Monday 1 August 2011

Buddha and the Moon - War,Pacifism and Non-Violence

A great quote from the Buddha and one many politicians and newspaper editors and proprietors would do well to heed. The moon is a mysterious entity dominating the night sky so near and so far we think we know it and yet we know it not at all. Man has landed on it but what difference have we made.

I always remember that when the US landed on it in 1969 it seemed like a seminal moment in the history of mankind but the same government that carried out this amazing technological feat was dropping record tonnages of bombs on the people of North Vietnam. It is worth remembering 3 and half million Vietnamese lost their lives and for what. The Buddha’s unerring stance on war and violence speaks loudly to us today and in fact more so as man’s horrific ability to destroy has grown exponentially than it did when he first formulated his philosophy 2500 years ago. When your heart is filled with love and compassion then war is unthinkable and undoable.

Howl at the moon and bow your eyes - peace must surely come when we have exhausted all the other possibilities for resolution.

Read more at the Buddha's Face:

Vietnamese Buddhist monk's self immolation

The Buddha's stance on war and violence

I am a steadfast follower of the doctrine of non-violence which was first preached by Lord Buddha, whose divine wisdom is absolute...

All forms of violence, especially war, are totally unacceptable as means to settle disputes between and among nations, groups and persons.

Dalai Lama





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