Frequently Asked Questions
Most of these questions and answers are compiled from e-mails sent by students studying the Studies of Religion course for the Higher School Certificate. If you can't find the answer here, you could try "What is Buddhism?"( http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/buddh.htm) or "Good Question - Good Answer" (http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/gqga.htm) . If you need to study the history of Buddhism in Australia, look at "An Account of the History and Development of Buddhism in New South Wales" ( http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/AccBudHist.htm) , "Ethnic Buddhists in New South Wales" ( http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/Ethnicnsw.htm) OR read the book, "A History of Buddhism in Australia: 1848 - 1988", by Paul Croucher, University of New South Wales Press, 1989, ISBN 0 86840 195 1. This book is out of print but copies are available in many libraries.
Question: I was wondering if you could please send me some information on Buddhists' views on abortion and euthanasia.
Answer: Buddhism, having no hierarchy, does not make pronouncements on social issues. However, Buddhists should observe the first moral precept of refraining from destroying life. Abortion, for whatever reason, is destroying life and is, therefore not condoned by Buddhists. Regarding euthanasia, it depends on whether it is active (deliberately bringing about the termination of life) or passive ( withdrawing support devices where there is no possibility of the patient's recovery). Active euthanasia is not acceptable because it involves killing a human being, whereas passive euthanasia is acceptable because it does not involve a volitional act of terminating life but is purely involved in not forcing the patient to continue living where no quality of life is possible. To Buddhists, taking the life of any living being is not acceptable.
Question: I have been asked to find out as much as possible about Buddhism's response to abortion. I would greatly appreciate any information or links to resources which may be of assistance.
Answer: Buddhism is opposed to the taking of life - animal or human. The first precept to be observed by practicing Buddhists is, " I undertake the training to abstain from destroying life." Buddhists consider that the life of an unborn child starts at the moment of conception, therefore any attempt to terminate this life is contrary to the first precept. However, Buddhists would not normally become involved in anti-abortion campaigns. Because each person is responsible for their own karma, Buddhists do not impose their views on others who may not share them. We should concentrate on our own behaviour and try to perfect that rather than imposing our views on others. A Buddhist doctor, normally, would refuse to perform an abortion.
Some of the following answers come from the excellent entries from the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/ This is a valuable site where many ethical issues are discussed.
According to the teachings of Buddha, five conditions must be present to constitute an act of killing.
Here's an example of how an abortion might constitute an act of killing:
Therefore the First Precept of Buddhism - not to kill - is violated and this is tantamount to killing a human being.
Question: What about unwanted pregnancies?
Answer: If people cultivate the moral precepts and restrict their sexual activity to the one person that they are commited to, they can provide a nurturing environment for the child. Buddhists are not opposed to contraception. In cases of rape, society should provide a supportive environment for the victim so that a possible pregnancy can run its normal course. One crime does not justify another.
Question: What is the Buddhist attitude to capital punisment?
Because Buddhism exists in many forms, under many organisations, there is no unified Buddhist policy on capital punishment.
In terms of doctrine the death penalty is clearly inconsistent with Buddhist teaching. Buddhists place great emphasis on non-violence and compassion for all life. The First Precept requires individuals to abstain from injuring or killing any living creature.
The Buddha did not explicitly speak about capital punishment, but his teachings show no sympathy for physical punishment, no matter how bad the crime.
"An action, even if it brings benefit to oneself, cannot be considered a good action if it causes physical and mental pain to another being" - The Buddha
"If a person foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my boundless love. The more evil that comes from him, the more good will go from me".- The BuddhaBuddhism believes fundamentally in the cycle of birth and re-birth (Samsara) and teaches that if capital punishment is administered, it will have compromising effects on the souls of both offender and the punisher in future incarnations.
As far as punishment in this world is concerned, Buddhism has strong views:
Question? Should Buddhists donate their organs?
There are no rules in Buddhism for or against organ donation, but central to Buddhism is a wish to relieve suffering.
There may also be occasions when organ donation may be seen as an act of charity.
In Buddhism the decision for or against organ donation relies very much on an individual's decision. People may decide for or against it, without one choice being seen as right, and the other wrong.
The needs and wishes of a potential donor should not be compromised by the wish to save a life.
The death process of an individual is viewed as very important, and as such a body should be treated with respect. However there are no beliefs which say the body should be preserved in its entirety, so removing organs is not an issue from this point of view.
A dead body, however, should only be disturbed for appropriate reasons, and with special care.
It is also important to consider the consciousness of the dead person, and whether this might be adversely affected by organ donation, as the surgery takes place immediately after the donor takes their last breath.
Some Buddhists, including those who are followers of Tibetan Buddhism, believe the consciousness may stay in the body for some time after the breath has stopped.
Until the consciousness leaves the body it is important the body remains undisturbed, so Tibetan Buddhists may have some concerns that an operation so soon after death may damage their consciousness and cause harm to their future lives.
But others may decide this final act of generosity can only have positive ramifications.
Question: I am trying to find the Buddhist response to drug or alcohol addiction in Australia and any programs formulated to combat this social issue. If you have any information on this or an opinion, could you please send me some or point me in the right direction.
Answer: As each Buddhist temple and organisation is autonomous, there is no general view or organisation tackling this social issue. However, the fifth moral precept of Buddhists forbids the taking of alcohol or drugs which cloud the mind. You may be able to get some more information from the Karuna Hospice Service in Queensland.
Question: What is the Buddhist Attitude to environmental issues and Global warming?
See the article in the Journal of Buddhist Ethics by Professor Peter Harvey: http://www.buddhistethics.org/14/harvey-article.html
Question: Should Buddhists fight in a war?
Non-violence is at the heart of Buddhist thinking and behaviour. The first of the five precepts that all Buddhists should follow is "Avoid killing, or harming any living thing."
Buddhism is essentially a peaceful tradition. Nothing in Buddhist scripture gives any support to the use of violence as a way to resolve conflict. There is or never has been such a thing as a "Holy War" in Buddhism. There is nothing 'holy' about war.
In times of war
Give rise in yourself to the mind of compassion,
Helping living beings
Abandon the will to fight.
One of Buddha's sermons puts this very clearly with a powerful example that stresses the need to love your enemy no matter how cruelly he treats you:
Even if thieves carve you limb from limb with a double-handed saw, if you make your mind hostile you are not following my teaching. - Kamcupamasutta, Majjhima-Nikkaya I ~ 28-29
Figures like the Dalai Lama (who won the Nobel Peace Prize) demonstrate in word and deed Buddhism's commitment to peace.
"Hatred will not cease by hatred, but by love alone.
This is the ancient law."
Many Buddhists have refused to take up arms under any circumstances, even knowing that they would be killed as a result. The Buddhist code that governs the life of monks permits them to defend themselves, but it forbids them to kill, even in self-defence.
For Buddhist countries this poses the difficult dilemma of how to protect the rights and lives of their citizens without breaking the principle of nonviolence.
The pure Buddhist attitude is shown in this story:
A Vietnam veteran was overheard rebuking the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, about his unswerving dedication to non-violence.
'You're a fool,' said the veteran - 'what if someone had wiped out all the Buddhists in the world and you were the last one left. Would you not try to kill the person who was trying to kill you, and in doing so save Buddhism?!'
Thich Nhat Hanh answered patiently 'It would be better to let him kill me. If there is any truth to Buddhism and the Dharma it will not disappear from the face of the earth, but will reappear when seekers of truth are ready to rediscover it.
'In killing I would be betraying and abandoning the very teachings I would be seeking to preserve. So it would be better to let him kill me and remain true to the spirit of the Dharma.'
Martial Arts
Question: How do Buddhists condone martial arts if they are against fighting?
Buddhist monks have been leaders in developing various forms of martial arts. The Shaolin Order is perhaps the best known of these, famed for their fighting prowess.
Martial arts would seem to be about as far from non-violence as you can get, but Buddhist forms of martial arts have very strict rules about how violence can be used.
The Shaolin teaching forbids the monk from ever being the aggressor, and instructs him to use only the minimum necessary defensive force. By becoming skilled in physical conflict the monk has a better understanding of violence and is able to use sophisticated techniques to avoid harm, ranging from simple parrying of clumsy blows to paralysing grips and knockout blows in the face of extreme violence - but always using only the amount of force needed to refuse the violence that is being offered to them.
Most martial arts traditions have strong spiritual and philosophical elements, and insist on a responsible and minimalist attitude to violence
Buddhist monks have been leaders in developing various forms of martial arts. The Shaolin Order is perhaps the best known of these, famed for their fighting prowess.
Martial arts would seem to be about as far from non-violence as you can get, but Buddhist forms of martial arts have very strict rules about how violence can be used.
Question: 'Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was a man whose beliefs have influenced the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Detail how, according to Buddhist tradition, this man developed his faith and in doing so became such an influential figure. Assess the reliability of this tradition and comment on whether the truth effects how Buddhists view the founder of their faith.' The main aspect of this question that I need your help with is the final part. I am asking you how skepticism towards the life of Buddha that is detailed in your traditions affects how Buddhists view this leader. Do you have ultimate faith in your tradition like Christians have ultimate faith in the belief of Jesus?
Answer: Buddhism, unlike Christianity, condemns 'blind faith'. The Buddha asked, in the Kalama Sutta, that followers of any religious teacher no accept any proposition merely based on faith, tradition, scriptures, antiquity or because the teacher was charismatic. He said that all propositions should be tested by asking are they of benefit to oneself, are they of benefit to others, are the conducive to the well being and happiness of oneself and others. If the answer is in the affirmative, then and only then should they be accepted. This Kalama Sutta is very appealing, especially, to Western followers of Buddhism. It tells us to use our intelligence rather than relying on blind faith. The essential teaching of the Buddha, irrespective of sect or tradition is to do good, avoid evil and purify one's mind. This is the guide for how all Buddhists should live their lives.
Question: Please tell us who is the Buddhist leader in Australia.
Answer: There is no leader of Australian Buddhism. Each temple is autonomous. There are many sects or traditions in Buddhism and it is unlikely that they would ever agree on a common leader. Even with Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama is only the head of the Gelugpa sect, however he is the political head of the Tibetan Government in Exile. He is not the head of Tibetan Buddhism.
Question: In 1901 there were 3296 Buddhists in Australia, But by 1947 there were only 411. What was the main cause of this decline:
a) Assimilation
b) Immigration
c) World War II
d) The White Australia Policy
Answer: "d" would be the correct answer. I would suggest two reasons for this. The White Australia Policy was a racist policy that discriminated against Asian migration. Many people of Asian background found that it was preferable to assimilate rather than preserve their culture and religious beliefs which could bring them into further conflict with the predominantly Anglo-European population. The other reason was that the Christian churches, especially the Protestant fundamentalist variety, opposed any reference to Buddhism. See my article: http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/ AccBudHist.htm
Question: Before the summer holidays began we were given a major assignment to complete and I chose to do it on Confucianism. I urgently need your help concerning this. Can you please tell me if there are any confucian temples in Australia. I need to visit a temple and photograph it and interview a person from there. I would greatly appreciate your help if you could tell me if there are such temples around the Sydney area. A friend of mine suggested that I should go to a Buddhist temple and ask about Confucianism. Do you think this is a good idea?
Answer: There are no Confucian temples in Australia, as far as I know. Confucianism is more a guide for harmonious living and emphasises filial piety, respect for the elderly and one's ancestors and obedience to the state. You could try to get a copy of "The Analects of Confucius" which is the 'bible' of Confucianism or look at "A Guide to a Happy Life -Di Zi Gui". You could try a Chinese Buddhist Temple but they concentrate more on Buddhism than Confucianism. Also, talk to a Chinese or Korean friend about it. Most Chinese and Koreans base their lives on Confucian principles irrespective of whether they are Christian or Buddhist. Confucianism deals more with this life than an after-life.
Question: I'm doing an assessment task on Euthanasia and I was wondering if you could give me any information on what the Buddhist view and beliefs on this issue are and if you could write out any scripture references that could prove the beliefs!
Answer: Unlike religions of the book (Christianity, Islam and Judaism), Buddhism does not refer to scriptural references. The Buddhist view on euthanasia depends on whether it is active or passive. The first Buddhist precept says "I undertake the training to refrain from destroying life" in Pali language it is "Panatipata verimani sakkhapadam samadiyami". Active euthanasia implies actively participating in terminating a life as is abortion. This is totally unacceptable to Buddhists. Whereas passive euthanasia - turning off life supporting equipment when there is no possibility of recovery is possibly acceptable.
Question: What is the role and response of Buddhism to the issue/political debate of gambling?
Answer: Buddhism has no central body which determines its attitudes to social issues, however, Buddhists are guided by the five moral precepts of not killing, not stealing, not being involved in improper sexual acts, not lying or deceiving and not taking intoxicants. These determine our behaviours. Buddhists should refrain from any behaviour which harms oneself or others. Accordingly, a wise Buddhist would not involve themselves in gambling which is both harmful to one's self and others.
Question: I'm trying to find Hindi poetry.
Answer: I'm sorry, but Buddhism has no connection with Hinduism. You should search for Hindu groups or contact the Hindu Council of Australia.
Question: Can you tell me:
1. If you have any photographs of any Sydney suburban Buddhist/Tibet temple? As well as any information about the temple.
2. The history of the religious tradition in Australia from arrival to present time (time map)
3. What is suggested about the different belief/s Buddhism is told about?
Answer: We are not in a position to answer detailed questions, however, a lot of the information that you seek can be found on our web site. You could also try to borrow "A History of Buddhism in Australia: 1848 to 1988" by Paul Croucher, published by University of New South Wales Press. It is out of print but should be available in libraries. Otherwise, look at the history of Buddhism article in our "Articles and Sutras" section. Look in the "Organisations" section under 'Vajrayana' and you will find the Tibetan groups. They may be able to help you with photographs.
Question: I would like to know how people in the Buddhist religion view sexuality and homosexuality. I have done some research but I would like to know specifically about how it is viewed in Australia.
Answer: If you looked on our site among the articles, you would have found an article which is relevant to your question. Look at: http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/Homosex.htm Buddhism is non-judgemental and regards the same rules of moral conduct as applying to both homosexual and heterosexual people. Sexual activity is a part of desire and attachment which leads to frustration or unsatisfactoriness. However, Buddhism doesn't frown on sexual activity per se among the laity. It should be seen for what it is - an instance of desire and attachment - one of the three poisons leading to suffering. The only instances of homosexual acts being mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures is rules pertaining to the conduct of monks. Monks are forbidden to have any sexual conduct whatsoever. Homosexual acts are possibly emphasised in the rules of conduct for monastics is that they live in single sex communities and these activities are the most likely to cause them to break their monastic rules. I am pleased to observe that Buddhism has never advocated the stoning or killing of people due to their sexual preferences. People are judged by their attitudes and behaviour towards others rather than how they achieve sexual gratification. This does not mean that some Buddhists are not homophobic but this is not due to the teachings of the Buddha but rather to their cultural attitudes.
Question: 1. Who creates Karma , a Higher power?
Answer: Karma means "action". The result of action is known as "Karma Vipakkha". Every action has a reaction. Karma is not a punishment but is the natural result of actions. It is not administered by a Higher Power but is the natural outcome of one's action. If you do something that is bad, you feel remorse - your mind is disturbed. When you do a good deed, you feel a sense of joy and happiness.
Question: 2. Can one rid oneself of Karma or must they let it takes it's course; is there any way around the effect of Karma once you have sinned or committed an act of evil?
Answer: There is no escaping the result of one's actions but, by performing good actions, it lessens the effect of one's bad actions. Imagine that the result of one's bad actions is like a handful of salt and that one's good actions are like water. If you put the handful of salt into a glass of water, the water will taste salty. However, if you throw the handful of salt into a freshwater lake, it would be difficult to detect the salt taste. The same amount of salt has a different effect in each case. You also mention 'sin'. There is no such thing as 'sin' in Buddhism. There is only the action of an unskilled mind - a mind ignorant of the effect of one's actions on one's self or on others. A skilled mind exercises mindfulness or awareness and thus avoids unskillful actions.
Question: 3. Is there a set length of time that Karma may last for?
Answer: Some karma fruits immediately, whereas other karma may not fruit until a long period of time has passed. It is the 'result of past karma' or karma vipakkha that is reborn. The cause of karma is greed, hatred and ignorance (the three poisons). Once these three poisons are eliminated all karma extinguishes and the state of Nirvana is attained - there is no further rebirth.
Question: 4. Do Buddhists believe that by reaching Nirvana that they have come to the same state of mind and body that Siddhartha Guatama obtained?
Answer: This depends on the tradition or school of Buddhism. The Theravada school believes that one attains arahanthood which is self perfection under the guidance of the teaching of a Buddha. The Mahayana school considers this a lesser form of perfection and that one should be a Bodhisattva or future Buddha to liberate all sentient beings. Once one becomes a Buddha one has attained the state of perfect enlightenment - the highest goal that one can attain.
Question: 5. Can Karma be clssified as a curse? If not what can it be defined as?
Answer: It is not a curse or fatalism but a natural result of one's actions.
Question: I am most interested in the issue of poverty and was wondering if you could email me any information relating to the part of Buddhism in addressing the issue of poverty in our society.
Answer: The Buddhist community does not have a central authority, as do many other religions, who can make pronouncements on behalf of the whole Buddhist community on social issues. However, the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, whom you have also contacted, are an outstanding organisation in offering practical help in all disasters and the relief of poverty. You can read the story of their founder, Master Chen Yen on our website: http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/ChenYen.htm Nan Tien Temple in Wollongong (Fo Kwan Shan) also have a poverty relief programme.
Question: I was wondering if the Buddhist community in Australia has responded to any of the following issues: -Indigenous rights -Poverty -Unemployment -The role of women
Answer: Buddhism has no hierarchy, each temple is autonomous, so there is no such thing as a Buddhist pronouncement on social issues. Buddhists would hold varying views on these issues but they have nothing to do with Buddhism per se. The Buddhist Peace Fellowship does involve itself in social issues but does not necessarily reflect the views of the wider Buddhist community. However, as far as women's issues are concerned, there are two relevant links on our "Buddhist Links" page, had you looked. The links are: http://www.sakyadhita.org and http://members.tripod.com/%7Elhamo
Question: What is the Buddhist attitude to Genetically Modified Foods or Genetic Engineering generally?
Answer: From a talk given by Professor Ron Epstein MD at the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas on the 14th of February, 2004:
Genetically modified organisms are organisms (plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, trees, insects, all kind of sentient life forms) that are made or transformed through genetic engineering, which involves artificially moving the DNA from one species to another species. For example, using genetic engineering you can put plant DNA in animals, or animal DNA in plants, or human DNA in the vegetables or fruit that you eat. All of these are examples of genetic engineering creating genetically modified organisms (GMOs). These GMOs are different than anything that would naturally occur or that would be developed through breeding or hybridizing. GMOs have fundamental changes in their DNA, which is the program for determining how the particular organism will develop. DNA contains genes, which then create RNA, which then creates nucleic acids, which then creates proteins. Proteins are the basic building blocks of all living things. In other words, genetic engineering changes the fundamental DNA of all living things in a way which is very unnatural and cuts across species boundaries. It is very possible that in the future, scientists will, probably unintentionally, change human DNA, so that the bodily support systems for the process of self-cultivation that leads to enlightenment are damaged.
Now I want to tell you something about the history of how I became an author of Measure H. In the early 1990's I read that scientists were putting insect and animal genes in vegetables. As a vegetarian I was very concerned, because I didn't want to eat vegetables that had insect and animal genes in them. I felt that this violated Buddhist principles about pure vegetarian food, and so I started looking into this matter. Not only did I find out that such vegetables were actually being developed, but I also found out that some scientists were putting humans genes into vegetables. Since there were no laws to require labeling of GMO vegetables, there was no way to know whether you were eating pure vegetables or vegetables with weird genes in them. In 1993 I wrote a short article for Vajra Bodhi Sea about the dangers of genetic engineering for vegetarians, because I wanted all of the members of DRBA (Dharma Realm Buddhist Association) to become aware of the problem. The editorial board of Vajra Bodhi Sea eventually took the article to the Venerable Master, who said that this was really, really important and that they should publish the article right away in a fashion that would draw everyone's attention to it. Soon afterrwards the Master asked me why I wrote the article, and I said, "Well, I think this development in science and technology is very dangerous. It goes against Buddhist principles, and it's going to not be good for the environment." The Master then told me that it was very good that I had written the article, that I was completely correct, and if we didn't do something about it, genetic engineering would cause tremendous damage to the world. He then strongly encouraged me to continue to write about the dangers of this genetic engineering.
In 1996 the Board of Directors of the Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA) passed a formal resolution about genetically modified organisms, which reads: "DRBA believes that genetic engineering of food is not in accord with the teachings of Buddhism. Buddhism considers genetic engineering of foods to be unwarranted tampering with the natural patterns of our world at the most basic and dangerous levels. DRBA believes that the lack of labeling of genentically engineered food is a defacto violation of religious freedom. Without labeling, Buddhists have no way to avoid purchasing foods that violate their basic religious beliefs and principles. And Buddhist vegetarians have no way to avoid purchasing foods that contain genes from non-vegetarian sources. The DRBA urges all countries to require labeling of all genetically engineered foods."
Therefore, if you have taken the Bodhisattva precepts to eat pure vegetarian food, or if you have not taken the Bodhisattva precepts and you want to eat pure vegetarian food, this is an issue that concerns you.
It is estimated that about 70-80% of all the packaged food in the United States has GMOs in it already, even though they are not labeled. The closest you can come to avoiding GMOs in your food, other than growing your own food from organic seed, is to buy organic food, because according to the National Organic Standard, anything that is labeled as officially certified organic cannot have more than a very small amount of GMOs in it. In all other cases, you won't know whether you are eating GMOs or not.
Some of you may be thinking "Well if there is a problem with GMOs, the U.S. Government Food and Drug Administration or the Department of Agriculture or the Environmental Protection Agency should be aware of it, do careful testing, and then propagate regulations and do labeling, so that we can know what is safe and what is not safe." In an ideal democracy, that would be the case. In the European Union there is a lot more sensitivity to the dangers of GMOs, and for the most part they are not imported into the European Union, and those that are must be labeled. That is not the case in the United States. Why? It is because here in the United States there has been a serious breakdown of our democratic processes on the national level. The simplest way to explain that breakdown is what is known as a "revolving door" between industry and government. In other words, starting with the Clinton administration and now the administration of President Bush, the multinational corporations who make GMO products have contributed tremendous amounts of money to both President Clinton and President Bush and also to many senators and representatives. Because they have a tremendous amount of influence in the government, both Presidents Clinton and Bush appointed people from these industries to do the regulation of these industries, and allowed the industries to tell the government whether their products were safe or not, without the government doing any independent testing. What this means is, on the national level, there is no effective oversight of GMOs and no program of objective testing to see whether these products are safe for human beings and the environment. Because of this governmental failure, we are all unwilling and uninformed guinea pigs in what is probably the biggest experiment with human health and well-being in all of human history. Not only is that the case, but when these GMOs are released into the environment, they cannot be recalled. They will genetically pollute humans, animals, and plants forever with novel combinations of DNA. Suppose General Motors sells a car model that has some defects. According to the law, General Motors must tell everybody who has bought that car, "We didn't know it, but there was a defect in the car; please bring it back and we will fix it or give you a new car." But if we find out that there are dangers or defects in these GMO products, they cannot be recalled. They will be part of our physical nature, and part of the nature of the environment as long as we can conceive.
Because the federal government is not doing its job, I and a number of concerned citizens got together and put Measure H on the ballot. This ballot measure is limited, because we can only regulate things that are not pre-empted by federal law. For example, we cannot make a law at the county level about anything that has to do with inter-state commerce. And so Measure H is the best that we can do right now to protect people and the environment in Mendocino Country. Since the measure takes a novel approach, the banning of growing or raising of GMOs, the international bio-tech companies are very concerned about it and are doing whatever they can to stop it. They are pouring a lot of money into the county to give people false or misleading information about the measure. They are claiming that it is based on bad science, that it will be very expensive, that it will raise taxes, and that it will interfere with people's privacy. None of these claims is true, but there is no way to stop them from spreading this disinformation. They are very powerful, and they have a lot of money.
Part of Mahayana Buddhist practice is taking responsibility for the welfare of all sentient beings, and that means that we have a special responsibility, not only to ourselves and our own welfare, but also to our neighbors in Ukiah and Mendocino County. That means that we have to be aware of what's going on around us. Those of you who would like to find out more about Buddhism and genetic engineering can take a look at my articles published in Vajra Bodhi Sea magazine and in the Religion East and West journal. You can also look at my website "Genetic Engineering and Its Dangers." http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/GEessays/gedanger.htm
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