Virtual Dhamma-Vinaya Vihara
Vihara => Open Vihara - [Offenes Vihara] => Topic started by: Dhammañāṇa on May 09, 2018, 05:11:11 AM
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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,
since those questions appear often at this time and are merely poor, with certain stand answered, my person feels to add and correct some on that account.
If speaking about life, it's clear and not a little to doubt, that also for the Buddha plants are living being, if looking into an answer of a discussion between two young Brahmans, whether a person is sharped/defined by birth or by deeds. Here the Buddha started the answer by counting all visible living beings:
The Blessed One said:
"Vaseññha, I will tell you step by step how it happens,
The classification of living things in this and other births.
Look at the grass and trees, although they are not aware,
This and the other have attributes peculiar to their births.
Tiṇarukkhepi jānātha,
na cāpi paṭijānare;
Liṅgaṃ jātimayaṃ tesaṃ,
aññamaññā hi jātiyo.
So also insects, like grasshoppers and ants
They have attributes peculiar to their births.
Look at the animals small and large
They have attributes peculiar to their births.
Look at the serpents with long backs going on their bellies,
They have attributes peculiar to their births.
Look at the fish too, who find food in the water.
They have attributes peculiar to their births.
Look at the birds flying through the air.
They have attributes peculiar to their births.
Although these have various attributes, at birth,
In humans various attributes are not evident at birth.
They are not in the hair, head, ears or eyes
Not in the mouth, nose, lips or eye-lashes
Not in the neck, flanks, stomach or back,
Not in the buttocks, chest, pudendum, nor in the sexual intercourse.
Not in the hands, feet, fingers or nails, nor in the knees and calves,
Not in the hue or voice, by which to know their birth.
In the individual bodies of humans, these are not evident,
They are designated by the activities of humans....
So there is no doubt in regard of if such as birth and life of plants take place.
The remark on plants here is "also they are not aware" not jānare. It's not even said not aware (conscious) but not knowing.
Plants are also (like often believed) not only by others called "one faculty life", but also by the Buddha, if we take for example the Vinaya, Mahavagga.
The broad hold view on plants in the school of Theravada, coming from Abhidhamma and Commentaries is that plants life does not arise because of kamma (actions) but because of temperature.
Well, then if people, holding such view, are asked: "We then are the big and small Bananatrees, beautiful and ugly, those with long life and short, with many disease and no disease?" If than answering in terms of "accidentally" or what ever theory, it can be said, that "Why don't apply this to all other beings as well? Isn't that not simply materialistic view?"
It also clear for everyone with eyes that there is a different between plants and a stone or a cristal. Plants not only react on touch but have also, without doubt desire for becoming and being and need nourishment for existence.
Now, also the Buddha did not gave much into elaborate on plants, aside of the kind of plants and the fact that all kind of plants are often used as dwelling by spirits, the kind and way how someone living the holly life, makes a living on the alms of the land, is clear and straight forward:
...“‘Abandoning the taking of life, the contemplative Gotama abstains from the taking of life. He dwells with his rod laid down, his knife laid down, scrupulous, merciful, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings.’ It’s of this, monks, that a run-of-the-mill person, when praising the Tathāgata, would speak....
...“Or: ‘Whereas some contemplatives & brahmans, living off food given in faith, remain addicted to damaging seed & plant life such as these—plants propagated from roots, stems, joints, buddings, & seeds—the contemplative Gotama abstains from damaging seed and plant life such as these.’ It’s of this, monks, that a run-of-the-mill person, when praising the Tathāgata, would speak...
There are enough accounts and rules in the Vinaya, that makes life as well regard of plants for contemplatives clear. Not even picking a fruit from a tree, e.g. not abound yet, would be proper, not to speak about damaging sheds.
Since, like most, commentary and interpretations are to certain relaxation and seldom for restraining, have outwardly ease as object, also this matter is a very serious.
It's not to wonder why the infuence of merely low minded scholars and followers of literary interpretations has caused broad global plundering of plants life and wild life at large and founded on the commentaries and explainings of the householder and Brahmans who in this days carry the robes of the Arahats, triying to make a comfortable life and livelihood on it, is destroyed and used on their approve.
And is a story of "ironic" that those "householders" in robes today justify they not dwelling in more proper ways by tending to householders way, in ways of "but the forests are gone today".
The behaviour and costume in regard of nature and wild life, in regard of plants and the total careless making use of it, is a very dark mark in that tradition which like to call it self the tradition of the Noble Ones for merely poor lives entertaining of livelihood for the sake of sensual pleasure and becoming.
This account will another time not make many ordinary people feel happy, nevertheless, they would be incapable to refuse the facts and refuse the Nobility of those really Noble Ones or after them: the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.
Anumodana!
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It's praisworthy that some read even good considered works, althought inspected through defilements, carefully (https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/a-question-about-injuring-plants/9405/), to get even more wordly right view and aspects of the issue. And then share also their attainings for the benefit of many, others then those in robes who are delight and full of joy when seeing trees cut and corpse assembled for they pointless and improper gained "Kutis"... uncountable suffering sacrificed for increasing death, becoming, gain and birth.
Sadhu!