[Q&A] How does Buddhism see Required Military Service?

[Dhammañāṇa]

How does Buddhism see Required Military Service?

Related: Staatenlosigkeit - Ordination unmöglich für Westler (Nichtbuddhistische Kultur)? , also directly generously and compassionate commented by Ven. Nyanadassana .

live in the United States, where although unlikely, a draft could happen. There are also many other countries that require military service in some capacity.

I know Buddhism generally opposes killing and murder, so how does Buddhism see required or involuntary military service?

Venerable members of the Sangha,
walking in front Fellows in leading the holly life.

     

In Respect of the Triple Gems, Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, in Respect of the Elders of the community  , my person tries to answer this question. Please, may all knowledgeable Venerables and Dhammika, out of compassion, correct my person, if something is not correct and fill also graps, if something is missing.

Valued Upasaka, Upasika, Aramika(inis),
dear Readers and Visitors,

 

(This is a maybe modified and expanded answer of the "original" that can be found here .)

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa   -




Neither disrespect torward ones leader, parents, contemplatives and Brahmans, duties for certain relations one nurishes on and anarchy but also approve, leading and doing unskillful, taking life, taking what is not given, abuse and telling untrue finds place in the doctrine of the Awakened, Noble and wise. So is encouragement torward improper actions and politics for certain aims in the world not really in the sphere of a Dhammica.

Most of this leads like the actions by deeds into hell:
 

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

"Then the hell-wardens, seizing (such a being) by the arms, present him to King Yama: 'This is a man, your majesty, with no respect for mother, no respect for father [1], no reverence for contemplatives, no reverence for brahmans, no honor for the leaders of his clan. Let your majesty decree his punishment.'

"Then King Yama interrogates & interpellates & castigates the man regarding the first deva messenger: 'My good man, didn't you see the first deva messenger that has appeared among human beings?'

Quote from: Devaduta Sutta: The Deva Messengers

"There is what is given, sacrified, there are results of good and bad deeds..."

Don't, one should not, missuse those having abound their duties by abounding their desires for certain food to justify rejecting duties by not having given rightouse causes for it and just then when your fruits seems to rippe. Work on you liberation in times when there is plenty of way and peace for past merits and circumstances are not for sure.

 

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

Then again there comes a time when there is danger and an invasion of savage tribes. Taking power, they surround the countryside. When this happens, there are times when it so happens that a mother can get to her child, and the child can get to its mother. This is the third thing that is a mother-&-child-uniting danger, yet run-of-the-mill people describe it as a mother-&-child-separating danger .

Quote from: AN 3.62

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

Furthermore, the monk reminds himself of this: At present people are in harmony, on friendly terms, without quarreling, like milk mixed with water, viewing one another with eyes of affection. The time will come, though, when there is danger and an invasion of savage tribes. Taking power, they will surround the countryside. When there is danger, people will congregate where it is safe. There they will live packed and crowded together. When one is living packed and crowded together, it is not easy to pay attention to the Buddha's teachings. It is not easy to reside in isolated forest or wilderness dwellings. Before this unwelcome, disagreeable, displeasing thing happens, let me first make an effort for the attaining of the as-yet-unattained, the reaching of the as-yet-unreached, the realization of the as-yet-unrealized, so that — endowed with that Dhamma — I will live in peace even when there is danger.

Quote from: That the True Dhamma Might Last a Long Time

Dhamma is very individual issue, or better conditions are personally made. It leads to nothing to try to make conditions for all or many the same. Kamma of each being is different and each particular situation is also different.

If not having certain conditions, it's of use to work on them. If demanding there are debts. Letting go rightously and step by step of trade in this sphere, by letting go ones desires and objectiveshow it should be one gains freedom, freedom of duyties after liberating desire.

As for leaving home and walk the way of the Buddhas noble disciples, it's required to have no debts and being free of service duties for others (Government, King...). If such is not given, can not be obtained, it's very difficult, most not possible to ordain. It would be not allowed for a Bhikkhu to give ordination for one "who is in the kings service."

Rājabhaṭavatthu - The Case of One Who is in the King’s Service

Duty of servis is not only in regard of millitary service but also in regard of all other duties as not free housholder and citizen (one with duties). It would be a more peaceful world if people know and respect their duties in certain circumstances they are then if knowing rights and after demanding and increasing imbalance and wrong views all over the world. Only one having left behind the "benefits of bondage", home, citizenship , if being "stateless", not holding any rights in exchange with the world and it's sociaties, has no other dutiy then to strive for the end of all duties.

 

In rare cases(!), individuals may become stateless upon renouncing their citizenship (e.g., "world citizen" Garry Davis and, from 1896 to 1901, Albert Einstein, who, in January 1896, at the age of 16, was released from his Württemberg citizenship after, with his father's help, filing a petition to that effect; in February 1901 his application for Swiss citizenship was accepted[19]). People who subscribe to Voluntaryist, Agorist, or some other philosophical, political, or religious beliefs may desire or seek statelessness. Many states do not allow citizens to renounce their nationality unless they acquire another. However, consular officials are unlikely to be familiar with the citizenship laws of all countries, so there may still be situations where renunciation leads to effective statelessness.

This story (in the link above ) might make Upasaka Bonn's answer maybe more understandable while, of course, making such depentend on a "paper" is again a low compromise.

If a government or a king allows it's/his citizens the going for, is again the merit or demerit of individuals, in the same way of cause and effect it meets also ones condition.

The way of Dhamma for liberation and upwards is clear and works also for ones conditions: generosity, virtue, wise reflection. What ever one gives he/she gains. The release from duties and not forcing to make unskillful deeds for ones sake will cause similar as effect.

After all it's a good question to think about certain things for oneself of how much freedom outwardly a "modern citizen" actally really has and how much he/she actually really gives, since such is of course related.

And it's good to focus on oneself so that conditions might become or stay conductive for ones future. So it's good to reflect many times on the highest blessings and to strive best possibly after them:

Maha-mangala Sutta: Blessings

Anumodana!

And its good to seek for real refuge before becoming another time of the many refugees wandering around in Samsara, platant or unaware... leaving houselife is done good at proper time, best now if free of duties which bind ready to be given away in a possible auspicious but not lasting situation. Don't waste time and consume past merits away!

For those caught at the moment, which is also not for sure: Why it is important to value our Conditions?

Merits are what establish beings and their possibilities, also to reach the beyond. It's not required of how much merits it is to even the way into accepted "Ailienship" and help to make clear the different between "blessed aliens" and "enemy aliens", keeping such as the holly live possible for many, giving leave at first place to gain such as freedom and way to liberation for one self and many. Prepairing ways for the may Refugees in the Three Juwels to be also in their spheres and conditions able to follow their harmless and benifical ways for many, making Dhamma-Vinaya (Buddhism) and it's leading and maintaining holly life as "alien" "actually" legal in their grasped worlds. Such people are called praised World-turning-Rulers and their assistance, by doing such in ways of giving and not in ways of demanding, calling for rights or other unrighteous and disturbing anarchist ways and even disrespect.

A very related discussion and a giantic field of merits given the seriouse danger for the Sangha can be found here kindly, generously and calming intended commented and answered by Ven. Nyanadassana (seeing things merely positively): Citizenship and hopefully not reasonable sorrows

 

extract:

disqualification as an undesirable member —An applicant, such as a slave (dāsa), a government servant (rājabhaṭa), a person in debt (iṇāyika), etc. should not be given the Going-forth (na pabbājetabbo). As Going-forth is the customary first step in higher ordination, this means that they should not receive higher ordination, either. Any bhikkhu who gives any of these applicants the Going-forth incurs a dukkaṭa (yo pabbājeyya, āpatti dukkaṭassa). However, since these applicants do not have the absolute disqualification as a paṇḍaka, theyyasaŋvāsaka, etc. and since this prohibition does not include the clause “should be disrobed or expelled” (nāsetabbā), they do count as having properly gone forth if they get ordained. And if they receive the higher ordination, it is valid and they should not be expelled (na nāsetabbā). The bhikkhus who ordain them, however, incur a dukkaṭa offence. Hence scrupulous bhikkhus do not ordain them without making sure that they are freemen (bhujissa), not government servants (rājabhaṭa), not debtors (iṇāyika), etc.

[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma and not meant for commercial purpose or other low wordily gains by means of trade and exchange.]

Anumodana!