Ethical Issues In Buddhism Essay

Bioethics within the Buddhism parameter are largely stipulated by its ethical codes, which are derived from the concept of karma, eightfold path, four noble truths and the five precepts. These heavily influence the life of adherents and present Buddhism as a dynamic living religion that is incorporated into daily lives. Buddhist ethics are ultimately founded in the natural law of the universe as they centred on the goal of liberating adherents from the constraints of karmic causality to become an enlightened being. The impacts of ethics are considered primarily for the individual as it is grounded on the intentions of a human and not the action itself. This approach is based on the concept of consequentialism, which involves conducting actions, which are virtuous to attain the ultimate enlightenment. Whist the sacred texts may stipulate certain guidelines; it is up to the individual to personally interpret them. There are numerous literary sources based upon ethical teachings as Buddhists adapt to contemporary issues, however whilst these provide insight into the understanding of Buddhism many communicate differing approaches to issues such as abortion, suicide, cloning, MAC and organ donation. …show more content…
Central to Buddhism is the belief in relieving suffering thus the act of giving up an organ is consistent with Buddhist teachings. The act of organ donation must be altruistic and must not be done commercially or forcibly removed from anyone as it would be going against the 2nd precept “taking that which is not yours”. In terms of the spiritual regards for the deceased, Tibetan Buddhists believe that the soul still resides within the body even after they have deceased, thus posing difficulty as removing organs is a tedious process that can only be completed in a certain time frame. The act of organ donation ultimately gains good karma for the soul, thus adding merit to their