[Buddha-l] Swearing

[James A. Stroble]

On Monday 25 September 2006 22:23, Mike Austin wrote:
> I was interested in Richard's comment about the guy who assessed a man's
> religion by the way he swears. I wonder if the words themselves have any
> significance or whether they are copied from others and become habitual.
<cut>
>
> Richard's attempts to create Buddhist swear words, if used as a means of
> appeal for help,  would be rather empty and pointless if he were to hold
> the same view as I do about praise to the Buddha.  That is, one would be
> appealing to oneself to change, wake up, get wise etc. rather that to an
> external being. So what one is left with is, perhaps, calling oneself an
> idiot in the present moment, recalling that one was an idiot in the past
> and resolving not to be an idiot in the future.  In short, one swears at
> samsara. Successful appeals for help are contingent on our own efforts.

When I am teaching the tail end of the Euthyphro, where Socrates suggests that 
holiness is kind of commerce between gods and  men, I like to recall the 
scene in Conan the Barbarian, were the Gropinator calls upon his god Krom for 
assistance, but then adds, " if you won't help me, then screw you!" or words 
to that effect. Is that what we are after here?  

-- 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ; ~ ) 
     J a m e s   ( A n d y )   S t r o b l e 
          H o n o l u l u ,   H I 
      h t t p : / / w w w 2 . h a w a i i . e d u / ~ s t r o b l e / 

:The right way to seize a philosopher. Crates, is by the ears: persuade me  
then and drag me off by them; but if you use violence, my body will be with 
you, but my mind with Stilpo."  Zeno of Citium, Diogenes Laertius, VII:24