Buddhism and Christianity

[Netti-Netti]

Originally Posted by seattlegal

That is also possible. {Let's see, anger/aggression, ignorance/laziness, envy/jealousy, pride/arrogance, attachment to fleshly desires, and all of the variations thereof...}

So far so good. I'd add the following: Idle curiosity, spiritual vanity, spiritual infidelity, hypocrisy, love of power, self-pity, impatience, resistance to change, and unwillingness to learn.

In one Buddhist text I saw mention of suicide as objectionable principally because it eliminates additional learning experiences.

Anyways, some of these may overlap with your listing - especially insofar they follow from ignorance.

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Netti-Netti

It's a huge Buddhist literature out there

It is indeed!

and hard to tell which is core doctrine.

I don't know how much dabbling you've dabbled, but in my dabbling this is a common site that gets pointed at:

BuddhaNet - Worldwide Buddhist Information and Education Network

If you want to be rash and split "Buddhism" into the Theravadan and the Mahayana then for the former, the Word of the Buddha is the Pali Canon:

Access to Insight: Readings in Theravada Buddhism

For the latter, the sutras used/emphasized depend upon the school (though also accepting the Pali Canon):

http://www4.bayarea.net/~mtlee/

This is because the Mahayana developed over time and geographically distinct areas; leading to all sorts of fun!

s.

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Netti-Netti

In one Buddhist text I saw mention of suicide as objectionable principally because it eliminates additional learning experiences.

It is to be regretted because it is the taking of a life.

"The Five Precepts are the basis of Buddhist morality. The first precept is to avoid killing or harming living beings. The second is to avoid stealing, the third is to avoid sexual misconduct, the fourth is to avoid lying and the fifth is to avoid alcohol and other intoxicating drugs."

A Basic Buddhism Guide: The Five Precepts

s.

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by seattlegal

Well if purifying the mind is a goal in Buddhism, and there are 88,000 dharma doors through which to accomplish this, it would then follow that we humans have the potential of having 88,000 mental hang-ups. (Which would account for the variety of the different sects and practices out there.)

I heard 84,000. Maybe the difference is cos some are revolving?

I think it just means (as we say) "shed loads"; a myriad of means.

s.

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

I heard 84,000. Maybe the difference is cos some are revolving?

Cyclic?

I think it just means (as we say) "shed loads"; a myriad of means.

s.

Perhaps it might be due to a glitch in my scary ability to remember. {Either that, or I found 4,000 additional mental hang-ups related to PMS.}

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by seattlegal

{Either that, or I found 4,000 additional mental hang-ups related to PMS.}

Only 4,000?


OUCH!


s.

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

Only 4,000?


OUCH!


s.

[Netti-Netti]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

It is to be regretted because it is the taking of a life.

"The Five Precepts are the basis of Buddhist morality. The first precept is to avoid killing or harming living beings.

Ahimsa often relates to not causing others pain or offense. Suicide could be a way to avoid pain for oneself. Btw, I think our obligations to self and others are quite different.

Certainly mercy killing, euthanasia, or medically assisted suicide would not necessarily violate the precept concerning harmlessness.

[path_of_one]

Originally Posted by Netti-Netti

Ahimsa often relates to not causing others pain or offense. Suicide could be a way to avoid pain for oneself. Btw, I think our obligations to self and others are quite different.

As a person who has come face to face with suicide, I think suicide may be a way to avoid pain for oneself but it is a selfish action. Why? Because it causes great pain to the people who find the body and the person's family. Suicide, whatever its spiritual effects on the person who commits it, most definitely causes lasting psychological damage to the people close to that person.

[Netti-Netti]

Originally Posted by path_of_one

As a person who has come face to face with suicide, I think suicide may be a way to avoid pain for oneself but it is a selfish action. Why? Because it causes great pain to the people who find the body and the person's family. Suicide, whatever its spiritual effects on the person who commits it, most definitely causes lasting psychological damage to the people close to that person.

I agree with much of this. In some instances suicide is actually a deliberate attempt to punish or do psychological harm do others.

In the case of medicaly assisted suicide, I would think it's possible for all concerned to process it and plan for it in a way that will minimize harm.