[Buddha-l] Re: Buddhist pacifism

[Benito Carral]

On Saturday, October 15, 2005, Joy Vriens wrote:

> An  individual  is only the sum of various coexisting
> physical  experiences,  impulses and ideas at a given
> moment, like a society is.

   I  tend  to  think  that  things  are  somewhat more
complex  than  that.  I  interpret your words as a view
(among  others) about what an "individual" is. I accept
your  interpretation  from  a  Buddhist  point of view,
however   everything   is   interdependent,   but   not
everything  is  the  same. I don't usually like to ask,
"What  is  it?,"  but, "How does it work?." I prefer to
ask, "What is the function of an individual?", "What is
a  function of a society?" - keeping in mind that there
are many kinds of individuals and societies.

> An  individual  is  a  society (or maybe I am totally
> schizophrenic)  on a lower level if you like. What is
> good   about   society  and  what  is  bad  about  an
> individual?

   I  think  of an individual as someone who thinks, "I
must pursue my own dreams, feelings, and ideas," and in
doing  so  he  remains  alone,  without  taking care of
others, unable of offering trust and loyalty, unable of
commitment.

   In  the  other hand, a society member is someone who
doesn't  think  in those terms, but understands himself
as  part  of  a  team,  "I  must pursue our dreams, our
feelings,  and  our ideas." Someone who can offer trust
and loyalty, and keep commitments.

   So,  for  me, it's not a surprise that relationships
are  falling apart and individuals feeling miserable. I
think  that  if there is something that matters that is
others, and that's why I would like to develop a family
centered Buddhism.

   Best wishes,

   Beni