martin luther king once said...if you have nothing to die for, then you have nothing to live for.
during the vietnam war buddhist monks performed what is called 'self-immolation'. it is a form of suicide by fire. often done for political or moral reasons as a form of protest. (never mind the jackass in the background lighting his cigarette)
i'm still trying to wrap my mind around it. i get it, yet i don't.
how far are you willing to go for what you believe? is a belief worth it?
just think...the buddhist pictured here, believed in something so deep, a concept that most of us can't even comprehend, that he lit himself on fire. comprehend that...
enjoy the simulacra...
[amitabha...]
So A:the monk felt he would be rewarded in the afterlife for his sacrifice, or B:he had such low self-esteem as to be influenced by his religion to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Yes, I am being facetious. Up to a point. If the monks truly believed in something so strongly, then why not make the greater sacrifice and stay alive trying to make the change they desired? In answer to your question no I can't comprehend their actions.
ReplyDeletenot necessarily rewarded. with buddhism; all there is, is karma. no afterlife. and it's not low self-esteem. from what i gather and understand, is that it becomes a showing of complete selflessness, and a disgust for the current morality of the environment that this is all that there is left to do. suicide is normally understood as bad karma in buddhism, but these monks found one line in one work where a monk preformed these acts, so they then understand it as acceptable. extremism strikes again...
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