Questions Arising

[poliphilo]

Why doesn't Gautama spell out what he means by "right" living etc? Is it because he thinks the term has been sufficiently defined in his first three truths? Or because he believes his listeners are already in possession of a perfectly adequate idea of "the good". 

One of the strands of the Eightfold path is "right livelihood". Are there professions that put you beyond the pale? Or is it enough that one does one's work- whatever it is- according to the highest professional standards.

Comments

[sambeth.livejournal.com]

What if you were a butcher? Or an assassin? I don't know anything about Buddhism, so it's not a trick question or anything, I'm genuinely wondering.

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

Are you reading about Buddhism? Or are you actually practicing it. Are you meditating?

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

The answers to these questions come through meditation. In Buddhism, there is not right or wrong answers. Answers are found within.

One butcher or assassin may find that they no longer are able to kill sentient beings and find a new livelihood. Another finds that killing is ok if done with mindful compassion. Or that some killing is ok, while other killing is not. Or, they may decide that they are part of the great Tao, the natural order of things, and in this way, they find peace in their own souls. There may be other answers to this question that I have not even imagined.

Buddhism does not provide solid answers to anything. Your answer comes from within.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Because spelling it out would defeat the purpose. Searching for it is the point.

There aren't answers in the back of the book to look up. You have to figure out things like "right livelihood" on your own.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't know- but it occurs to me that grading professions in order of "rightness" either reflects or could lead to a caste system.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No. I'm just skirmishing round the edges.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's excellent.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

This is why there are no radical fundamentalist Buddhists. :)

Other than the precepts (which are things you accept, not commands imposed from above), there are no rules and no holy book. Only guidelines to finding your own path to enlightenment.

And yes, I do identify as a sort of Buddhist, though I don't attend a Buddhist group but go to the local Quaker meeting instead.

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

Western civilization is dominated by Christian ideals, even for atheists. Christianity has this big tome of scripture which most see as a kind of "instruction book". Buddhism has the just a few basic guidelines. It is really more of a practice than a religion. If one practices these things, and meditates, and continues to practice, and to meditate, then one changes from the inside out. Also, the Buddha was just a man... not a god. He is treated as a god in many places, but the Buddha himself would not approve, and even told people, shortly before his death, to not worship him. Buddhism is technically an atheist religion, although in actual practice it is monist.

[wyrmwwd.livejournal.com]

I practice Zen, but don't consider myself a Buddhist. I consider myself a Pagan, so what I call myself is a Zen Pagan.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

One of the things I like about the Noble Truths is their lack of a metaphysical dimension. They're not theology- not even tangentially so.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't practice anything these days- but paganism and zen have both contributed greatly to my picture of the world.