Euthanasia and First Buddhist Precept

You have to Try to keep precepts most of the time if not 100%. I’m not justifying breaking a precept. In fact I can not justify it, as it is not a rule. It must be good for oneself, and good for others, to keep a precept, ie. there’s a rational/moral reason to keep it. It’s not kept because someone just said so. Or someone doesn’t say so, now.

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Yes, I think the point is really understanding why this or that behaviour is unskillful, rather than just adhering to a set of rules - even if they look like good rules.

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Good point.
Only a Sotapanna can observe precepts without clinging to rites and rituals.

I assume by that stage along the path it would be natural to behave skillfully, with no sense of “following rules”.

If you are not Sotapanna your action is based Sakkayadithi, Vicikicca and Silabbathparamasa.

What Buddha said was “Sabba Papassa Akaranan” Which means you have to keep all the precepts. You can’t pick and choose.

Is it a problem if you are doing it with wholesome intentions. Are you being honest about the fact that you eating, walking, sitting or breathing means animals have to suffer?

Well, the ‘noble disciple’ is said to engage in ‘wise contemplation’ and realise how keeping the 10 wholesome courses of action is beneficial to oneself AND others. Once they see the drawbacks of not keeping them, no external admonition is necessary. It’s not a ‘rule’ anymore. So the problem is not thinking about it, as rules are easy for those people who are a little reluctant to do heavy thinking :thinking: :thought_balloon:.

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You can’t kill with wholesome intention. It always done with aversion.

Mother gives son Malaria medication which will kill the malaria parasite. No compassion?!

Abhidhamma sees only good and bad. EBTs see black, white and black and white (mixed) karma.

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Mother gives son Malaria medication to cure her son. You kill (euthanasia) cat becase it is not cute any more and no use of it.

In the EBTs we may all have read that Buddha was persuaded to preach and maintained his life for 45 years, out of compassion. This, desite the cost of that maintenance, and the risks and costs to others in ignorance of a Buddha’s presence.

Gratitude, for this now. Recognizeable as profound and skillfully instructive.

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This is only one extremely narrow example, and in this case it is unwholesome indeed. As @Mat has said, bright and dark Kamma exist - but mostly it is mixed ‘grey’ Kamma, and is too complex for us to understand or calculate completely.

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Buddha instructed us to see Asubha in Suba and Subha in Asubha.
Why can’t let the animal die naturally.
Are we going to kill all the animal who suffer in the wild?

Well, we all make the best ethical choice, under the circumstances.

Well that’s quite a hypothetical situation. I can’t see anyone wanting to willingly get into that situation, who has Right view. This is about right livelihood because if your views were about non-violence and then took on a job as a hunter/poacher or something then you will be conflicted. I wouldn’t take a job as a doctor performing abortions or become a soldier, as it is avoidable!

The same way you can avoid euthanasia.
At least human euthanasia is the willingness of the prson. (at lest for now. Once they get the foot on the door step there will be lot of mecy killings)
But your pet did not decided to die. You took a decession for yourself to kill your pet. How do you feel if someone decide to kill you because your are suffering?

Yes, I don’t have to provide euthnast to anyone! I chose mental health. My job is to stop suicides!

Yes. And it’s a considered decision, thought through by a few people.

I wouldn’t want to get into legislation of euthanasia. I would however consider it as a possibility. I wouldn’t want to impose my thinking process to other people either, as they need to make choices they are comfortable with.

Good point. Are we treating it (him/her) as a given by god for my ‘consumption’, to be discarded when no longer functional or using the same ethical standards as applied to the living human sentient being.

Hi @SarathW1 and @Mat,

It looks like this discussion is just going on between the two of you and concerning personal views. In order to keep threads on track, from a housekeeping point of view, could I ask you to continue this as a PM please.

Metta

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