[Buddha-l] Re: Buddhist pacifism

[Richard P. Hayes]

On Wed, 2005-10-12 at 17:21 +0200, Joy Vriens wrote:

> Also I consider "pacifism" or non-violence if you prefer an essential 
> and even constitutional part of Buddhism (even though it is more 
> pronounced in Jainism). Without it, I wouldn't recognise it as Buddhism.

I agree. As the saying goes "There are things I would die for, but there
is nothing I would kill for." If the price to pay in defending non-
violence is my own death, so be it. And if Buddhism is eliminated by
aggressors, I'd rather see it perish that way that to perish by
defending itself in a way that is a betrayal of its own basic
principles.

-- 
Richard Hayes
Department of Philosophy
University of New Mexico