Question on Buddhism

[tape]

So an episode of The Return of Chor Lau Heung (1986) starring Michael Miu and Simon Yam was on, and it was the episode where Zhong Yuan Yi Dian Hong tries to assassinate the Bat Prince but fails and is heavily wounded. He winds up getting rescued by a Buddhist monk, and a conversation about vengeance ensues.

Yi Dian Hong says he does not want to kill anymore, but he is being forced into looking for justice and vengeance, so must kill again. The Buddhist monk counters with his mentality being similar to the philosophy of the Seven Injuries Fist, where he must hurt his own body before he is able to hurt the enemy. He goes on to say that he is not Buddha, the Buddha is not Buddha, but the world is Buddha; all entities are part of a single entity and that by seeking vengeance and killing another entity, he is merely killing a part of himself.

Yi Dian Hong then says that even the Buddha himself slayed demons and destroyed evil beings in order to preserve justice and good in the world, and what he is doing is the exact same thing. The monk them replies with Amitoufa over and over again with the conversation ending.

My question is on how accurate the philosophy given by the monk is on Buddhism, and what is wrong with the way Yi Dian Hong is thinking? The Buddha did slay demons and destroy evil (according to my knowledge and folklore), but why are they not considered part of the single entity that makes up the universe, and who judges what is considered part of this world and what is not? I am not really trying to look for an argument for or against the thought, I'm mainly wondering if the ideas given are accurate to Buddhism.

[Banh Mi]

This is my understanding of Buddhism.

The Buddha was this Indian prince who found a way to escape suffering. He taught this way to people, and that's it. He didn't ask to be worshiped, he taught a philosophy, not a religion.

But his followers turned it into a religion, and these stories came about, people shaved their heads and lived in monastries etc. But that wasn't the original message of the Buddha.

[tape]

I guess I'm asking about Buddhism in context of ancient times. They incorporated the folklore into the actual religion, much like Christianity does/did with tales like Noah's Ark. But the ideas of it should still be internally consistent, which it seems is not.

[Banh Mi]

To try and answer your question about why Yi Dian Hong's thinking is wrong according to Buddhism.

Buddhism teaches that we suffer because we are attached, if we are detached from the world we will not suffer. Yi Dian Hong is too attached to revenge. What is justice, what is revenge, why is it necessary? These ideas are only illusions and lead to suffering. Peace should be sought from within, not without.

[tape]

I guess my question is only relevant if the/a buddha actually went to vanquish evil and slay demons. I am wondering why a buddha is allowed to have any goals or hopes and dreams when that is the very thing he is teaching to let go of. Isn't the yearning for others/humans to see the light a contradiction to Buddhism itself? Shouldn't the attitude of those who practice Buddhism be one of indifference, rather than being against killing, etc?

[CFT]

I am wondering why a buddha is allowed to have any goals or hopes and dreams when that is the very thing he is teaching to let go of. Isn't the yearning for others/humans to see the light a contradiction to Buddhism itself? Shouldn't the attitude of those who practice Buddhism be one of indifference, rather than being against killing, etc?

Good questions. These are the types of questions that detractors of Buddhism pose (not accusing you of that). Yes the practising Buddhist should not want/yearn - these are physical/worldly attachments that one needs to let go of.

I think that Action or Inaction has to be reconciled with one's own personal path to enlightenment, so one can engage in the world rather than be indifferent to it.

[wkeej]

I guess my question is only relevant if the/a buddha actually went to vanquish evil and slay demons. I am wondering why a buddha is allowed to have any goals or hopes and dreams when that is the very thing he is teaching to let go of. Isn't the yearning for others/humans to see the light a contradiction to Buddhism itself? Shouldn't the attitude of those who practice Buddhism be one of indifference, rather than being against killing, etc?

indifference is a very subjective word. in buddhism and in general, the motive of the person is important. e.g. if one sees a man kicking a cat, being indifference can occur because your motive is that if you interfere, you can get kicked by the man too. on the other hand, if your argument is that it is only a cat, then your indifference may be bad.

[superboy]

Personally, from what I know of Buddhism, the most important thing we must know is that all the suffering in the world is caused by attachment. Examples are attachment to a person, title, job, property, belief, etc. One of the most persistent attachment humans have is our own ego. Basically, it is the mental and emotional identity that we have created for ourselves. I am a smart person? I'm talent? I'm a loser? I am worthless? These can all be our own constructed identity for ourselves. Basically, everyone is carrying with them an image of themselves next to them. Almost like a shadow. Buddhism teaches us to detach ourselves from such a belief. So when the Buddha is depicted to slay demons, it really isn't exactly slaying because this would be bloodshed. Only our ego is capable of doing so. What Buddhists seek is to separate themselves from the ego, then the ego can no long be in control. In Yi Dian Hong's case, the identity of a victim and avenger would be his ego. So in my opinion, no, the Buddha does not slay anything. That is only people's misinterpretation. Also, according to Buddhism, human's natural nature is benevolent and love. So wishing all others can see the light is simply a very natural inclination after the ego is removed. Yet, there will be no attachment to the result even if this is so.

[Yeung Gor]

That's not accurate at all to Buddhism. The Buddha had always preach compassion to all sentient beings. Not killing is a precept of all Buddhist followers. There is no need to punish any evil because their own karma will do that. Beings go through life and rebirth in this world over and over again bound to suffering through their attachments, originated from ignorance. The Buddha's main teaching is how to escape this world he calls Samsara, which is done by reaching Enlightenment.

So there is no Buddha that goes demon hunting, lol

[Ken Cheng]

That's not accurate at all to Buddhism. The Buddha had always preach compassion to all sentient beings. Not killing is a precept of all Buddhist followers. There is no need to punish any evil because their own karma will do that. Beings go through life and rebirth in this world over and over again bound to suffering through their attachments, originated from ignorance. The Buddha's main teaching is how to escape this world he calls Samsara, which is done by reaching Enlightenment.

So there is no Buddha that goes demon hunting, lol

With religion, I've learned this: the answers are typically multiple choice. That is why most religions have numerous factions with competing and contradictory doctrines, which have often gone as far as religious wars and persecutions.

[tape]

That's not accurate at all to Buddhism. The Buddha had always preach compassion to all sentient beings. Not killing is a precept of all Buddhist followers. There is no need to punish any evil because their own karma will do that. Beings go through life and rebirth in this world over and over again bound to suffering through their attachments, originated from ignorance. The Buddha's main teaching is how to escape this world he calls Samsara, which is done by reaching Enlightenment.

So there is no Buddha that goes demon hunting, lol

Then how come Shaolin has skills such as the Demon Subduing Rod?!

[Yeung Gor]

Then how come Shaolin has skills such as the Demon Subduing Rod?!

They stole it from 9 Yin Manual...

[MrIllusion]

My question is on how accurate the philosophy given by the monk is on Buddhism, and what is wrong with the way Yi Dian Hong is thinking? The Buddha did slay demons and destroy evil (according to my knowledge and folklore), but why are they not considered part of the single entity that makes up the universe, and who judges what is considered part of this world and what is not? I am not really trying to look for an argument for or against the thought, I'm mainly wondering if the ideas given are accurate to Buddhism.

I think this sentiment is more closely related to Zen Buddism, rather than Buddhism.

Buddhism (as depicted in popular culture) is often associated with the "putting down butcher's knife and instantly attaining buddhahood" mentality.

The sentiments Yi Dian Hong voiced out is actually quite common in Zen Buddhism, even if it was deliberately twisted to portray himself as a victim of circumstance.

[Dennis Chen]

The idea that Buddhism isn't a religion is, IMHO, largely a Western one where people become disenfranchised with Christianity and see Buddhism as a non-religious alternative. Of course, Buddhism isn't a religion only in relation within their own minds, because, even if they don't believe in Christ and God anymore, they still see it as a true religion.