Have Buddhists ever killed others because of their religion?

"Victoria pinpoints Shaku Soen (1859-1919) as one of the first Zen Masters to enthusiastically embrace war as Zen training. Well-known as D. T. Suzuki's teacher, Soen is revered in the history of Buddhism in the West as the first Zen teacher to visit the United States. In the war against Russia, Soen served as a chaplain in 1904. "I wished to inspire," Soen later wrote, "our valiant soldiers with the ennobling thoughts of the Buddha, so as to enable them to die on the battlefield with confidence that the task in which they are engaged is great and noble. I wish to convince them.... that this war is not a mere slaughter of their fellow-beings, but that they are combating an evil."

From Soen's point of view, since everything was one essence, war and peace were identical. Everything reflected the glory of Buddha, including war. And since the Buddha's main purpose was to subjugate evil, and since the enemy of Japan was inherently evil, war against evil was the essence of Buddhism. "In the present hostilities," Soen wrote, "into which Japan has entered with great reluctance, she pursues no egotistic purpose, but seeks the subjugation of evils hostile to civilization, peace and enlightenment." (Japan's invasion of Russia was entirely self-serving and hardly reluctant.). To Soen, war was " an inevitable step toward the final realization of enlightenment."

Soen used the phrases "just war" and "holy war." Japan was engaged in a "war of compassion" fought by bodhisattva soldiers against the enemies of Buddha. As Rinzai Zen Master Nantembo (1839 - 1925) preached, there was "no bodhisattva practice superior to the compassionate taking of life." (Soen considered any opposition to war as "a product of egotism.") Reading these words now, they seem clear examples of disturbed religious thinking. Buddhist teachings, language and symbols, like any religion, can be perverted and twisted to support nationalism and violence. It is important to note that Soen is not some fringe crackpot. He is still almost worshipped in Japan as one of the great "fully enlightened" Zen Masters of our time."

Sounds interesting. All in all though, just by doing a little searching, it does seem to be the most peaceful religion i've ever heard of. I think the other religions could learn something from the Buddhists.

Buddhism is really a spiritual-philosophy that some practice as a religion. The difference is that Budah never spoke of a deity or a god...When asked if he believed in a superior being, he said thet "he couldn't speak about something that exceeded his understanding". But anyhow, we see buddhist monks, totally devoted to their beliefs and principles.

But I think that as in any other human group and/or culture, there are good and bad followers...maybe there has been somenone who calls himself buddhist and has commited homicide, as well as people who call themselves jews or christians and have commited homicide dispite the fact that one of the Ten Commandments clearly says "Thou shalt not kill". So if anyone commits homicide, they can call themselves whatever they want (Jewish, Christian or Buddhist) but they are are not true and loyal followers of their doctrine. They are nothing but killers.

Islam is a religion that accepts violence as in the Jihad, (the holy war). In Jihad, as written in the Coran, Muslims can use violence and force to defeat the enemy and to promote Islam.

My answer to your question. If someone calls himself Buddhist, and commits homicide, then he is not a Buddhist.

Well, Buddhism is not a true religion since we don't worship any higher being (Buddah was a real guy.) I have never heard of a Buddhist killing anyone - especially because they believe all life is sacred and should be valued highly.

I'm not an expert on history or anything, but I do live in a Buddhist monastery and I have never heard of Buddhist killing in the name of Buddha.

buddhists did not kill others because of their relegion. it teaches non violence. but it does not meen they liked to be killed like dodo. when muslims were trying to spread towards east with their newly found relegious zeal one or two rulers stood up against them and fought back with the same zeal. it was not exactally holy war or something but they fought. ever heard about Changez Khan ? he was buddhist. muslims called him plage or something like that.

the moks were not allowed to carry weapons. so they developed martial arts to fight without it. once i saw on dicovery that sholin school of china first learned it from an indian buddhist monk. over the time different martial arts have devolped and improved. but credit goes to travelling buddhist monks .

most cenres of buddhism are muslim now. afganistaan and bangladesh and pakistan are the areas where indian buddhist concentrted. so i guess being peacefull does not always pay.

"Bhuddism: The religion that's too p u s s y to kill anyone in it's name"

-The Daily Show

Nope, followers of bhuddism don't have anything to fight for, material possessions and land aren't important, and all resistance is passive. It's not a hard core belief system like you have to worship bhudda, and these are the principles you must follow. Bhudda is not a god, it means enlightened one. All bhuddism is is trying to attain enlightenment through meditation, and noone can stop you from meditating, you can do it in your mind without anyone having any idea.

Well Buddhists have set themselves on fire do they count?

i think they would kil the hell out of you if you fu=k with them.but no i can't think of any people they kill over religion.that something real

I'm gonna say nope as well

nope