The Dalai Lama kills a mosquito

[Benoit Cardinal]

I feel like the Dalai Lama expresses well the concept of ahimsa in this short clip...any thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W083nSzx1Rc

[Douglas Reid]

I notice he didn't answer the question in the clip.  I am not yet at the point of feeding mosquitoes, however, but I do think there is some sense in shoo-ing them away first.  That said, many reactions to things such as mosquitoes are habitual so the learning for me is the need to bring awareness to my reaction. 

Thanks for posting this! Doug

[Benoit Cardinal]

Yes I see what you mean Doug by putting some awareness into our habitual reactions. I think that this is what is important. 

I think that he didn't answer the question directly on purpose because ahimsa is subject to so much variables and context in how to apply it. Maybe that's why he gave this analogy. 

Most of all I feel like he put the "human sensitive side" into his explanation. How we can't always "not kill" and that sometimes we have to shoo-away or sometimes just accept and give. To have compassion for ourself to sometimes be bothered by external factors and sometimes not. 

Much gratitude,

Benoit

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[Douglas Reid]

Hi - this is a helpful point and it's clarified something for me which I hope will be useful also to others -- the idea is that non-harming does not mean being a doormat for the rest of the world.  It means being aware of the behaviour of other beings and responding compassionately. 

The mosquito story is very instructive in the sense that the mosquito behaved according to its nature.  It was not malicious; merely doing what mosquitoes do.  But the Dalai Lama was mindful even about what many would consider a small thing, though his response varied and was likely contingent on circumstances. 

I wonder if that means there are no truly small things when other beings are involved, and that mindfulness is essential always to ensure that circumstances influence a compassionate response?

Thanks for sharing this video and continuing with this thread, 

Doug

On Sunday, 9 December 2012 14:22:26 UTC-5, Benoit Cardinal wrote:

[Laura at Perfect Moment]

I too enjoy the video, even though at first I must admit I did not know what to think of it; a lot of interesting ideas how come via this thread and have to enjoyed opening my mind to the depth of the video.

To me it was an interesting example of perhaps the different levels; literal, compassionate and koan;

Thank you :)

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Striving to make every moment perfect.

To great health and beauty,

Laura

www.amway.ca/perfectmoment

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[Benoit Cardinal]

Hi- 

I really enjoyed reading your comments. Doug - it's such an interesting way to see that the mosquito is only doing what mosquitoes do, feed themselves. Same as we sometimes need to kill in order to live. And at the same time, i feel like I need to be aware of even the smallest thing as it can have an impact on others or myself. Who am I to judge the extent of it. Simply to develop an awareness is sufficient to extend our sensitivity to everything around us and others. 

And Laura, yes!! Seeing his comments as the different levels of the precepts was such a revelation for me. Letting the mosquito feed on my blood - literal level (not killing). Blowing on the mosquito - bodhisattva level. Compassion for ourselves and others. Flicking the mosquito away - koan level, as we can apply it to the greater realm of things. 

At the same time, I think that for me it's important to keep the different levels on the "same level" if you know what I mean. As to not put one higher or greater then another one. As they are all equal. Well that's how I feel about it. I might realize it differently later on as I experiment more with these notions and as everything changes and nothing stays the same. 

Much love,

Benoit

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