Vol. 44. October 21, 2023
On October 7, Hamas, the Gaza-based militant group, invaded Israel. Innocent children, elderly and hundreds of young people at a music festival perished. Israeli Defense Forces retaliated, causing immense human suffering.
Israel is fighting a terrorist group. Conventional wisdom holds that there is no military solution to countering terrorism.
Spiritual wisdom holds that this entire situation is insane.
When will the madness end?
In this conflict, both sides have bloody hands. Neither side is blameless. Neither side has the moral high ground.
If one seeks upstanding moral action, one doesn’t look to animals.
Nothing is ethical in war except the instinct to survive.
Animals pursue violence. Buddhas pursue peace.
For upstanding moral action, one looks to the Blessed One.
One can almost hear the Buddha urging the warring parties to forgive one another.
Cast off the armor of war. Put on the helmet of right views.
Set down weapons. Pick up right mindfulness.
Stop fighting. Start right action.
Don’t declare war. Declare peace.
Fighting solves nothing.
Morality, meditation and wisdom solve everything.
The eightfold path is there for a reason: To end human suffering.
Buddhas see this conflict and realize people are afraid to die because they cling to an imaginary self that is going to die.
Desire for self causes suffering. We hang on tenaciously to what is ultimately unreal.
Human wisdom:
What are you? A Jew. A Palestinian.
What do you know? Self preservation.
What do you do? Fight to survive.
Buddhist wisdom:
What are you? Emptiness.
What do you know? Prajna.
What do you do? Compassionate action.
Buddhas are able to live in the world, act in the world, while still seeing the world as nirvana.
For people fighting in Israel and Gaza today, wisdom not war is necessary.
Let your actions abide in samsara, but your intentions abide in nirvana.
Peace be with you.
The Buddha Times 