Do Buddhism & Daoism Promote Slavery?

[penor.rinpoche]

Do Buddhism & Daoism Promote Slavery?

 

There are all manner of precepts and rules in both Buddhism and Daoism about "virtuous behaviours".

 

But are there any teachings in Buddhism & Daoism which teach all of us to fight slavery?

 

Come to think of it, isn't this illusionary samara world of us considered to be "slavery"?

 

I personally know lots of Buddhists and Daoists which enslave and imprison a lot of spirits and beings which are not humans.

[thelerner]

In my view its such a given, that uh, they don't really preach against it.  The basic precepts of Buddhism would argue strongly against any such immorality. 

 

This says it better then I-http://www.buddhisma2z.com/content.php?id=384

 

       "The Buddha said that the buying and selling of human beings is a wrong means of livelihood for lay people (A.III,208) and he forbade monks and nuns to accept gifts of slaves or to own them (D.I,5). These teachings seem to be the oldest known prohibition against slavery.

 

Some centuries later, the Mahàvastu condemns slavery, saying that those `who enslave beings who are without protection or refuge'will be reborn in purgatory. The Upàsaka÷ãla Såtra (3rd century CE?) says a lay man should neither buy nor sell slaves nor sell his wives and children into slavery, something husbands and fathers sometimes did when in debt or during hard times.

 

            Despite such teachings, slavery has existed in all Buddhist countries, as it has everywhere else in the world. The first country with a significant Buddhist culture to abolish slavery was Japan which did so in 1590. When slavery was abolished in most other Buddhist lands it was done by the colonial powers; in Sri Lanka in the 1820s, in Burma, Laos and Cambodia at the end of the 19th century, and in Thailand due to pressure from Western governments in 1905. The last Buddhist country to abolish slavery was Bhutan in 1962. ..  "

 

In my view, Buddhism generally encourages strong ethics but.. individuals and society are more then willing to ignore and look the other way.

 

Imprisoning spirits.. that's outside my realm.  Don't know any Buddhists who do such.  I know Taoists write uh Fu's that allegedly keep bad spirits away and are more likely to be on the exorcism side of things. 

[Stosh]

Daoism doesnt, imo, teach people to fight Anything... despite what various cultures do, and have done. Nor does it encourage the use of force to enslave.

Neither is it nature of existence, being inherently difficult , slavery of any kind ,despite the inappropriate use of the word.

The symbolic representation of phenomena and abstract ideas, as creatures or personages , can be instructive, but they are still not flesh.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Stosh

[shazlor]

[No One]

I don't think Myanmar's slavetraders should call themselves Buddhist. They are extremists, posing as Buddhist monks. Blasphemous.

 

Edited May 2, 2017 by No One

[No One]

I'd be careful of your accusations. Such talk may stir up the wrong kinds of spirits for you.

 

My 2 cents for this thread peace out.

[Stosh]

Dont be ominous , There are reasons enough to broach this subject, and many others ,which may seem uncomfortable. For instance, if one were concerned about the ramifications of certain teachings because they felt they might be sending a bad message , perhaps they might be relaxed to get an idea how they are seen more generally. I imagine vids are more infammatory since they can wrap many messages together which should rightly not be, but I would leave that primarily to your own judgement , that its not intended to inflame or skew, when at the heart most would select to be wholesome if they thought much on ramifications. Generally I dont watch these things ever.because I suspect agendas on behalf of their creators. , neither do I watch news. Of the millions of things that go on daily, , I cant afford the attention to all the stuff I cannot do anything about. Sometimes enjoy a comedy skit, world affairs are for those who play on that stage,, which I do not.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Stosh

[SeekerOfHealing]

Some people say cup is half full. some say cup is half empty.

[cold]

And some sip contentedly!

[thelerner]

Here's a hard pill for civilized people to swallow.  In a land of plenty, slavery is indeed an abomination, that must be stopped.  In a place where hunger is rampant and starvation threatens, then horrible as it is, slavery may have a place.  Better fed then dead because where there is life there is hope. 

 

It's also society's job, the ruler and the people, to stop such dire poverty from occurring. 

[SeekerOfHealing]

Proper buddhism unslaving you from this reality (samsara) you are slave already so where is the question that you can become if you are born one?

[Sudhamma]

Buddhism do not encourage slavery. During the time of The Buddha, there was indeed slavery in the form of indentured labour in that society as it was in ancient China. The third precept, 'kamesu veramani sikkhapadam sammadiyami' was popularly translated as 'abstain from sexual misconduct'. The words, sexual misconduct, do not mean adultery (it was a foreign idea to Asia as any rich man could have wives and concubines), but rather not to have sexual relations with: girls or women under protection of the law or family; slave girls were seen as property of others and thus come under the protection of both law and the family(ies) who owned them. Furthermore,Buddhism did not accept the Hindu concept of division of labour, yes, caste system. The lower caste were at the mercy of higher caste Indians, even to this day. Indentured labour arose out of debts owing to wealthy families, and the people worked till the debt was paid. The concept of abducting young men and women and enslaved them to work in cotton fields in faraway lands was foreign to Buddhism. There was no such economic exploitation tolerated in the religion.

[Sudhamma]

(post repeated)

Edited May 4, 2017 by Sudhamma