Transcript R.E. Florida

Buddhist Approaches to
Abortion
R.E. FLORIDA
Buddhist Ethical Principles
1.
The interrelatedness of all phenomena (coconditioned causality)
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All things are fundamentally empty - Wisdom
Compassion
Karma
All moral acts are understood either to be
skillful deeds which are beneficial to self and
others, or unskillful deeds that are harmful for
the self and others
Human behavior
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Skillful deeds
Beneficial to self and
others
Works against greed,
hatred, and delusion
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Unskillful deeds
Harm the self and others
The five precepts:
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3.
4.
5.
Killing or hurting any living creature
Stealing
Wrong indulgence in sexual pleasure
Lying
Use of intoxicants
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Buddhists aim to perfect themselves by
following the Path to enlightenment
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Morality, meditation, and wisdom constantly
work together in the path of ultimacy and
compassion
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Buddhist morality is contextual and relative,
not absolute
The precepts of morality are not absolute
commandments but “rules of training”
One’s karma obey fixed laws of causality that
determine one’s destiny
The moral consequences of an act are
determined by the will or motivation of the
agent (p.284)
Human being – Human life
Five traditional components of a living being
(SKANDHAS)
1. Consciousness, “rebirth consciousness”
2. Form (body)
3. Feeling, sensations
4. Thought
5. Character/ disposition
Application to Abortion
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Buddhist have traditionally understood that
the human being begins at the instant of
conception when sperm, egg, and
consciousness come together
“there is no qualitative difference between an
unborn fetus and a born individual”
The precepts of taking life applies to abortion
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Abortion is an unskillful act since it involves
violence against a fetal human being
It involves various severe errors from the point
of view of motivation: greed, hatred, delusion
(called the three ‘poisons’)
In such actions wisdom is lacking, that leads
to the lack of compassion and to unskillful
acts
Wholesome motives:
Loving-kindness
 Compassion
 Joy for others
 Equanimity
Any pregnancy could be an opportunity to help
one in perfecting selfless compassion.
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Other consequences of abortion:
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Physical and mental trauma to the woman
Karmic consequences on the physician, nurses,
advisors, family, and friends
Also take into consideration the previous error that
led to abortion: often involves the precept concerning
sexuality, one unskillful act tends to lead to another
Contraception, if it does no harm to individuals
involved, is considered to be skillful means
Abortion in case of rape: one unskillful act does not
justify another, break the chain
Moral ideals
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“voluntary sacrifice of one’s claims or rights”
The 4 virtues
Skillful acts that are beneficial to self and
others bear good fruit while unskillful acts
harm the self and others yielding bad fruit
Compassion for the aborted (temples for
mizoku in Japan) and for the women
undergoing abortion
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Pg. 288 (Roshi Aitken)