Zen: Outside the Margins: That Pesky Precept

Friday, July 14, 2006

That Pesky Precept

With palms together,

Good Morning All,

We have brains, hearts, lungs, stomachs, kidneys, penises and/or clitorises. Just as our organs like the brain and heart function without our saying much about it, so too, the others. Yet, just so: because the motor is running does not mean we must put it in gear and step on the gas.

Second. We live in a natural world. Nothing evil or good exists independent of us. We create evil and good by our actions, and our evaluations of those actions. In the end, it is our intent that creates our karma.

Third. If we are using sexual conduct for healthy reasons, that is, for improving our mental and emotional states, or reproducing, then our intent is a benefit. If, on the other hand, this behavior is rooted in a desire to harm, to control or punish, then we are using sexuality as a tool for harm and in so doing, creating evil.

Pornography, by itself, as pictures or film, is neutral. It is like the rock under my foot. Or the thought in my head. It means nothing by itself. We add to it with that thought and then create evil or good with our action.

Fourth. The industry of pornography is a whole other matter and thus a matter for us. If we say that smoking is harmful, then those who produce the product we smoke have a role to play in the responsibility equation. When a film portrays violence for the sake of glamorizing violence and thus, promoting violence, it is creating evil. Just so, pornography. We have a responsibility in consuming such material in that sense.

Lastly, life is complex. We are all infants in the process, learning as we go. Sometimes our best efforts at understanding and doing the right thing are either not good enough or, in the worst case scenario (like a righteous war) short term fixes to long term problems. We should not punish ourselves for our behavior. Rather we should learn from it and do better.

I cannot tell you what better is, only you and your heart and the faces of those you love (or hate) can do that.

Be well.