Sunday Times 2
Militant Buddhism: The sad pity of it all!
Every right-thinking, right-feeling Buddhist — by which I mean any person who makes a genuine attempt (with necessarily, varying degrees of success or failure) to follow the tenets of the Buddha Dhamma — will immediately take exception to the headline.
‘Militant Buddhism’ undoubtedly encompasses a sharp contradiction, because the defining feature of Buddhism is its deep spirit of Calm, Tranquility, Peace, Understanding and a Tolerance of non-Buddhist faiths. This spirit then demands a complete rejection of ‘Crusades’ and ‘Crusaders,’ in the name of protecting the religion
Buddhism has not only survived for more than 2500 years, by the sheer intrinsic strength of the Buddha Dhamma, without the assistance of an ‘Army’, but has indeed spread around the globe, particularly in the West; because, this rejection of violence, whether in speech or action, has a strong appeal to war-weary and conflict-suffering peoples in these parts of the world; conflicts fuelled in terms of race and creed.
As one brought up in a Buddhist home, I was appalled and saddened to note a saffron-robed ‘General’ in this recently formed ‘Army’, in a press interview, stating that people should ignore the words he uses to express his thoughts, but focus only on the meaning of his words. In any communication can a distinction be drawn between the meaning of a message and the words used to express that meaning?
The middle path or Noble Eightfold Path is the solid unshakable foundation on which the Dhamma is built. One of the factors in this path, as clearly expounded by the Great Teacher, is “Right Speech” which means, among other abstentions, abstention from harsh, rude, impolite, malicious and abusive language” (Rev Dr. Walpola Rahula in ‘What the Buddha Taught’}
The Buddha enjoined the Sangha to go out into the world to expound and explain the Truth of the Dhamma. He always conducted himself in a calm, tranquil, peaceful and dignified manner, meeting opposition or doubt regarding his teaching not with a sharp blood-letting sword, but by using the incisive logic of his carefully garnered knowledge of the truths about our human existence.
He said clearly to those he addressed, ‘Ehi Passiko — come and see for yourself’. Accept my teaching only if you are convinced of the truth of what I preach’
Is it becoming for a person wearing a saffron robe, a robe considered sacred and worthy of respect and worship, to deviate from the path of Right Speech and still worse, to encourage those who respect the robe he wears to step out of this path themselves?
Can any member of this recently mobilised ‘Regiment’ point out one single instance from the Dhamma, wherein the Buddha has advocated the use of strong words, words uttered in anger and directed against non-Buddhists, even under provocation, real or imagined?
Ven. Rahula, in his book ‘What the Buddha Taught’ states, “Violence in any form, under any pretext whatsoever, is absolutely against the teaching of the Buddha.”
More than 2500 years ago, the Buddha stated unambiguously: “Hatred is not overcome by hatred”.
In more recent times, the great American intellectual and humorist, Mark Twain, expressed similar sentiments, when he wrote, in deep seriousness: “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored, than anything on which it is poured”
I close with Metta towards all beings, whatever their race or creed; for therein is enshrined the true spirit of the Buddha Word.