The Oriental Outlook on Abortion :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

The Oriental Outlook on Abortion     as yet Buddhism recognizes the abortive womanhoods need to come to terms with residual grief. Yvonne Rand, a Soto back breaker priest trained at the San Francisco Zen Center, has adapted the mizuko ritual to answer American women who kick in lost children come to terms with their grief. Each woman sews a bib which she offers to an image of Jizo Bodhisattva with prayers for the well-being of the child who has met with an accidental demise or died through induced or spontaneous abortion. This ritual has turn out to be an excellent way for women to deal with the psychological consequences of abortion.    Even so, two in the United States and Japan, there is concern that the ritual can be interpreted as condoning abortion or as a lovely of penance. In Japan, a schedule of fees for these services has replaced the donation system and abortion has become big business, with sizable amounts of money changing hands. Unscrupulous e ntrepreneurs have taken advantage of women by raising the specter of harmful influences from the despiteful spirits of mizuko and charging for rites to propitiate and exorcise these spirits.   In the Tibetan tradition, unwholesome actions whitethorn be purified by applying the Four Opponent Powers recognizing ones unwholesome action as a mistake, generating remorse, determining not to repeat the action, and doing some purification practice, such(prenominal) as meditation, prostrations, or the repetition of mantras or prayers. Purification practices such as these serve as antidotes or methods to counteract the effects of unskillful deeds. In addition to helping purify ones karma, these practices have the effect of preventing debilitating feelings of wickedness and self-blame. Meditations on lovingkindness and compassion for oneself, the aborted fetus, and all sentient beings help to replace feelings of lugubriousness and depression.   Buddhist thinking on reproductive et hics recognizes the complexity of the issues. at present traditional Buddhist perspectives are being examined anew in luminosity of technological discoveries such as amniocentesis and nonsurgical abortion techniques such as the RU486 pill developed in France.   There are no moral absolutes in Buddhism and it is recognized that ethical decision-making involves a complex contact of causes and conditions. Buddhism encompasses a wide spectrum of beliefs and practices, and the canonical scriptures leave room for a draw of interpretations. All of these are grounded in a theory of intentionality, and individuals are boost to analyze issues carefully for themselves.