"Cameron said..." are snippets of real life comments made by my 11 year old son who happens to have Down Syndrome. I hope that they make you reflect on our every day struggles as humans and the world that we live in but with a smile on your face. ¨Cameron dijo...¨ son comentarios breves hechos por mi hijo de 11 años, quien tiene síndrome de Down. Espero que les hagan reflexionar sobre las luchas diarias que tenemos como humanos y el mundo en el que vivimos pero con una sonrisa.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
More research on past quotes from the Dalai Lama on abortion of "retarded" children
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/abortion.shtml
Of course, abortion, from a Buddhist viewpoint, is an act of killing and is negative, generally speaking. But it depends on the circumstances.
If the unborn child will be retarded or if the birth will create serious problems for the parent, these are cases where there can be an exception. I think abortion should be approved or disapproved according to each circumstance.
Dalai Lama, New York Times, 28/11/1993
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/28/magazine/the-dalai-lama.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/abortion.shtml
Of course, abortion, from a Buddhist viewpoint, is an act of killing and is negative, generally speaking. But it depends on the circumstances.
If the unborn child will be retarded or if the birth will create serious problems for the parent, these are cases where there can be an exception. I think abortion should be approved or disapproved according to each circumstance.
Dalai Lama, New York Times, 28/11/1993
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/28/magazine/the-dalai-lama.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
Cameron did not say this, I do
In his own words: “Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of
real peace.”
- Dalai Lama XIV
By Viviana Fernandez
Awareness, compassion, love and non-violence, those are some
of the pillars of Tibetan Buddhism. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual
leader of Tibetan Buddhism, said yesterday during his 2013 visit to the United
States, and first public talk about how
secular ethics could unite everyone on earth: “abortion is admissible if it
will bring much suffering to the family”.
He said this after explaining that “abortion is killing”.
The Dalai Lama was answering a question by Paul Root Wolpe, PhD, Director of
the Emory University’s Center for Ethics during his first public talk at the Arena,
in Gwinnett Center, Duluth, GA.
Doctor Wolpe presented a dilemma to his Holiness: what is
there ethically to do if a child presents 100% damage?
The Dalai Lama turned to his interpreter and explained his
view on abortion in such a case.
My sister, who had given me the surprise of buying a ticket
for the Dalai Lama’s public talk immediately, saw my reaction. I stopped
applauding. I was flabbergasted. How could these two influential figures
talking about secular ethics, first of all, refer to a child, a unique soul as “100%
damaged”? I guess Dr. Wolpe was referring to a severely disabled child? The
Director of Emory University’s Center for Ethics was referring to a unique
soul, somebody’s son or daughter, a fellow brother or sister mammal-human being
as “100% damaged”.How is “100% damage” determined? What is a 100% damaged child? How would Helen Keller answer that question? How would my 12 year old son with Down syndrome answer that question?
I can feel compassion for Dr Wolpe and the Dalai Lama’s answer. You see, before I had my son Cameron, I was also afraid of such “suffering”. However, Cameron’s soul was stronger. He needed to be here and Down syndrome went undetected during my pregnancy in spite of getting the recommended blood tests. No amnio was done because I was not 35 years old.
Any birth or Samsara brings pain. But Cameron’s birth
brought the most important Samsara in my life. He taught me how to truly love a
soul unconditionally, just as he is. His birth brought me the greatest gifts
taught by Tibetan Buddhism: Awareness, Compassion, and Love. In my dealing with
suffering after given the news, I found the greatest treasure and gift that any
human could get while on this earth. If I had found out while I was pregnant
that Cameron had Down syndrome, at that stage of my life, I would have probably
gone for “avoiding the suffering”.
However, it was in my acceptance of my stereotypical view and stigma
associated with “damaged children” that I found the greatest love of all.
So it took a while for me to gain spiritual composure but I
stayed in the arena until the very end. After all, we concluded with my sister,
the Dalai Lama and Doctor Wolpe are only human. Their own experiences limit
their thinking. Hopefully, they will read about my experience with Cameron. It
would be significant, especially because October is National Down Syndrome
Awareness Month. Almost 100% of pregnancies where Down syndrome is detected
prenatally end up being terminated.
It is inevitable not to go through suffering in life.
Suffering will come in many forms and shapes. I hope that before we can
implement secular ethics in education we can truly grasp the sound of Grammy-nominated
Tibetan flutist Nawang Khechog and his flute chant before the panel begun:
“May all be kind to each other for as long as space endures,
for as long as sentient beings endure, may we care for all living beings.”Link to another interview:
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1039047
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