Seeking an understanding of sept 11 attacks, Buddhist view

A Buddhist response to Sept 11 attacks would be to try to understand the motives and acknowledge that there is a responsibility on both sides. It was not action from an evil force outside of human nature, it was the consequence of human action. Humans are the source of evil. Evil comes because of desires and a failure to understand what motivates ourselves and others. A buddhist would first try to understand why they acted as they did. instead of demonizing them, seek to understand their motivations. Then, a buddhist would absorb the evil and to refuse to let its cycle of damage continue. This would mean forgiving the people who did wrong, thinking the best of the people that hurt you, which is easier to understand why they act the way they do. A buddhist would try to own the causes of responsibility for a terrible act. Why would an arab world feel resentment: Anger at the creation of the state of Israel which resulted in tens of thousands going into refugee camps. A lack of justice in allowing Israel to ignore the UN resolutions which condemned their taking a territory that did not belong to them. A continual financial and military support given to Israel by which the US allows it to attack with impunity and any neighboring state which supports the Palestinians. Bombings of those who disagree with the West without considering dispassionately the justice of the dispute. Selfishness of oil. Arrogance and righteousness of Western culture.

If we just condemn ouselves and "beat ourselves up" when we do wrong, then no change will take place. It is only when we take the time to understand ourselves and others that change becomes possible.

In the garden is a snake. The snake is not evil or demonic, but part of God's creation. It is clever. And evokes a response for Eve to eat the apple. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will know good and evil." The serpent represents reason; tries to convince the woman that she will know God better from the neutral stance of reason rather than through trust and obedience. According to this myth all evil stems from the use of reason over faith and trust in God. The use of self-will over the will of God breaks down any relationship with God.

Originally posted by bookreader
If we just condemn ouselves and "beat ourselves up" when we do wrong, then no change will take place. It is only when we take the time to understand ourselves and others that change becomes possible.

In the garden is a snake. The snake is not evil or demonic, but part of God's creation. It is clever. And evokes a response for Eve to eat the apple. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will know good and evil." The serpent represents reason; tries to convince the woman that she will know God better from the neutral stance of reason rather than through trust and obedience. According to this myth all evil stems from the use of reason over faith and trust in God. The use of self-will over the will of God breaks down any relationship with God.

I don't actually believe that all evil stems from "the use of reason over faith and trust in God". I believe all evil stems from our attachment to body, mind and spirit, where spirit is simply defined as 'energy'.

Body, mind and spirit are the temples through which we have to realize our true Being, the true Self, the Spark of God that resides deep within our heart of hearts.

The myth of the fruit of good and evil tells us that mankind became 'attached' to the physical world. We ate and consumed the fruit, a possessive act, where we should've simply observed it. This act of consuming led us down a path of attachment where we eventually discovered (or more accurately, rediscovered) that "all life is suffering". And that it will only be through the honestly of mind, sincerity of spirit and detachment that this suffering can be alleviated.

See The Four Noble Truths.

The Buddha was truly wise and His words apply today as much as it did then.

One face of the many-faced freakazoid which is religion performs a horrifically detestable act and its other faces cry out "I have the answer!".

Ya gotta love this stuff.

Originally posted by bookreader
A Buddhist response to Sept 11 attacks would be to try to understand the motives and acknowledge that there is a responsibility on both sides. It was not action from an evil force outside of human nature, it was the consequence of human action. Humans are the source of evil. Evil comes because of desires and a failure to understand what motivates ourselves and others. A buddhist would first try to understand why they acted as they did. instead of demonizing them, seek to understand their motivations. Then, a buddhist would absorb the evil and to refuse to let its cycle of damage continue. This would mean forgiving the people who did wrong, thinking the best of the people that hurt you, which is easier to understand why they act the way they do. A buddhist would try to own the causes of responsibility for a terrible act. Why would an arab world feel resentment: Anger at the creation of the state of Israel which resulted in tens of thousands going into refugee camps. A lack of justice in allowing Israel to ignore the UN resolutions which condemned their taking a territory that did not belong to them. A continual financial and military support given to Israel by which the US allows it to attack with impunity and any neighboring state which supports the Palestinians. Bombings of those who disagree with the West without considering dispassionately the justice of the dispute. Selfishness of oil. Arrogance and righteousness of Western culture.

I think you've identified the motives of the 9/11 attacks quite well. There's no justification, of course, but it seems obvious. And you're right on the money when you say that there needs to be a responsibility on both sides. Israel, and those who back them in the UN, need to know that there are two sides to this problem. Humility and forgiveness on both sides needs to be exercised in this resolution.

Would a Buddhist try to own the cause of responsibility for this act? Probably, yes. We're all in this together. It's our own brothers and sisters of Humanity that cause these terrible acts of terrorism. Buddhists believe in unity and harmony and anything that divides causes disharmony.

I remember when 9/11 happened and the US started talking about retaliation. Someone suggested to me that they drop bombs of food and money and aid to the impoverished instead. It would've been a lot cheaper and we would've likely had a much safer world.

It's all about the haves and the haves-not, and it all comes down to attachment. We need to learn right human relationships.
Kind of what we teach our children in school: 'you have to share your toys in order to get along'.

Sharing produces trust, and with trust comes justice and peace.


[edit on 14-2-2010 by Neo__]

For reasons that we will never fathom, reasons that in some horrible
and distorted way seem to them true and valuable and good, blasted those
planes into those buildings , destroying thousands of other human beings and
themselves. But, over 65,000 people gave blood. We were horrified by this, but
its the fact that we were horrified that tells how good it is to be a human being,
we do not say, it made sense for them to do that, or for us to destroy them, and
for them to strike back at us, and more sense for us to strike back at them... We
cannot let evil obscure goodness. Its a mistake to confuse justice with vengence.
Its when one is really hurt that forgiveness becomes important. Love is bigger than
hatred, forgiveness is bigger than sin, God is bigger than all that can oppose God.

Originally posted by Neo__

It's all about the haves and the haves-not, and it all comes down to attachment.

Right you are.

I have less and less because I have to help feed the beast.
The military industrial complex has, but never feels it has enough, hence horrible acts like this. Now we all have to help to feed the beast. More.

I don't believe in hell. But it's a hell of a fantasy to think about those responsible rotting for all eternity.


Your mileage will vary, of course.

Sorry tried to edit the post, couldn't figure it out. This is an excerpt from the book "Thinkiers guide to evil" by peter vardy and julie arliss, not really my own thoughts.