Self-inflicted violence = violence?

[jessicajameson]

Okay, this is all starting to get really creepy. There have been a lot of news lately about self-inflicted violence in exiled Tibet. From self-immolations (I swear, Tibetans are going to be known as self-immolators rather than Buddhists very soon...) to stabbing themselves (below).

As pure as one's motivation is, I really don't think that those people who essentially commit suicide will be reborn in a good place.

If I choose to self-immolate to potentially save thousands of people, would it be akin to the monk who let his body be eaten by the tiger to save a village? Just a thought.

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Tibetan man stabs himself, writes “Independent Tibet” in blood before dying
Reports are coming from Tibet that a man wrote a message calling for Tibetan independence on a wall in his own blood last month, before dying from self-inflicted wounds.

The Tibet Post reports that Jigme Tseten, 30, apparently cut his chest with a knife and used his blood to write “Independent Tibet” on the wall of the Kagya School in Tsoe City, Amdo. (The Tibetan Review gives his final message as “Tibet is independent, and the Dalai Lama should return to Tibet.”) After writing his message, the Tibet Post says, he used the knife to kill himself.

Chinese police reportedly rushed to the scene to clean his blood off the wall, and said Jigme Tseten was drunk and suicidal. A member of the Chunak nomad community near Tsoe, Jigme Tseten is survived by his mother, wife, and two children. Jigme Tseten may have died as early as Nov. 8, during the Chinese Communist Party’s Congress, though communication blackouts in Eastern Tibet meant that the date of the incident is still unknown.

Tibet has seen a wave of self-immolation protests against Chinese occupation in recent years. Since 2009, at least 92 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest.

Posted on: December 6, 2012 – 10:47 am

http://shambhalasun.com/news/?p=41043

[Ensapa]

In these cases, the people who committed suicide just wanted an escape of sorts and not for the betterment of the Tibetans. Why? there are many other ways of working towards an independent Tibet or at least, a chance to take care of the Tibetans in a better way. I do not see killing ourselves in any way is not harmful to others around us. It does harm people around us which is why internationally, suicide is condemned.

[Dorje Pakmo]

If I choose to self-immolate to potentially save thousands of people, would it be akin to the monk who let his body be eaten by the tiger to save a village? Just a thought.

If sacrificing one's life can in exchange save a few thousand lives, I personally think that a person who is selfless enough to do so, will actually purify much negative Karma and have a very good rebirth. Isn't it better one than a thousand? This is especially more so, if that thousand that one  saved are true Dharma practitioners who live their lives for the welfare of others. How many are willing to sacrifice themselves for others? Most would think, better them than me...

However, many have misused the word selflessness out of frustration and anger. I agree with what Ensapa have said. There are many other ways of working towards an independent Tibet or at least, a chance to better take care of the Tibetans, instead of resorting to self inflicted violence which has been a futile and wasteful attempt thus far. Those who in the name of Tibet took their own lives may or may not have the correct motivation when taking their own lives and such act may seem to be heroic or courageous. But what about those they left behind (if any)? What about their loved ones? What impact has it made to free Tibet till now? Wouldn't it be better if they chose to contribute their lives in helping and serving others and make goo use of this physical form? Really, I personally think that this act of self-immolation should stop already, because it only create more sadness and anger than it is creating good and positive outcome.

The link below is an article with quite an interesting view that writes about Self-Immolations And Buddhism.
Which I think I should share it here.

http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=30644&t=1

[RedLantern]

Self inflicted violence is best described as the intentional harm of one's own body without conscious suicidal intent.Most types of SIV involve cutting of one's own flesh( usually the arms,hands or legs).burning one's self,interfering with the healing of wounds,excessive nail biting,pulling out one's own hair,hitting or brushing one's self and intentionally breaking one's own bones.
SIV is more common than you might think with roughly 1% of the general population engaging in these behaviors(and this is likely to be greatly underestimated).The explanations for why people intentionally injure themselves are numerous and diverse.However most of these explanations indicate that SIV is used as a method of coping and tends to make life more tolerable,at least temporarily.
The important questions which emerge are:How feasible is the lessening of violent tendencies in society?Can changes in the individual affect society as a whole? When there is a violence inherent in the structures of society what steps can be taken?