[Buddha-l] What's the point

[Dan Lusthaus]

> Assuming the context is traditional Buddhism, and that we're not talking about vinaya rules, there are no prohibitions. What there are instead are voluntary training principles

Really? Traditional Buddhism?

Please explain, then, what Traditional Buddhists mean when they distinguish:

(1) prak.rti sāvadya (lit. "blameworthy by nature"), i.e., wrongdoing that is a violation of basic human or natural laws, regardless of one's affiliation with Buddhism, such as murder; and 

(2) pratik.sepa.na sāvadya (lit. "blameworthy for contradicting [the precepts]"), i.e., wrongdoing that violates a Buddhist precept or rule. 

The latter is something generally not forbidden to humans (such as licit sex or alcohol), but something specifically prohibited to Buddhists or Buddhist clerics. The former is not determined "voluntarily."

Dan