Author: GREGORY PAI

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On the Sacred and the Profane

4–7 minutes
Gregory Pai, Ph.D.
In Gratitude To Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli                            

To understand what is sacred in our lives, it is useful to begin with an understanding of what is not sacred, or profane.  If what is sacred are those moments of full presence when, with all of our faculties, we come into connectedness and openness to the reality of our moment-to-moment experience, then what is non-sacred is its opposite.  It is those moments of being totally immersed in discursive thought, generally oriented toward our ego self, for the purpose of attaining specific goals and objectives in life.  Most often, it is for the attainment of pleasure or the avoidance of pain in the sense of living our lives in accordance with Freud’s Pleasure Principle.  At a more basic level, discursive thought functions as the vehicle by which we acquire the pre-requisites for survival and propagation in the world.  In the most fundamental Darwinian sense, rational or purposive behavior is the means by which we maximize our potential for survival, dominance, control, power, and pre-eminence.  By means of strategy and calculation rational behavior becomes the means for attaining our objectives of survival and power. Thus, the issue of what is “profane” is not a moral issue, but rather a description of the very condition, the very warp and woof, of the lives that we live.  It is the “theatre” of our lives, lived out in the competitive pursuit of survival, efficacy, power, and control.  

To experience moments of sacredness, therefore, is to step out of an outcome-oriented, self-centered way of thinking and “connect” to the larger web of environment and circumstance (time and space) that we find ourselves in and become “present” for the actual moment to moment reality in which we find ourselves, whatever the emotional tone of that reality may be.  It is to forget the exigencies of survival and dominance and become one with time, the universe, and the larger karmic processes that created us and work through us.  It is to see ourselves in the larger evolutionary flow of the universe.  It is those moments of epiphany and vision that allow us to burst our constricted ego selves and actually see ourselves in our intrinsic reality as well as within our place in the infinite flow of space and time.  It is those moments of seeing that begin to allow us a sense of spaciousness, wisdom, compassion, and love, both for ourselves and all that surrounds us.  Most fundamentally, it is about seeing through the delusion and demands of our ego-oriented conventional selves.  

However, to see our lives as fundamentally or intrinsically profane or to escape into a life of unalloyed purity oversimplifies our fundamental complexity as human beings.  It is only in the context of our humanity that we can truly appreciate the value of what is sacred and what is profane, how they can contribute to our awakening, and how they can create a sense of meaning and purpose that goes beyond the purely mundane demands of physical survival.  

It is then that we understand and resolve the ongoing tension between being, or presence, and action, or doing.  Like Paulo Friere’s distinction between reflection and action, they are not mutually exclusive but are integral elements of a life lived fully in the world, fully informed with a sense of presence, understanding, and purpose that go beyond the demands of survival and control.  

To live fully as a human being is to allow a full integration of the sacred and the profane in our lives in order to attain the fullest potential of our innate humanity.  It is to integrate the elements of being and doing so as to fulfill the requirements of survival and efficacy, but with a sense of spaciousness, understanding, wisdom, and compassion.  It is to have the kind of wisdom that allows us to see essentially two things:  First, that we are not alone in time and space…that we are connected in every conceivable way to people, circumstances, and the environment, so that we should never behave as if we were the only persons in the world, isolated and alone, or thinking only of our own benefit or advantage.  Secondly, it is the kind of wisdom that allows us to truly see the impermanence and evanescence of all things… that nothing is everlasting, immutable, and unchanging…that nothing is immortal… that all reality, including the entire cosmos, is constantly in an ever changing flux of transformation, and that the root of our suffering is our inability to let go of what in our hearts we already know never lasts forever, including our own selves.  In that sense, the quality of our lives at the moment of our death is conditioned by the choices we have made concerning the integration of the sacred and the profane in our lives.  The “mystery” of our own meaning only unfolds in our surrender and openness to the reality of our circumstances, whether pleasant or unpleasant, throughout our lives.  It is only then that spaciousness, understanding, wisdom, and compassion can begin to unfold.  And it is only then that grace, serenity and peace begin.

So, bringing the sacred and the profane together in our lives allows us to bring into full acceptance all the aspects of our life that are revealed in the flow of present moment reality…our pain, our suffering, our anxiety, our desires, wishes, dreams, and aspirations…to accept what Jon Kabat Zinn calls the full catastrophe of our lives, or to see, as Saki Santorelli, that all the moments of our lives are grist for the mill. It is to see all the moments of our lives as opportunities for unfolding, as opportunities for finding a sense of understanding and compassion for ourselves.  It is in the living of those moments that our lives unfold, but with the kind of spaciousness, meaning, direction, and purpose that only comes from a true understanding and compassion for ourselves.  It is from that core, that we can begin to come to a sense of wholeness and healing from within ourselves, begin to truly understand and love others, and begin to build a better world for all those around us. 

Read More Reflections by Greg Pai

On the Sacred and the Profane

In Gratitude To Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli                             To understand what is sacred in our lives, it is useful to begin with an understanding of what is not sacred, or profane.  If what is sacred are those moments of full presence…

Mindfulness Meditation in Mental Health Settings

Presented at the 31st Annual Conference of National Association for Rural Mental Health with David Edwards, M.TH., B.C.C. August 6, 2005 What is Mindfulness Meditation?  Mindfulness meditation is a process of focussed introspection based on deep relaxation and guided concentration that helps to reduce stress and develop a deeper awareness of physical and mental processes. …

Spirituality and Outreach

Meditation and Mental Illness        A Presentation at the Hawaii State Hospital                    November 14, 2002 Mindfulness, or Insight meditation, is an ancient Buddhist practice for attaining higher levels of self understanding through the development of a heightened awareness of present moment experience as it…

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Mindfulness Meditation in Mental Health Settings

Presented at the 31st Annual Conference of National Association for Rural Mental Health with David Edwards, M.TH., B.C.C.
Gregory Pai, Ph.D.
4–6 minutes
August 6, 2005

What is Mindfulness Meditation? 

Mindfulness meditation is a process of focussed introspection based on deep relaxation and guided concentration that helps to reduce stress and develop a deeper awareness of physical and mental processes.  It has been described as a process of intentional self-regulation of attention.  It enhances concentration and awareness as an individual focuses systematically and intentionally on particular aspects of his or her inner and outer experience.  It is a refined and systematic way to pay attention on purpose, nonjudgmentally, and in the present moment. It allows for a deeper understanding of the workings of our minds and the depth of our possibilities for growth and transformation.  The techniques of Mindfulness meditation are based on the Burmese Insight or Mindfulness (Vipassana) meditation tradition but are universal in their relevance and application.  

What is the Relevance for Mental Health? 

Through Mindfulness meditation the consumer is able to reduce stress and anxiety through a focussed relaxation process.  It also enables sustained focussed concentration, one is asked to focus his or her attention on a specific object, usually the sensation of the breath.  The consumer is then asked to observe physical and mental phenomena as they arise, note their presence, let them go, and direct the attention back to the sensation of the breath.  Through this iterative process, the patient eventually is able to reduce the effect of reactive discursive thought, which is often the basis for anxiety and stress, quiet the agitated mind, and observe physical and mental/emotional processes as they arise in the mind and body.  This allows for an objective, non-judgmental, and non-reactive awareness of physical and mental states which can lead to greater levels of self-awareness and understanding, and, ultimately, compassion toward one’s self and others.  It also allows for a greater ability to manage and alleviate physical and mental symptoms in a way that complements more traditional psychological treatment methods.

Formal clinical studies have shown that meditation can have a strong effect in the reduction in generalized anxiety disorders, including overall mood disturbances, stress, emotional irritability, depression, and cognitive disorganization.  It has also been shown to reduce the tendency to panic disorders and agoraphobia   

In one particularly powerful example, a forensic patient with a history of violence came to see, with the help of meditation, patterns of childhood parental abuse that may have contributed to his condition.  That realization helped him to understand and come to terms with his life situation and attain a sense of reconciliation with his parents.    

By coming into the process of observation and investigation of his or her own mental states, meditation also brings an element of personal recognition, efficacy, and responsibility into the healing process. In some cases, this has helped in the actual diagnosis and treatment of specific psychological symptoms.  Mindfulness practice also nurtures a greater sense of interdependency with others and a sense of interconnectedness and community and can be a factor in reconnecting consumers with family, friends, and communities.  

What are the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation in a Practice Setting?

Dr. Gregory Pai began weekly sessions of mindfulness practice at the Hawaii State Hospital over three years ago.  Although, designed primarily for consumers, staff members have also participated in the sessions.  As the program has expanded over time, some of these staff participants have begun to lead additional mindfulness meditation groups at the hospital as well. 

In terms of benefits, Insight Meditation, as practiced in our setting, utilizes a guided relaxation process, which uses the focus on measured, deep breathing as a way to help the individual “stay in the present moment.”  It is very relaxing, but many of our clients also report that it helps them reduce their anxiety and also “get some distance” from the internal stimuli that often plague them.  

During the three years we have been giving these classes, we have had persons with every major mental illness participating in the meditation practice.  Most of our clients also have Dual Diagnoses and struggle with alcohol and/or drug addictions.  A number of them have developmental challenges as well.  None of these challenges have kept them from benefiting from the Insight Meditation classes.  

Although Insight Meditation is based on Theravadin Buddhism, the form that Dr. Pai teaches is secular in approach.  Our clients reflect a variety of religious and cultural world views.  The approach is both neutral and respectful of each person’s individual uniqueness.

In terms of integration into daily life, many of our clients have indicated that they make meditation practice a part of their daily routine.  It helps bring calm into their often busy and hectic lives.  The meditation instructions have also been taped and converted to CDs, which are made available to clients who request them.  They often use them in their Walkman CD players.

Meditation practice has also helped clients re-connect to the larger community.  There are a number of settings in Honolulu where our clients are welcome to join in meditation.  We are also hoping to locate other meditation groups on the other Hawaiian Islands for our clients who will be moving to the neighbor islands. 

References:

1. Jon Kabat Zinn, Ph.D.; Full Catastrophe Living; Delta; 1990.

2. Jon Kabat Zinn, Ph.D.; “Mindfulness Meditation: Health Benefits of an Ancient Buddhist Practice” in Mind/Body Medicine; Goleman and Gurin (eds); Consumer Reports Books; New York; 1993.

3. Jon Kabat Zinn, Ph.D., Ann Ohm Massion, M.D., James R. Hebert, Ph.D., Elana Rosenbaum, M.D.; “Meditation” from Textbook on Psycho- oncology, Jimmie C. Holland, M.D. (ed.); Oxford University Press, Oxford; 1998.

4. John J. Miller, M.D., Ken Fletcher, Ph.D., and Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.; “Three-Year Follow-up and Clinical Implications of  a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Intervention in the Treatment of   Anxiety Disorders”,       General Hospital Psychiatry, No. 17,  pg.192- 200, 1995.

5. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., Ann O. Massion, M.D., Jean Kristeller, Ph.D.,   Linda     Gay Peterson, M.D., Kenneth E. Fletcher, Ph.D., Lori Pbert, Ph.D.,      William R. Lenderking, Ph.D., and Saki F. Santorelli, Ed. D. ;  “Effectiveness  of a Meditation- Based Stress Reduction Program in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders”, American Journal of Psychiatry, No. 149, pg. 936-943. 1992.

GREGORY PAI

Categories
Articles by Sangha Writers

Spirituality and Outreach

Meditation and Mental Illness

       A Presentation at the Hawaii State Hospital
Gregory Pai, Ph.D.
4–5 minutes
                   November 14, 2002

Mindfulness, or Insight meditation, is an ancient Buddhist practice for attaining higher levels of self understanding through the development of a heightened awareness of present moment experience as it occurs in our minds and bodies.   Said to be the original form of meditation developed by the Buddha himself, it is based on a kind of nonjudgmental and focussed attention that nurtures greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of our present moment reality.  It allows us to witness the nature of our experience, come to a deeper understanding of the workings of our minds, and realize the depth of our possibilities for growth and transformation.  One can think of mindfulness as simply the art of conscious living.  It is a way to be more in touch with the fullness of our being through a systematic process of self-observation, self-inquiry, and mindful action.  In essence, it has to do with waking up and seeing things as they truly are.   In fact, the “Buddha” simply means one who has awakened to his or her true nature.  

My own experience with mindfulness meditation began in the mid-1970s with periods of involvement in Tibetan meditation practices and Zen meditation.  It was in the mid-eighties that I began to practice insight meditation, which is primarily found in the Southeast Asian countries of Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos, and Cambodia.  

As my practice developed into the 1990’s, I began to teach in different types of situations.  For a number of years, I taught meditation at Halawa Prison.  I then began a regular class at the Korean Temple in Palolo Valley, and then about a year ago I began teaching regularly at the Hawaii State Hospital with the support and guidance of Reverend Dave Edwards.  Recently, I also began teaching in a program at the Tripler Veterans Hospital.  

What drew me to the application of insight meditation to the needs of the mentally impaired was the power of mindfulness in understanding of the workings of our minds.  What we generally understand as mental illness, or, for that matter, mental health, has to do, in large part, with how we relate to what happens in our minds.  Most of the time we tend to react automatically and unconsciously to the forces of the outside world with little awareness of how they condition and influence our lives.  Mindfulness allows us to observe these forces with greater clarity, how they influence our behavior, how we react to them, and how they can often cause us to suffer.  Through this awareness we begin to see how we can make positive changes to enhance our health and quality of life.  It can generate powerful benefits on many levels: from the simple alleviation of stress and worry, to the attainment of deeper levels of peace, stability, balance, and happiness in life.  

In the case of mental illness, mindfulness can be a powerful tool for observing our mind states, how they came to be, and what their impact is on our behavior.  Through impartial and nonjudgmental observation, we can come to a greater awareness of how these forces can have a powerful effect in controlling our lives.  For many, it affords a powerful means of developing a sense of understanding and control over these forces and an ability to manage their symptoms in a way that can positively complement more traditional treatment methods.  By directing attention and investigation toward the causes of particular mental states, as well as the symptoms, it can also provide an important tool in the arduous and difficult road toward healing and wholeness.  And, by bringing the person into the process of observation and investigation of his or her own mental states, it brings a powerful element of personal recognition and responsibility into the healing process.  It can also be a powerful tool in directly alleviating particular symptoms such as stress, or in cases of anger management or generalized anxiety disorders.  In some cases, it has helped in the actual diagnosis and treatment of specific psychological symptoms.   

On a personal level, I have experienced tremendous personal gratification in seeing how the meditative practice has generated positive results for those who practice it.  I consider it a privilege to be able to share this practice with those who bring a quality of sincere intention and commitment to the attainment of healing and wholeness.

On the other hand, while the goal of the practice is to heal one’s self and realize one’s own potential as a human being, it is through that process of self actualization itself that one also realizes one’s interdependency with others and attains a sense of interconnectedness and community.  It is in that sense that mindfulness practice can also be a strong factor in reconnecting consumers with their families, friends, and relevant communities.  Similarly, faith communities can play a large and important role in encouraging and facilitating that process of reconnection for individual consumers, both within themselves, and between themselves and the community.  

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Moving from Exclusion to Inclusion in My Faith

Kauai Photo by Greg Pai
A Presentation at the All Believers Network Symposium
September 5, 2005

Perhaps one of the most inspiring passages in the Buddhist literature is the paean to joy that was uttered by the Buddha upon his attainment of enlightenment.  Because it bears so much upon the issue of exclusion and inclusion, I would like to share it with you.

Through many a birth in existence wandered I,

seeking, but not finding, the builder of this house.

Sorrowful is repeated birth.

O house builder, thou art seen.  Thou shalt build no house again.

All thy rafters are broken.  Thy ridge-pole is shattered.

Mind attains the unconditioned.

Achieved is the end of craving.  

Buddha

Of course, the question immediately arises: Who is the house builder, and what is the house?  

The house builder is none other than our own egos. From a healthy perspective, it is that dynamic force that propels us to seek food, clothing, shelter, procreation, and social kinship.  But, it can also turn into habitual patterns of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain, addictive attachments, destructive aversive behavior, and  the struggle for power and control over our community and environment.  In Darwinian terms you might call it our instinct for survival and predominance.  Arthur Schopenhauer called it the “will to power”.  The writer Robert Ardrey, called it the “territorial imperative”.   

On the other hand, if the ego is the builder, then the house is the edifice that we build in the process of living out our lives.  It is the sum of all our conditioning: everything we have learned and experienced from the moment of birth through our years of growth and maturation. It is our stories, it is our histories, it is the specific pattern of cause and effect through which our lives have evolved and become manifest.  It is our identities, it is who we have become.   It is our sense of our own selves, our self image, with which we identify, become attached to, and often defend, at all costs.  On the other hand, it is also what differentiates us from others and makes us unique. But, it is also what can isolate us from others.  

The rafters and the ridge pole are the architectural elements that support the house.  The rafters are the mental defilements, or passions, such as desire, craving, aversion, illusion, conceit, and false views.  The ridge-pole, which supports the rafters, is ignorance, the root cause of all the passions.  The shattering of the ridge pole of ignorance by wisdom results in the complete demolition of the house.

When the house is demolished, the mind attains the unconditioned.  It is that state that is beyond all conditions, beyond all birth and death, beyond cause and effect.  It is a state that is unborn and yet never dies, a state that is not created in time, nor is it created at all.  Some have called it the Ground of Being, or Ultimate Reality, or Nirvana.  Various faith traditions have called it the Divine Presence, Divine Consciousness, Universal Mind Consciousness, Universal Love, the Divine Mystery, or, simply, God.  

What is most important, however, is what happens when one  allows one’s house to fall away.  In that moment one attains a sense of pure existential Being and experiences a connection and openness to the larger sacred context within which, and through which, all life exists.  It is within that larger space that self and other fall away, and all life and reality are affirmed and unified.   

If we operate at the level of our ego selves, or what Buddhists call Conventional Reality, we are bound by the unique and specific conditions that make us different and isolate us from others.  But, if we operate at the level of what is called Ultimate Reality, the distinctions fall away and we experience a unity that allows empathy, acceptance, understanding, compassion, and love.

Whether we operate with an attitude of exclusion or of inclusion is largely determined by the extent to which we have released ourselves from the tyranny of our own egos into the  unconditioned, sacred nature of Being that permeates all life.

Yet, at the same time as Buddhists we are also taught that what is Conventional and what is Ultimate is not separate.  Just as the waves and currents that form the turbulence on the surface of the ocean are comprised of the same water that constitutes the stillness and silence of the depths, each one of us is, in fact, a conventional person, of flesh and bones, living in time and space.  Yet, each one of us carries within ourselves that which is timeless, infinite, and beautiful.  So, we strive to bring that spaciousness into our everyday lives with an understanding that allows a measure of acceptance, understanding, wisdom, compassion, and, ultimately, serenity and peace.  

In the same way, by honoring what is unique and special, while seeing what is universal and timeless within every faith tradition, let us reach beyond the differences that define exclusivity, and find that ground of commonality that begins to truly define a sense of inclusivity and interconnection in our lives.

It is through our own personal spiritual journeys that we are able to come to greater understanding, wisdom, and empathy, so that within our own hearts and within our own communities, we may be better able to open ourselves further to ourselves and, in doing so, to those around us.  

Thank you very much.    

Time to Read:

4–6 minutes
Categories
Articles by Sangha Writers

Finding Compassion in a Time of War

Portlock Photo by Greg Pai
A Buddhist Perspective on the War in Ukraine
Hawaii Association of International Buddhists Online Presentation
8–12 minutes
April 24, 2022

“Compassion changes everything. Compassion heals.  Compassion mends the broken and restores what has been lost.  Compassion draws together those who have been estranged or never even dreamed they were connected.  Compassion pulls us out of ourselves and into the heart of another, placing us on sacred ground where we instinctively take off our shoes and walk in reverence.  Compassion springs out of vulnerability and triumphs in unity.”  

Judy Cannoto

On February 24th, 2022, Vladimir Putin initiated an unprovoked, vicious and criminal invasion of Ukraine.  In the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, it was a “day of infamy”.  In the roughly two months since then, over seven million people have been internally displaced within the country, more than five million refugees have fled to surrounding countries, tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed, and major cities of the country have been totally destroyed.  

These events represent a catastrophe of global dimensions that is already fragmenting the world as we know it, drawing us back to the horrors of the Second World War, and reinstituting the tensions of the Cold War of the 1960s to 1980s.  

As practicing Buddhists, we find ourselves challenged as never before to understand these circumstances within the context of the Dharma, our commitment to ahimsa,  or non harming, and the First Precept against the taking of life.  We find ourselves challenged to find a sense of agency in these circumstances, to support and assist those in suffering and not fall prey to despair, helplessness and cynicism about the condition of humanity today.  

To understand the war in Ukraine, I think it is helpful to understand the historic relationship between Ukraine and Russia.  The Ukrainian and the Russian people have experienced an ancient and complex history of struggle over thousands of years.  From the time of the birth of Russian culture in Kiev in the 12th Century, the rise of the Russian Tsars, the tragedy of the Second World War, and the post Soviet-era struggle for Ukrainian independence, what is clear is that Ukraine has always struggled under the oppressive yoke of Russia, whether under the Tsars, Stalin, or, more recently Vladimir Putin.  What has become clear to the world is that the struggle of the Ukrainian people is a struggle for independence and freedom, not only as a nation, but as a culture and a people. 

But what is also clear through all of this is that the Ukrainian struggle is but the latest episode of the history of colonialism and the struggle of the colonized to free themselves from oppression.   

From the time of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th Century and the rise of the western powers, the history of the world has been marked by the struggle of the strong against the weak for resources, labor, or empire.  At the same time, the legacies of the colonized countries have been marked by decades and centuries of oppression, suffering, struggles to regain a sense of national, ethnic and cultural identity, and a sense of economic and social development and equality.  

I can relate to that struggle in a personal way.  As an ethnic Korean, I am aware of the centuries long oppression that Korea experienced under its more powerful neighbors, China and Japan.  The name for Korea in the Korean language is often interpreted to mean the land of suffering.  My father grew up in a Korea that was a colony of Japan where he was forbidden to speak the Korean language.  My mother spent most of her early life fighting for Korean independence.  They fell in love and married because of their common dedication to Korean independence.  I also have relatives, aunts and uncles who suffered during the ensuing Korean War.  A number of them were killed.  

So, as a species, we as human beings have far to go to overcome the kind of greed, hatred, and delusion that has created so much of the suffering we continue to experience to this day.  The legacy of colonialism has always been the legacy of denial, abuse and suffering.

So, as Buddhists, the question is: how do we relate to what is happening in the Ukraine today?  How can we find a sense of meaning in their struggle, a sense of agency to stand in support of the people of Ukraine, and a sense of moral efficacy in the face of our commitment to ahimsa and the First Precept against the taking of life?

To help us in this dilemma, I would like to turn to the teachings of the Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi in an essay he wrote in Inquiring Mind entitled: War and Peace: A Buddhist Perspective”.  

We know from history that the Buddha lived during a time of tremendous warfare and upheaval.  He writes how “men take up swords and shields, buckle on bows and quivers, and charge into battle…where they are wounded by arrows and spears, and their heads are cut off by swords…and they are splashed with boiling liquids and crushed under heavy weights.  

Against this backdrop of social chaos, the Buddha propounded an ethic of harmlessness that rejected violence in all its forms.  He rested this ethic on the appeal to empathy, the ability to imagine oneself in the place of others: “All beings fear violence, all fear death.  Using oneself as a criterion, one should not kill or cause death”.  The First Precept calls for abstinence from the destruction of life.  The earnest follower “puts down the rod and weapon and dwells compassionate toward all living beings”.

Yet the question remains, what happens to our commitment to harmlessness when the evil of war seems necessary to deter a greater and more destructive evil?  Bhikkhu Bodhi informs us that the sutras, actually, do not admit of any moral justification for war.  The sutras always endorse nonviolence even in the face of evil.  However, the question still remains:  While adhering to nonviolence as an ideal, how should a government address real threats to its population?  When a nation violates the rules of peaceful coexistence, the obligation to restrain aggression may trump the obligation to avoid violence.  To resolve the dissonance between the moral idealism of the sutras and the pragmatic demands of everyday life, Bhikkhu Bodhi proposes two frameworks for shaping moral decisions.  He calls one the liberative framework and the second, the pragmatic karmic framework.

The liberative framework applies to those who seek to advance as quickly as possible toward final liberation.  Through the threefold training in moral conduct, concentration, and wisdom, one follows a strict regimen of non-harming.  If one is confronted with the choice between sacrificing one’s own life and taking the life of another, one must be willing sacrifice one’s own life, confident that this act of renunciation will expedite one’s progress toward liberation.

The pragmatic karmic framework serves as a moral context for those committed to Buddhist ethical values, but who choose final liberation over a series of lifetimes, rather than directly.  One who adopts this framework recognizes that the duties of daily life occasionally call for compromises with the strict obligations of the Buddhist moral code.  This karmic framework can justify enlisting in the military and serving as a combatant, providing one sincerely believes the reason for fighting is to disable a dangerous aggressor and protect one’s country and its citizens.  

A very important mitigating factor in this balance is the understanding of karma as not only action, but as intention. In this case, the moral quality of the motive determines the ethical value of the action and the karmic consequence.  If the motive is territorial expansion, material wealth or national glory, the resort to war would be morally blameworthy.  But, if the motive is national defense, to prevent a rogue nation from disrupting global peace, or to protect one’s family and community, the moral evaluation would reflect those intentions.  

Bhikku Bodhi asks us: suppose we were living in the 1940s when Hitler was pursuing his quest for global domination.  Can we say that fidelity to the Dharma obliges us to remain passive in the face of brutal aggression?  Wouldn’t we maintain that, in this situation, military action to stop the aggressor is laudable, even obligatory, and that a solder’s actions can be judged morally commendable?  

Hesitantly, Bhikkhu Bodhi adopts the latter position.  The taking of any life is always the last choice, and a most regrettable one.  But, in a morally complex world, he concludes that our choices and judgements must reflect the morally complex situations that confront us.  He reflects that the early Buddhist texts simply do not cover all the predicaments of the human situation.  Perhaps it never was their intention.  Perhaps their intention was to serve as guidelines rather than as moral absolutes, to posit ideals even for those who cannot perfectly fulfill them.  He concludes that, in such cases, we must simply do our best to navigate between them, rigorously examining our own intentions and aspiring to reduce harm and suffering for the greatest number of those at risk.

So, as we come to see the moral dimensions of the war in Ukraine, we come to that point of standing on the same ground as the Ukrainians.  We come to see that while violence in any form is reprehensible, we can have great compassion and empathy for those forced to defend themselves, their families, and their way of life.  We see that we are not separate from them, and in the same situation, we would do the same thing.  

In that sense, to paraphrase the words of Joan Halifax, Buddhism from its very beginning has guided us  to realize the interconnectedness of all beings.  We have also come to know the peace that comes to all beings when they have come to a state of non-alienation and non-hatred, and the peace that nourishes courageous and liberating action in the world.  

Out of this peace arises compassionate action.  If we see that we are not separate from others, then we not only share in their awakening, we also share in their suffering.  We are not separate from the fear and courage of the Ukranians who are taking a stand on the streets of their cities.  But, we are also not separate from the suffering of those attacking Ukraine.  In this state of non-separation, we are open, open to discover, to bear witness, and stand with the suffering all those involved in the Ukrainian struggle.  We, as human beings who love and feel compassion, cannot hide from the pervasiveness of suffering, violence, and alienation as we bear witness to what is happening in Ukraine at this very moment.  

The teachings of the Buddha tell us that there is no “other”.  Yet we live in a world peopled by those who are subject to the deepest forms of alienation from their own natural wisdom, a world where whole communities see “others” who should be done away with, liquidated, eliminated, raped, ravaged, cut down, and gunned down.

Yet, at the same time, we must reach through courageously to where the suffering is most acute, sending our voice, taking a stand and nurturing peace by strengthening values, views and behaviors that are based on love, compassion and wisdom.  As Buddhists, we share a common aspiration to awaken from our own confusion, from greed, and from anger in order to free ourselves from suffering.  At the same time, we aspire with whatever power lies within us to help free others from suffering.  

GREGORY PAI