Advice on military service

That would be the “Vaṇijjā Sutta“! 

“Trade in weapons, living creatures, meat, intoxicants, and poisons.”

It is not a full time employment, but it is a mandatory conscription so we are in reserve until a war breaks out. Otherwise we just live a normal life and are free to do whatever.

By the way would like to share with everyone, we can find suttas by writing it in chatgpt! (though not 100% accurate)

I typed: the Buddha pointed out a list of livelihoods (jobs) one must avoid; those include selling meat and alcohol, the slave trade, etc.

which sutta?

ChatGPT: The Buddha mentioned a set of livelihoods that one should avoid in the **”Right Livelihood”** aspect of the **Noble Eightfold Path**, which is found in various suttas, including the **”Samma Ajiva Sutta”** and the **”Vanijja Sutta”**.

Specifically, in the **Vanijja Sutta** (AN 5.177), the Buddha lists five trades that should be avoided:
1. Trading in weapons.
2. Trading in human beings (slave trade).
3. Trading in meat or animals for slaughter.
4. Trading in intoxicants (such as alcohol).
5. Trading in poisons.

This sutta emphasizes that one should earn a living in ways that do not cause harm to others.

Based on the earlier prompts, I ask Chat: did the Buddha say anything about being in the military or war?

ChatGPT:

Yes, the Buddha did address topics related to the military and war. While he did not explicitly condemn the military profession in the same way he did certain trades (such as selling weapons), he emphasized non-violence and compassion. His teachings on war and conflict revolve around the principle of ahimsa (non-harm), which is central to Buddhist ethics.

1. Dhammapada (verses 129-133): In these verses, the Buddha speaks against violence, highlighting the suffering caused by killing or harming others:
   • “All tremble at violence; all fear death. Comparing oneself with others, one should neither kill nor cause others to kill.”
   • “Whoever seeks his own happiness by inflicting pain on others is not released from hatred, being caught in the toils of hatred.”
2. Yodhajiva Sutta (SN 42.3): In this discourse, a soldier named Yodhajiva asks the Buddha about the consequences of his profession. The Buddha explains that a soldier who fights in battle with the intention of killing is likely to face negative karmic consequences. He does not explicitly condemn the soldier but points out that actions motivated by the intent to kill lead to suffering.
3. Mahabharata’s Comparison: Although not from the Pali Canon, in other Buddhist traditions, there are stories that draw comparisons to the Mahabharata and its warrior ideals. However, the Buddha’s emphasis was always on peaceful resolutions and the cessation of violence, contrasting with warrior codes that justify war for duty or honor.

In summary, the Buddha did not encourage participation in war or the military, as it inherently involves harm to others, which goes against the core Buddhist principles of non-violence and compassion. He advised restraint from violence and emphasized the importance of peace and inner reflection over conflict.

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The most relevant one here would be Yodhajiva Sutta: 

Yo so, gāmaṇi, yodhājīvo saṅgāme ussahati vāyamati, tassa taṁ cittaṁ pubbe gahitaṁ dukkaṭaṁ duppaṇihitaṁ:

When a warrior strives and struggles in battle, their mind is already low, degraded, and misdirected as they think: 

‘May these sentient beings be killed, slaughtered, slain, destroyed, or annihilated!’ His foes kill him and finish him off, and when his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in the hell called ‘The Fallen’.

So it is more of the intention rather than the act, corresponding with A Simple Way to Enhance Merits (Kusala) and Avoid Demerits (Akusala)

• If done with wrong vision, with pleasure, and without prompting, it will have the highest strength (of course, this will be the highest BAD strength).
• If done WITHOUT wrong vision, with a neutral feeling, and with prompting, it will have the least strength.

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On a side note, we need to be discerning with ChatGPT’s answers, it suggested Mahabharata which is a narrative from Hinduism. Sometimes it gives suttas with the wrong content as well.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Yash RS