From: DRAGONFLY           
To: CHARLES DITTELL     
Subject: Buddhist Morals
Date & Time: 05/12/91 22:07:34
Message Number 16772

(This is what you get for not quite understanding what was being
discussed.)
   
   Your note was, well, appreciated, though it was way off the mark.
One of the sayings of the Buddha, which applies quite well to Western
ideas, was the so-called "Silver Rule": "Do not do unto others what you
would not have them do unto you."
   
   Turtle and I were debating about the differences between Buddhism's
"Silver Rule" and the rule the Wiccans believe ("If it harms not others,
do as thou wilt.").  This kind of splintered from a conversation about
which simple moral rule, if taken alone, would lead to the "best" --
and most useful -- morality.
     
   We weren't at all trying to set down either the complete Buddhist,
Wiccan, or Judaic moral philosophies.  Just which "base rule" came the
closest to morality.
   
   About your "interesting aside:"  You might find it interesting to
check out the 10 Commandments, and figure out how many of them are of
the form: "Thou shalt not..." (Hint: Not one of the first five
commandments are negative.  They all command you to DO something.)
And at least four of the commandments could NOT translate over to 
Buddhism, even if they wanted to.  
                        //Dragonfly//