Ongoing Suffering?

Clearly there was abuse and your wife suffered. Is she over it? Is it done? Or has it done some kind of permanent damage to her? Be honest- is she really still suffering? Sometimes people “suffer” just for the benefit of a lawsuit, and that’s just wrong. If not, it might be time to just “get over it” and move on.

2) Suffering Caused by Fighting Back

You mention emotional and financial costs. Are these going to cause you additional suffering? I assume so. The question here is are you suffering more by fighting than if you do nothing?

3) Eliminating Suffering of Others

Sometimes, fighting back is the right thing. If you feel that this is going to be a serious issue for others, and that genuine ongoing harm is being done, then you have a certain duty to stand up and try to eliminate the problem.

Again, I don’t know the specifics enough to recommend anything, but these are three things that must be considered. I don’t envy you this kind of choice. Sometimes standing up for what’s right is very difficult, but it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes the fight is only going to extend the suffering.

The question to be asking yourself is, -is- this the right thing to do in this case?

 

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Is Death a Reset Button?

3 Comments

A reader writes:

Message: Hey Brian, really enjoy all the podcasts and this site. I have been studying Buddhism now for almost two years and my life gets better on a daily basis.

My question is : it seems that our purpose is to fully awaken and be free of attachment. Well it seems that no matter how conscious or aware we become living in a form world we will most likely be attached to something at our time of death. That being so and we get sent back for another round at life here. Do we lose the level of awareness that we left before? I know when we are born we are not conditioned and we are totally conscious. Is our destiny dependent on the whole society being more evolved towards awakening?? Because if not we could have a thousand more lifetimes here.  Am I making any sense? If so what’s your take on it.

My Response:

Do we lose the level of awareness that we left before? Is our existence “Reset” every time around? Consciously? Yes. Karmically? No. You don’t know how enlightened or ignorant you were in your previous lives. Your karma, however, stays with you. If you were near-enlightened before, you should have come back in a (karmic at least) condition that will let you continue that growth. It’s up to you whether you continue forward or take steps backwards.

Are we dependent on our society awakening? Partially. It’ not an individual requirement, but as society evolves, and the overall enlightenment of people rises, I would think it should become easier in general. “A rising tide lifts all boats.”  That being said, awakening or Enlightenment is in internal, individual thing, and even if everyone else on Earth were Enlightened, you would still have to make some effort to join them.

One of the most popular posts on this site was Rebirth and Karma, and it explains death and rebirth using an analogy of “waves.” It’s pretty good if I do say so myself. Link

Readers, what say you?

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

On Teaching Buddhism: My Point of View

A long-time reader wrote:

You mentioned in several past episodes that you are not a Zen Master or Guru, and yet, you have taught hundreds if not thousands of disciples through your podcast. Does this not make you then a teacher of aspiring Buddhists? With the availability of the internet, it is likely your students/listeners have more information at their fingertips that aspiring Buddhists decades, centuries, or millennia ago did not have available. What exactly is required to *be* a Zen Master or teacher of Buddhism? The Buddha simply went around teaching and his students called him Teacher. Do you need some kind of ritual or official certificate to be a Teacher of Buddhism these days? Or were you just being humble and did you not realize that you are what you do?

My Response:

Traditionally with Zen, one master confers the title of “Master” on to very experienced students after so many years of study and meditation. There’s no official certificate or plaque, no, it’s just done when the old Master thinks the student is ready.

I didn’t study under a Master, and never have had one. I’ve taken college courses, and have a degree in “Comparative Religions.” I have a Minister’s License from the State of Ohio that allows me to marry people. I’ve read tons of books, watched umpteen videos, and practiced all kinds of meditation. I have to admit that I’ve experienced a lot of what Buddhism can offer. Does this make me the equal of a Zen Master? I don’t think so. I might go so far as to say I’m an “expert” at Buddhism, but I’d have to point out that even then, it’s mostly book-learning, not experiential.

Do I know more about Buddhism that the Masters a thousand of years ago? Probably, but only because there is so much more to know now than in those days (all those new sects and groups that didn’t exist back then, for one example), and the access to that information is so much easier today.

When I think of a modern “Master,” I think of Thich Nhat Hanh or Sheng Yen. Those guys are the real deal.

Am I a teacher of Buddhism? Absolutely. Am I good at it? I don’t know, but I like to think I have a fairly unique voice in the Buddhist community, and I’d also like to think it’s an honest one. My goal here is, and always has been, to clarify, simplify, and remove the layers of mystical jargon and mumbo-jumbo that tends to accumulate around Eastern religions.

Am I being humble? Probably a little. I’d like to call it something else… honesty.

 

 

 

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

From New York to India, by Forrest Curran

3 Comments
Forrest Curran
Forrest Curran

It’s Guest Post time once again!

If you or someone you know is interested in writing a guest post, drop me a note.

Forrest Curran is the founder of Purple Buddha Project. From Tokyo, Japan; he is currently traveling the World while he spreads motivation and encouragement through his project.

 

 

From New York to India

Following your dreams is essentially trying to get from one point to another. To say it in the easiest terms, basically you are at point A (your current position) and you want to get to point B (achieving your dreams). Chasing your dreams is kind of like traveling and at the same time, quite the adventure. Let’s say you are a dreamer from New York and your dream was all the way in India. How would you get there? What if you didn’t have the money to buy a plane ticket?

People give up so quickly and most people are going to quit the moment they realize that they can’t buy the ticket. The true dreamers stick around and realize that there is a plethora of ways to get to India besides riding a plane. One could work on a cruise from New York to Europe then hitchhike to India, one could work for a while then ride a boat from New York to Portugal then ride a motorcycle to India, one could learn French then go to France to teach English for a while then go to India through a ride that his friend gave him, etc…. You see what I’m doing here? There is an infinite ways to go from point A to point B, the only thing that this depends on is one’s determination. Theoretically if one walks all the way to Argentina from New York because in Buenos Aires there is a free plane ticket, even if it might take that person a year or so to get there, they will have accomplished their mission.

Traveling with no money is no different than the decision to follow a dream where the circumstances are hardly ideal: not enough cash, don’t have enough time, having self-doubt, etc. But if the dreamer makes the first step and never heads back, no matter how slow they may be going, the dreamer would be going closer and closer to their dream. The dreamer may undergo through some quite painful experiences trying to get to India, but having gone through those experiences along the journey, the dreamer would had only become a stronger version of themselves having gone through those hardships. Be grateful of pains and mistakes made in life, it gives us a chance to learn and become a greater version of ourselves. Achieving the dream isn’t necessarily the greatest of importance, it’s the person one becomes along the journey to their dreams.

Namaste,

Forrest Curran

 

 

Daily Buddhism, Ethics

Rapidfire Questions Basic Buddhist Questions

1 Comment

Here’s an email that I received this morning. I get something similar every few months from someone taking a class somewhere. I’m not quite sure what the point of the assignment is, whether it’s to interview someone or to do actual research (this isn’t it!), but here are my answers.

Please add yours to the comments below, whether you agree with mine or not.

 

An Email asks:

I am researching the Buddhist religion for my World Religions class. I have many questions and was wondering if you could answer them. Your help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

What has made you believe so fully in your religion?
Does your religion have political problems surrounding it?
Do you believe in abortion, contraception, euthanasia, and divorce?
Were you born into this religion or did you convert?
What do you believe to be the most incorrect and misunderstood belief of Buddhism?
Is the number of Buddhists continuing to rise?
How do Buddhists view warfare in the world?

Thank you again!

My Response, one point at a time:

What has made you believe so fully in your religion?

It’s the only one that makes any kind of logical sense. To be totally honest, there is a lot to Buddhism that I don’t especially believe. I also consider myself an Atheist, but I suspect that will only confuse the issue

 

Does your religion have political problems surrounding it?

There’s a whole flood of ongoing turmoil concerning the Dalai Lama and Tibet, which impacts Tibetan Buddhists, but overall, no, Buddhism is not overly embroiled in political controversy.

 
Do you believe in abortion, contraception, euthanasia, and divorce?

Generally, Buddhists do not agree with these ideas. All cause suffering in one manner or another, and that’s the big thing to avoid in Buddhism.

 

Were you born into this religion or did you convert?

Like most American Buddhists, I converted away from something else

 

What do you believe to be the most incorrect and misunderstood belief of Buddhism?

The idea that Buddhists worship Buddha. I get that a lot. Buddha was just a guy with some good ideas.

 
Is the number of Buddhists continuing to rise?

Yes, but perhaps not as fast as more evangelistic religions.

 

How do Buddhists view warfare in the world?

If you want to be strict about the rules, then war and killing is wrong, no matter what the reason. It’s better to lie down and die than fight. In real-life practice, however, there is often fighting and war; Buddhists have to deal with it like everyone else.