So, I posted an article recently to the Elephant journal facebook page. As always I try to find articles that will not only get people clicking to read, but also will maybe stir up some debate. I find that it’s not always easy to be open when the debate starts getting hot, but if I can keep an open mind, I’ll learn something pretty cool nine times out of ten.

The article I posted was about Troy Davies’ execution and the debate then started running about whether it was hypocritical to execute someone for murder. I remembered somewhere about a certain lesson in Buddhism whereby, sometimes we have to kill for the greater good. This was what I commented;

 Some Buddhism sees killing to prevent further disaster as a necessary thing sometimes…. Isn’t there something about Buddha killing some brigands on a fishing boat because he knew they were going to kill? ~Tobye.

Now I didn’t think too much about this. I remembered the story, but not all of the details and I was hoping there might be someone out there that might be able to enlighten me and everyone else. So I was a bit hurt when I got this reply;

In a previous life – when He was “merely” a Bodhisattva – He could differentiate, and He saved the lives of 500 fishermen as well as spared one evil man from amassing the bad karma (which that one man would have created for himself by killing 500 innocent people) by killing that one evil-minded man … there’s a huge difference! Oh, Tobye, now it becomes clear to me why I’m not enthused about elephantjournal … too much incompetence! Nevertheless, congrats for trying!

Well, firstly Gaby, thankyou from coming down from your haughty heights for long enough to congratulate me for trying!

Here’s another quote for you Gaby ;

The various features and aspects of human life, such as longevity, good health, success, happiness, and so forth, which we consider desirable, are all dependent on kindness and a good heart. The Dalai Lama.

Oh and by the way, you don’t have to keep putting a capital H for he. I know he’s a big personality and all that but if we’re going to be pedantic. Oh and I think you meant “sparing one evil man” not “spared one evil man”. Oh and you should never put a comma before and. Sometimes a comma can go after and, but never before. It doesn’t matter though. You made a few mistakes but I think we all got the general idea of what you were trying to convey……