Buddhist teachings emphasise the ubiquity and inevitability of death, and for this reason, buddhists tend to be psychologically prepared to. He gave his first sermon on the outskirts of the city of varanasi at a deer park called sarnath. It is called madhyama pada in sanskrit and majjhima pada in pali. However, most buddhist authors tend to just appropriate the middle way to other aspects of buddhist tradition rather than writing about it independently or using it as an independent criterion. The buddha coined this word to suggest a way of life that embodied his teaching and emphasized the virtues he believed would lead his followers to nirvana or the cessation of being and becoming. His holiness delivers a sparklingly clear teaching on how the buddhist ideas of emptiness and interdependency relate to personal experience and bring a deeper. Theravada buddhism and the pali canon dhamacakkappavattana sutta. He was very clear about this in the pali suttas the teachings of the elders, the mahayana sutras the great vehicle and in the vinaya the rules of disicipline for monks and nuns that abortion is the taking of a life killing. Buddhism the buddhas way and abortion loss, grief and. The buddhism of tibet and the key to the middle way 1st edition. Buddhism and abortion damien keown bok 9780333668221. Abortion is common in japan and as a consequence one of the frequently performed rituals in japanese buddhism is mizukokuyo, a ceremony for aborted and miscarried fetuses. The approach is interdisciplinary and will be of relevance to those working in.
The buddhism of tibet is a concise introduction to the principle topics and central practices of buddhism. A number of writers have suggested that buddhism particularly japanese buddhism does indeed have something important to offer here. Buddhism, as embodied in the pali nikayas and the chinese agamas, which are recognized by all the different schools as representing the earliest sources for the study of buddhism, is radically different from all these schools, at least as far as their philosophical content is concerned. Odzer sociomedical aspects of abortion in thailand. Similarly, individuals involved in the abortion process including doctors and the women will accord buddhism, the person will be generating bad karma for themselves in the act of abortion. In japan and korea per harvey it is much, much less restricted and the japanese buddhists are much more accepting of it. There is a thoughtful discussion about abortion there that may help your friend discern whether she can find a.
The dalai lama opens the middle way with an elegant argument for the power of compassion in cultivating a happy life. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Abortion is one of the most controversial moral issues for modern times. The religion of buddhism itself is sometimes called the middle way, as it seeks always to reconcile opposing viewpoints and maintain balance. As a buddhist, should i support the choice for an abortion. It refers to the thoughts and deeds that are most likely to create happiness. Keown does comment in an endnote that buddhism would surely have sided with a woman seeking an abortion in order to save her own life, a position he attributes to hindu jurists of the time. His book contains studies of thailand, korea and japan, where abortion is common among buddhist women.
The readers present the work respectfully and without any obvious attempt at conversion. Catalog start subject abortion religious aspects buddhism. Feb 23, 2017 what the buddha said about abortion this is an important topic because a lot of people are confused and dont know what to do and can even be enticed by wrong arguments. His book contains studies of thailand, korea and japan, where abortion. Buddhism is an ancient tradition which over the centuries has refined its distinctive beliefs and values in the course of a long interaction with the major cultures of asia.
First, the buddhist view of abortion does not include a concept of rights, either a right to life or a right to ones own body. I originally purchased this audiobook out of curiousity about buddhism, and found out many useful things about it. Stanford libraries official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more. Buddhism and the morality of abortion urban dharma. In part, this is because buddhism is a very old religion, and the concept of human rights is relatively recent. In the west buddhism is a nonmonastic phenomenon and westerners want moral guidance.
Attitudes about abortion have given birth to heartbreaking polarization and violence. In buddhism, states harvey, the doctrine of dependent arising conditioned arising, pratityasamutpada to explain rebirth is viewed as the middle way between the doctrines that a being has a permanent soul involved in rebirth eternalism and death is final and there is no rebirth annihilationism. Why buddhism would make such an exception is unclear, especially given the case keown builds against the practice. Wisdom of the middle way nagarjuna, 1995, that one should relinquish all views in order to arrive at the final stage of realization. Buddhism cannot offer a middle way on abortion, because it has already taken sides. The approach is interdisciplinary and will be of relevance to those working in such fields as law, ethics, medicine, philosophy, religion, the social sciences and womens studies. The buddhas sermons and teachings pointed toward the true nature of the universe, what is known within buddhism as the dharma. The buddhism of tibet consists of four texts that the dalai lama specially wrote or chose for western readers. For buddhists, it is obvious that the best way to prevent suffering caused by abortion is to ensure quality education as well as legal access to reliable, safe and low cost contraception. Sep 10, 2005 buddhism teaches that death is an integral part of life, and by virtue of their belief in rebirth, buddhists believe that death is an experience they will undergo many times. The crucial elements of the middle way are present in the methods by which the buddha gradually discovered it. Opposed the brahmin system of worship and sacrifice. In november 2010, the issue of abortion and buddhism in thailand was thrust onto the front pages after 2000 fetuses were discovered stored at a temple in bangkok. I once believed it important to determine the buddhist view on many social and political questions.
However, approaching abortion as merely a rights issue doesnt seem to be getting us anywhere. Buddhism and abortion damien keown palgrave macmillan. But as damien keown, a british bioethicist, put it, buddhism cannot offer a middle way on abortion, because it has already taken sides. This text approaches abortion from the discipline of buddhist studies. Nov 25, 2010 abortion reform is up against buddhism in thailand. The key to the middle way is an acute and precise presentation of the nature of emptiness. As buddhism continues to engage the attention of the west, the time is now opportune for its views on abortion to be heard. Adopting a buddhist ritual to mourn miscarriage, abortion more americans are using mizuko kuyo to grieve the loss of a child, whether it be from a. Buddhism without beliefs by stephen batchelor 1997. One could claim that for nagarjuna all statements are. Some followers of japanese buddhism who have had an abortion make offerings to jizo, the god of lost travellers and children. There is no single buddhist view concerning abortion, although it is generally regarded negatively. This first sermon presents an overview of suffering and the way out of suffering.
Buddhism and abortion damien keown haftad 97849141807. Like most fraught moral issues, abortion has inspired much buddhist debate over the centuries, and many contemporary buddhists have sought a flexible approach. The modern practice emerged in the mid1970s and grew significantly in popularity in the 1980s, particularly following the full. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. It is suggested that buddhism takes a middle way on abortion, i.
A similar range of opinions will be found in the winter 1992 edition of tricycle, which contains short articles by patricia anderson, jeffrey hopkins. I think abortion should be approved or disapproved according to each circumstance. In the pali canon of theravada buddhism, the term middle way was used in the dhammacakkappavattana sutta, which the buddhist tradition regards to be the first teaching that the buddha delivered after his awakening. Since the explicit idea of the middle way first arose in buddhism, there is obviously scope for useful and inspiring writing about the middle way in the context of buddhism. This offers a critique of various aspects of traditional buddhist teaching and practice, including the use of enlightenment, the four noble truths, karma and rebirth, meditation and ethics. Buddhism teaches the middle way between radical asceticism and indulgent worldliness. But it has been hidden away, little discussed, a cause of shame. Buddhism the buddhas way and abortion loss, grief and resolution a lecture by yvonne rand, a zen buddhist priest and meditation teacher in the san francisco bay area. Buddhism does consider abortion to be the taking of a human life. Of course, abortion, from a buddhist viewpoint, is an act of killing and is negative, generally speaking. The middle way in buddhism books middle way society. Notulae on the most important new religion of japan, japanese journal of religious studies 18. At the same time, buddhists generally are reluctant to intervene in a womans personal decision to terminate a pregnancy.
Kingsborough, cuny i it is quite clear from a variety of sources that abortion has been severely disapproved of in the buddhist tradition. Buddhism may discourage abortion, but it also discourages imposing rigid moral absolutes. Nielsen book data an exploration of the abortion question from a range of buddhist cultural and ethical perspectives. It is notable that both us buddhists and japanese buddhists tend. Keown explained that buddhism is now being confronted by issues it has hitherto avoided. Abortion reform is up against buddhism in thailand. While some monks such as phra thepwethi believe in a middle way which regards abortion as a. The middle way, or the middle path is well known in buddhism. The paradigm example of meeting death is that of the buddha, who died in a serene and mindful state aged 80 years. Nov 23, 2009 traditional buddhism rejects abortion because it involves the deliberate destroying of a life. We need a fresh perspective, and i believe the buddhist view of the abortion issue may provide one. Middle way, sanskrit madhyamapratipada, pali majjhimapatipada, in buddhism, complement of general and specific ethical practices and philosophical views that are said to facilitate enlightenment by avoiding the extremes of selfgratification on one hand and selfmortification on the other. Over the past forty years, mizukokuyo has gradually come to america, where it has been appropriated by nonbuddhists as well as buddhist practitioners.
Thus, buddhism strongly discourages abortion except in the situation of an immediate threat to the mothers life. The buddhism of tibet and the key to the middle way 1st. In many asian cultures, buddhism is acknowledged as the religion that has most to say about death and the afterlife. This is the first book to explore the abortion question from a range of buddhist cultural and ethical perspectives. What have modern buddhist ethicists to say about abortion and is there anything to be learned from it. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Adopting a buddhist ritual to mourn miscarriage, abortion. From there, he connects core ideas of buddhist philosophy to the truths of our shared condition. This is the first book to explore the abortion question from a range of buddhist. This audiobook the middle way is an excellent introduction to the subject of buddhism.
This in no way relieves the woman of her suffering but is meant to. What the buddha said about abortion essence of buddhism. Sample essay on buddhist views on abortion essay homework. Mizuko kuyoo and the confrontation with death, japanese journal of religious studies 15. Thus, in buddhism, abortion is regarded as an act of taking the life of a human being, shoyu taniguchi biomedical ethics from a buddhist perspective, pacific world 3 fall 1987. Hencethe onlyviable buddhist middle way on the issue is one between the extremes ofvitalism the doctrine that life is an absolute value tobepreservedatall costs andquality oflife.
Request pdf buddhism, abortion and the middle way what have modern. The middle way is the correct view of life as taught by the buddha. So i thought id provide some clarity on how the fully enlightened one sees it. Buddhism abortion, buddhism and abortion, dr anthony. George joji tanabe jr 1994 japanese journal of religious studies 21. In this final chapter i would like to address directly a question which will have occurred to many readers while perusing this volume. Inducing or otherwise causing an abortion is regarded as a serious matter in the monastic rules. His home context in the palace was dominated both by the experience of pleasure, and by the belief in conventional views that avoided any path to a more objective morality. Buddhist texts offer few coherent views outside of the core doctrinal elements. There is no single buddhist view concerning abortion, although it is generally regarded. Buddhism becomes a missionary religion in asia and gradually diminishes in india. Abortion remains illegal in the country except in cases of rape or risk to the womans health. Aug 15, 2015 adopting a buddhist ritual to mourn miscarriage, abortion more americans are using mizuko kuyo to grieve the loss of a child, whether it be from a miscarriage or an abortion. Early texts have the buddhas family name as gautama pali.
If they think that some form of abortion is best for a particular type of society, one that they prefer, then so long as this does not violate the very basic orientation of buddhism itself, it is. It offers a plea for the reform of buddhism using the middle way. You may wish to read the section on the first precept in reb andersons book, being upright. It also serves as an introduction to buddhism for ethicists. Buddhism is an indian religion founded on the teachings of a mendicant and spiritual teacher called the buddha the awakened one, c. While some monks such as phra thepwethi believe in a middle way which regards abortion as a sin, but sometimes as the best option the. Buddhism a brief overview of the history of buddhism. Buddhism and abortion buddhism has traditionally opposed. It is also good to note that compassion for unborn fetus is essential but other conditions have to be considered according to buddhists. They believe that jizo will steward the child until it is reborn in. Readers who approach abortion from the discipline of buddhist studies will find this book helpful as an introduction to the particular ethical issues raised by abortion. The story of buddhism jinananda, timson, david, lesser, anton, williams, heathcote on. Feb 21, 20 his book contains studies of thailand, korea and japan, where abortion is common among buddhist women. Abortion reform is up against buddhism in thailand abortion.
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