Originally posted by: Warbler
Originally posted by: ricarleite If a bottle of coke falls from the sky and two tribes start to fight and make a war to get hold of it, which one is correct? Both are wrong, right? As violence is not the way. So what makes the bottle of coke or a pseudo-world domination to be different? You might say that world domination leads to people losing their freedom, but I am not discussion the ends, but the means to it.

As for the coke bottle obviously it would be stupid to fight a war over a worthless coke bottle. But I value freedom, rights, and life much more highly than I do a coke bottle. I will fight a war over those.

I know what Ric was referring to, it was a movie on TV or something. Two African tribes lived in a remote location (somewhere in Africa lol), they knew nothing of electricity, cars, houses, businesses, or currency. In a sense it was a commune. And these two tribes had lived in peace for centuries.

One day an empty coke bottle falls from the sky (explained as falling out of a plane or something). This is a one of a kind item to these people, and it makes it priceless. Soon members of each tribe are fighting over this prized gift, which they thought came from God. The bloodshed begins and eventually there is almost no people in either tribe. What's the moral of the story?

I'll tell you; humans are naturally kind and accepting towards each other, but as soon as a material object or objects come into play, the humans have a reason to break the kindness.

Violence and murder is caused by the need for "stuff" and the drive to get said "stuff", no matter what the price. With that said, these are Buddhist terms (with their translations and explanations) about putting an end to suffering:

Dukkha: Suffering exists (suffering is real and almost universal)

Samudaya: There is a cause for suffering (the desire to have and control things, desire for fame, sex, fear, anger, etc.)

Nirodha: There is an end to suffering (letting go to any and all desires and cravings; this doesn't mean you have to be homeless, which is a common misconception)