Buddhism, euthanasia and the sanctity of life

Journal of Medical Ethics

Volumn 22, Issue 5, 1996, Pages 309-313

  Perrett, Roy W ^a  

^a MASSEY UNIVERSITY   (New Zealand)

Author keywords

Buddhism; Death and dying; Euthanasia; Religious ethics; Sanctity of life

Indexed keywords

ETHICS; EUTHANASIA; RELIGION; SHORT SURVEY;

EID: 0029808855     PISSN: 03066800     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1136/jme.22.5.309     Document Type: Short Survey

References (37)

1. Keown D, Keown J. Killing, karma and caring: euthanasia in Buddhism and Christianity. Journal of Medical Ethics 1995; 21: 265-9.
2. See reference 1: 268.
3. See reference 1 265.
4. On this understanding of the sanctity of life doctrine see, for instance, Glover J. Causing death and saving lives. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1977;
5. Kuhse H. The sanctity-of-life doctrine in medicine: a critique. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987.
6. See reference 1: 267.
7. See reference 1: 266.
8. There is, however, a growing secondary literature on these issues For a useful (but by no means exhaustive) bibliographical review see Hughes J, Keown D. Buddhism and medical ethics. Journal of Buddhist Ethics 1995; 2: 105-24.
9. See reference 1: 268, n. 3.
10. Keown D. The nature of Buddhist ethics. New York: St Martin's Press, 1992: ch. 6.
11. On Sri Lanka, for instance, see Gombrich R. Precept and practice. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971; on Burma see King W. In the hope of nibbana. LaSalle: Open Court, 1964, and Spiro M. Buddhism and society. New York: Harper, 1970.
12. On Sri Lanka, for instance, see Gombrich R. Precept and practice. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971; on Burma see King W. In the hope of nibbana. LaSalle: Open Court, 1964, and Spiro M. Buddhism and society. New York: Harper, 1970.
13. On Sri Lanka, for instance, see Gombrich R. Precept and practice. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971; on Burma see King W. In the hope of nibbana. LaSalle: Open Court, 1964, and Spiro M. Buddhism and society. New York: Harper, 1970.
14. See Wiltshire M. The "suicide" problem in the Pali Canon. Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 1983; 6: 124-40; Lamotte E. Religious suicide in early Buddhism. Buddhist Studies Review 1987; 4: 105-18. The Keowns admit this point (see reference 1: 268 n. 13), but try to play down its significance. See also Keown D. Buddhism and bioethics. New York: St Martin's Press, 1995; 58-60.
15. See Wiltshire M. The "suicide" problem in the Pali Canon. Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 1983; 6: 124-40; Lamotte E. Religious suicide in early Buddhism. Buddhist Studies Review 1987; 4: 105-18. The Keowns admit this point (see reference 1: 268 n. 13), but try to play down its significance. See also Keown D. Buddhism and bioethics. New York: St Martin's Press, 1995; 58-60.
16. See Wiltshire M. The "suicide" problem in the Pali Canon. Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 1983; 6: 124-40; Lamotte E. Religious suicide in early Buddhism. Buddhist Studies Review 1987; 4: 105-18. The Keowns admit this point (see reference 1: 268 n. 13), but try to play down its significance. See also Keown D. Buddhism and bioethics. New York: St Martin's Press, 1995; 58-60.
17. See Jan Y. Buddhist self-immolation in medieval China. History of Religions 1965; 4: 243-68; Rahula W. Zen and the taming of the bull. London: Gordon Fraser, 1978: 111-4.
18. See Jan Y. Buddhist self-immolation in medieval China. History of Religions 1965; 4: 243-68; Rahula W. Zen and the taming of the bull. London: Gordon Fraser, 1978: 111-4.
19. Seward J. Hara-kiri: Japanese ritual suicide. Rutland: Charles E Tuttle, 1968; Kakubayashi F. A historical study of harakiri. Australian Journal of Politics and History 1993; 39: 217-24; Pinguet M. Voluntary death in Japan. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1993, On the significance of these attitudes for the issue of euthanasia see Becker C. Buddhist views of suicide and euthanasia. Philosophy East and West 1990; 40: 543-56.
20. Seward J. Hara-kiri: Japanese ritual suicide. Rutland: Charles E Tuttle, 1968; Kakubayashi F. A historical study of harakiri. Australian Journal of Politics and History 1993; 39: 217-24; Pinguet M. Voluntary death in Japan. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1993, On the significance of these attitudes for the issue of euthanasia see Becker C. Buddhist views of suicide and euthanasia. Philosophy East and West 1990; 40: 543-56.
21. Seward J. Hara-kiri: Japanese ritual suicide. Rutland: Charles E Tuttle, 1968; Kakubayashi F. A historical study of harakiri. Australian Journal of Politics and History 1993; 39: 217-24; Pinguet M. Voluntary death in Japan. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1993, On the significance of these attitudes for the issue of euthanasia see Becker C. Buddhist views of suicide and euthanasia. Philosophy East and West 1990; 40: 543-56.
22. Seward J. Hara-kiri: Japanese ritual suicide. Rutland: Charles E Tuttle, 1968; Kakubayashi F. A historical study of harakiri. Australian Journal of Politics and History 1993; 39: 217-24; Pinguet M. Voluntary death in Japan. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1993, On the significance of these attitudes for the issue of euthanasia see Becker C. Buddhist views of suicide and euthanasia. Philosophy East and West 1990; 40: 543-56.
23. Singer P, Kuhse, H. Should the baby live? Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985: 105-7.
24. On Japanese attitudes to abortion see LaFleur W. Liquid life: abortion and Buddhism in Japan. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992.
25. Stott D. Buddhadharma and contemporary ethics. Religion 1992; 22: 171-81.
26. The Dalai Lama. [letter]. Asiaweek 1985 Nov 1: 73.
27. Sogyal Rinpoche. The Tibetan book of living and dying. London: Rider, 1992: 374.
28. Note, for instance, the reported "growing consensus among the Thai public that euthanasia (passive or active) is morally unjustifiable" in Ratanakul P. Thailand: refining cultural values. Hastings Center Report 1990; 20: 27. See also Florida R. Buddhist approaches to euthanasia. Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 1993; 22: 35-47, which is primarily focused on Thailand.
29. Note, for instance, the reported "growing consensus among the Thai public that euthanasia (passive or active) is morally unjustifiable" in Ratanakul P. Thailand: refining cultural values. Hastings Center Report 1990; 20: 27. See also Florida R. Buddhist approaches to euthanasia. Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 1993; 22: 35-47, which is primarily focused on Thailand.
30. Perrett R. Egoism, altruism and intentionalism in Buddhist ethics. Journal of Indian Philosophy 1987; 15: 71-85.
31. See Pettit P. Consequentialism. In: Singer P, ed. A companion to ethics. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1991: 230-40. Note that the Keowns' own definition of "consequentialism" as the view that "the morality of an action turns solely on its consequences" (see reference 1: 267) is probably too crudely restrictive. For a sample of the varieties of consequentialism see Pettit P, ed. Consequentialism. Aldershot: Dartmouth, 1993.
32. See Pettit P. Consequentialism. In: Singer P, ed. A companion to ethics. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1991: 230-40. Note that the Keowns' own definition of "consequentialism" as the view that "the morality of an action turns solely on its consequences" (see reference 1: 267) is probably too crudely restrictive. For a sample of the varieties of consequentialism see Pettit P, ed. Consequentialism. Aldershot: Dartmouth, 1993.
33. See Adams R. Motive utilitarianism. Journal of Philosophy 1976; 73: 467-81. For the even stronger suggestion that "broad consequentialism" (as opposed to "narrow consequentialism", or utilitarianism) can allow for certain modes of acting having intrinsic value which have to be included in the calculations when seeking to maximise value see Sen A. Evaluator relativity and consequential evaluation. Philosophy and Public Affairs 1983; 12: 113-32.
34. See Adams R. Motive utilitarianism. Journal of Philosophy 1976; 73: 467-81. For the even stronger suggestion that "broad consequentialism" (as opposed to "narrow consequentialism", or utilitarianism) can allow for certain modes of acting having intrinsic value which have to be included in the calculations when seeking to maximise value see Sen A. Evaluator relativity and consequential evaluation. Philosophy and Public Affairs 1983; 12: 113-32.
35. Majjhima-nikāya 61, 88. Elsewhere Damien Keown resists consequentialist representations of Buddhist ethics in favour of a view of Buddhism as a teleological virtue ethic (see reference 9: ch. 7). However, even there he also readily concedes that consequentialist representations of Buddhist ethics are popular with other Buddhist scholars and find support in both Theravāda and, most especially; Mahāyāna, texts. Personally I find quite unpersuasive Keown's arguments for his own virtue-based representation of Buddhist ethics, but this is a rather large issue which I cannot deal with here.
36. See, for instance, Guenther H. The jewel ornament of liberation by sGam.po.pa. Boulder: Prajna Press, 1971: 24.
37. Conze E. Buddhist scriptures. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1959: 70.