[Buddha-l] Re: Buddhist pacifism

[Joy Vriens]

Richard P. Hayes wrote:
> 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.

My turn to agree.
In which case something else will turn up instead because the appeal and 
the need for peace, inner and outer, will never dissappear. In the same 
way, I don't want democracy and freedom to defend "themselves" against 
aggressors  through means that are antidemocratic and anti-freedom. They 
would then perhaps win all battles but loose the war. The real 
battlefield is the defense of one's democracy and freedom.

Joy