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Good and Evil in Indian Buddhism: The five Sins of Immediate Retribution

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Abstract

Indian Buddhist sources speak of five sins of immediate retribution: murder of mother, father, an arhat, drawing the blood of a buddha, and creating a schism in the monastic community. This category provides the paradigm for sinfulness in Buddhism. Yet even these sins can and will, be expiated in the long run, demonstrating the overwhelmingly positive nature of Buddhist ethics

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  1. Department of Asian Languages & Cultures, Center for Buddhist Studies, University of California Los Angeles, 290 Royce Hall, Box 951540, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1540, USA

    Jonathan A. Silk

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Silk, J.A. Good and Evil in Indian Buddhism: The five Sins of Immediate Retribution. J Indian Philos 35, 253–286 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10781-006-9005-1

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