[Buddha-l] A More Encouraging Read

[jkirk]

The problem here is that Buddhism has existed for 2500 years in Asia - and
all during that time Buddhists have consistently defended their nations
against attacks from their neighbors (who, as often as not, are Buddhists,
too!). Nor is there any evidence of any Buddhist teachers, including Old
Shakyamuni, ever encouraging political leaders to abandon the principle of
national self-defense. And today a great many (probably
most) Tibetan Buddhists do not share the Dalai Lama's views. So it is wrong
to identify an absence of concern for national self-defense as something
that is "obvious from a Buddhist perspective".

Curt Steinmetz
==================

Agreed..........look at Buddhism in Sri Lanka--gone totally
cultural/national-istic. The history of Vietnam for 1000 years under the
Chinese also indicates rebellions and defensive measures to control and rule
their own Viet territory.
Joanna

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