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It's always struck me that no matter what we do, we're 'harming' things. Even if I decide to subsist only on apples, never say a negative word to anyone, and live my life in a small room where I'm sure not to kill any bugs, I'm still hurting things. Consider our bodies -- veritable slaughterhouses as little microscopic critters come in for a nice exploration and are then descended upon by our immune system. Soon, the explorers are just T-cell poop.
Doing no harm, then, has to be about our attitudes. If we eat meat, do we consider the former life of that meat? If we eat plants, do we consider the former lives of those plants? When we reach out to another person, do we do so with compassion, understanding that our words might not be understood as we intend them?
It seems to me that if we can come to an appreciation of things As They Are, compassion will infuse our every action. Then, without intention or consideration, our actions will always move toward Doing No Harm.
Perhaps it is our desire to have the world be a 'certain way' that creates the harm in the first place. Always wanting to change things to fit our view of what is 'right'. That just sets up the whole affair -- one person thinks A is right, the other thinks B is right, and let the conflict begin!
We've been trying this method of 'fighting the fighters' for all of human history. We know its success rate at making a peaceful world. Mayhaps it's time to try something different? Do No Harm might be just the thing. Bravo for helping others become aware of something so quietly and profoundly life-altering.
Hugs,
Kenton
November 24, 2006
There is a line that people have to be aware of, I teach my kids to stand up for what they feel is right yet I also teach them that if they have nothing good to say about someone say nothing at all....
You can protect yourself, not be walked on or led like a sheep, but one can be respectful of another...and not intentionally cause harm , by word or action to make themselves feel better or superior at the expense of another.
I think the concept of do no harm is good,but doing no harm does not mean you are a shrinking violet, merely that you do not initiate harm for no reason at another's expense.
Janet
November 23, 2006
In Buddhism we say that the correct way is to "help all beings." Since help and harm define each other, it seems that "do no harm" is different words to say the same thing. And not just Buddhism of course, but countless other paths, religious and otherwise, give the same teaching of helping, not harming. So where does the problem arise? It's not that anyone is missing the "do no harm" teaching, but rather we cover it up with so many other things. Likes and dislikes, wanting to get something or hold something, judging this or that as good or bad. So many teachings tell us to do no harm, but then it gets lost in a pile of other injuctions: to be spiritual, to worship God, to get enlightenment, to follow this or that dogma. All that's necessary is to put down all of that. When we don't make that heap of ideas and opinions, likes and dislikes, attachments and aversions, then we're left with the simple direction we all share, that we've all had inside from the beginning, just to do no harm.
Stuart
October 9, 2006
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This is the singular most important spiritual goal, seeming so simple, yet absolutely the most difficult to maintain.
Joyce Boll
July 24, 2006
Hello,
Thanks for your good thoughts.
H.H. the Dalai Lama once said "if you can't be kind, at least don't do any harm"
It's the bottom-line dharma teaching I hold dear - but even this is extremely hard! Nevertheless, all happiness comes from this, I believe.
Best wishes & may all beings have peace.
Jeff
July 5, 2006
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Do No Harm, a good way to go through life, if (only) we all did it, there would be a serious drop in strife and confrontations in this world. Some feel they have to addresss everything, many things that warrant no answer or no need to be addressed as it is inconsequential, yet they have not leaned that it is the higher road to ignore. All goes back to the ego....
I have always told the kids, when kids will say something, like nasty comments, they are only words and have no meaning unless you address the person. If it is truly inconsequential, and the words have no meaning other than to agitate you....it is not worth your time to make them reality by addressing it. It takes two to bicker and carry on... choose your arguments and make sure there is a real reason to be addressed. If someone says something nasty....it is merely words that just hang out there slowly to disappear if they are not addressed....if you address them, you have given validity to the words and an entire platform is built under them by the exchange words.....so they remain unable to just disappear....because you have created a platform for them to remain with.
As Thumpers Mom always said...."If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing "....
I think that your premise is great.... and if more of the world could live by this, there would be a great drop in discord and negative things occurring in this world.
As I have always said, the ego ran amuck long ago, people have to realize that they need no confirmation from the outer world to that what they believe and feel on their inner world. It matters not.
If you can even reach one other to take this stance and attitude, you have made a big dent in the negative of this world.
j
June 2, 2006
I agree with what you are saying. It is my goal to leave this world a better place than what I found it. It's a daily quest as well as life long. I'm with you all the way.
Dan
June 2, 2006
I will post this and see if the web site manager thinks a little Do No Harm icon is a good idea.
Lots of luck in your effort - you'll (we) need it.
Bob
June 2, 2006
“. . . it's an incredible concept: simple enough for anyone to understand and powerful enough to actually cause change.”
Thinker
May 31, 2006
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