Question: A householder from China said that he’s a faithful Buddhist but he himself is a soldier. He has to study warfare tactics and produce weapons. He is troubled and thus asks for guidance.
Master Chin Kung's answer: It is not problematic to be a soldier. Why? Soldiers are to protect the country as well as to protect the life and wealth of people. It is called “A fearless dāna (alms-giving)”. So there’s no problem of being a soldier.
Lokuttara Dharma says that where there is a country and a group of people, there must be defenders of them.
In such a small country like Singapore, they must have forces for defense as well.
If you don’t have that, what would happen when others invade your lands? So that’s a fearless dāna.
In Buddhism, the Dharmapalas present the likes of generals.
They are all soldiers with weapons in their hands to protect the country and to protect the people.
In other words, we must not initiate wars upon others.
That’s right. We only fight wars in defensive means against invasion from others.
In the Qurans, the Islamic scripture, it is called “Jihad.” The buddhas and bodhisattvas also agree with that.
They won’t deny. Killing in this case gives you good karma. This fits the precept rather than breaking it.
For a soldier like you accepting the five precepts, in case of defending your nation,
When the enemies invade and you see them,
Would you not kill? You might think:
“I’ve accepted the precept that I will not kill a sentient being. If I kill, I broke the precept.”
If the enemies break through the defense, how many cities will be laid waste? How many people will die?
In that case, you do not fulfill your duty of protecting people, and that brings you severe crime.
Therefore, you must protect people, or die trying. Your job is to stand against the enemies.
The Buddha is rational, is reasonable.
Your duties of defending your country, your homeland, is necessary.
That doesn’t make you a criminal.
The bodhisattvas express themselves as divine generals, and so fulfill the fearless dāna.
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