Buddhist Ethics in Tamil Classical Epics

Journal of Buddhist Ethics

I argue that central Buddhist tenets and meditation methodology support a view of free will similar to Harry Frankfurt’s optimistic view and contrary to Galen Strawson’s pessimistic view. For Frankfurt, free will involves a relationship between actions, volitions, and “metavolitions” (volitions about volitions): simplifying greatly, volitional actions are free if the agent approves of them. For...

Journal of Buddhist Ethics

Mental Health in Classical Buddhist Psychology

These lines from the Dhammapada(Babbitt, 1936) reflect the basic dichotomy in Abhidhamma, the classical Buddhist psychology, between pure (wholesome' or healthy) and impure ('unwholesome' or unhealthy) properties. In this system the factors which compose one's mental states from moment to moment determine one's mental health." The list of healthy factors represents a transpersonal model for men...

Classical Buddhist Model of A Healthy Mind

The purpose of this chapter will be to outline the classical Buddhist program for transforming the human mentality from one that is rigid, closed and prone to injuring itself and others to one that is flexible, open and competent to heal itself and others. Traditionally the Buddhist path has been divided into three phases: ethics, contemplation and wisdom. Ethical guidelines, which have to do w...

Causation and //telos//: the Problem of Buddhist Environmental Ethics

Environmentalist concerns have moved centre stage in most major religious traditions of late and Buddhism is no exception to this rule. This paper shows that the canonical writings of Indic Buddhism possess elements that may harmonise with a //de facto// ecological consciousness. However, their basic attitude towards the causal process drastically reduces the possibility of developing an authen...