Buddhist Association of China calls for opposition to self-immolation (2)

As for the claim that self-immolation is the highest form of non-violence, the senior monks at the seminar noted that self-immolation, which does serious harm to oneself, brings fear to others, and cause social panic, so it is by no means a non-violent act. Sakyamuni Buddha and other eminent monks have explicitly condemned such cruel and shocking behavior. The president of the Qinghai Buddhist Association stressed that self-immolation is in nature against society, human beings, humanity, and Buddhist doctrine.

The attendees of the seminar also refuted the absurd claim that self-immolation is a way to become a Buddha, saying it is hard to imagine that such deluded and ignorant behavior is associated with Buddhism. Jing Hui, vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, said that there are three kinds of deaths in Buddhism, including the natural end of life, the exhaustion of fortune, and death at a time when one should not die. Killing oneself belongs to the third type of death.

The participants to the seminar called on all Buddhism practitioners to preach the correct Buddhist view of life to believers, help them tell right from wrong and ward off heresy, and ensure their safety using Buddhist precepts and laws.

Read the Chinese version: 反对自焚 善待生命, source: People's Daily