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Such conversions which are just done on reasons, on encouragements, without any force are ethical. But if you are converting someone by prophesying them with monetary awards, or with things which would not happen that is unethical.
Sometimes people are forced to convert for they are given monetary incentives. It also shows that such a religion is sort of a product, to keep popularizing the product they entice them free gifts to discover the product. Similarly there are countries where people are bought by politicians. Politicians give people money to join their parties. That is unethical.
If any person gives someone money or prophesys them free medical care or similar incentives to convert them to some other religion that is unethical and that is a sin.
Q: But some are forced to convert to Christianity because of their marriage to a Christian. Does the converter commit a sin even though no monetary incentives are involved in such conversions?
A: It is unethical. If you get married, you are marrying a person for who he is. So if a Buddhist marries a Christian, the Buddhist has to accept that his/her partner as a Christian and love that person for who she/he is. And the Christian has to love the Buddhist in turn on the same grounds.
If anyone is getting married and if your partner insists that you be converted you should call off the marriage as it shows that the partner does not love you!
Buddhists are sometimes very weak. Sometimes they would say “No, I have to convert because he/she wants me to”. No, this should not be. A Buddhist would never insist anybody else to convert and people of other religions should not insist a Buddhist to convert!
Q: The Buddha was said to have imposed eight major conditions on Bhikkunis before giving permission to establish the Order of Nuns (Bhikkuni Sasana). Under such conditions can we really say that the Buddha has given women full freedom to participate in a religious life?
A: First of all, I have to mention that other religions do not allow women even that much of freedom. But Buddhism, more than 2550 years ago was allowing women to become nuns and practise it faithfully in a religious atmosphere. Those conditions were not supposed to hinder a female’s practising a religious life. Remember, in a monastic life we are supposed to be lessening our conceit and ego.
This is one of those practices, when instead of wanting to be on top, to be proud, we are trying to lessen our pride, to lessen our ego, to have more on self. And I feel Bhikkunis too are very advanced in religious practices. They look upon their state as something which helps them achieve Nibbana.
Status should be the last reason you become a nun or a monk. Unfortunately in countries like Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand many monks are attached to the status.
Q: So could imposing eight major conditions be justified? There is one condition which says that a even a Bhikkuni who has been ordained even for a century must respectfully rise up from her seat ,salute with joined palms, do proper homage to a monk ordained but that day. In which discourse do we come across those conditions?
A: Eight major conditions are in the Bhikkuni Vagga of the Chulla Vagga. It is also mentioned individually in the Bhikkuni Patimokkha. It could be justified and there can be a reason for that. The reason actually is to assist your practice - to achieve Nibbana.
That is actually bad news for the monks (laughs), because it is more likely to make a monk proud. It is wonderful for the Bhikkuni for she has a higher chance of lessening her defilements and become enlightened. It is a higher practice.
If you are a monk or a nun the sole purpose of it, is to achieve Nibbana. Shedding pride and ego, in fact, assists you to attain Nibbana.
Q: Should a Buddhist stick to a vegetarian diet? If killing animals is a sin, can we justify Buddhists consuming meat?
A: I’ll give you an example. A few days ago, while travelling in the upcountry in Sri Lanka, I saw people ploughing in the fields. As they were ploughing there were lots of birds following the plough and picking out insects and worms which have been either killed by the plough, or injured by the plough or brought up to the surface by the plough. So even eating rice is at the expense of many animals lives.
Whatever you do, wherever you go, you may come across similar incidents. Even if you are just driving your car, you may find an insect on your windscreen or even some animals caught under the wheels of the car.
Whatever you do in life are at the expense of others. So you cannot be strict. All you can do is to avoid getting involved in any sort of killing, try to lessen the destruction you cause on others.
It is very much better if you can be a vegetarian. But also remember to pay attention to what comes out from the mouth (your utterances) more than what you put inside the mouth!
Back to the topic, Some people can live long very well being vegetarians. Other human beings can’t. It is actually bad for their health. So one’s job should be to limit the destruction.
But if you are responsible for killing an animal yourself, the consequences are heavy as your intention and proximity for killing is far closer. So if a person is a butcher who kills animals day in and day out he would fear lots of consequences for what he does. He cannot avoid it.
Q: A woman can become an Arhat, but not a Buddha?
A: That is what it is said.
Q: Is it because of their physical vulnerability?
A: No, I have gone on record in many instances where I have said that a woman can become a Buddha. In other words a person in a female body can become a Buddha. The explanation is this. If a Bodisatta is going to take rebirth to become a Buddha and to spread the Sasana once more, he would choose a country, a race, a caste and a gender which is the best for his purpose.
That is why when the Gautama Bodisatta came into the world, he chose India as the country, he chose Kshatriya as the caste and also chose the form of man. He did not choose Brahmin caste or Vaishya caste, but Kshatriya because that was the best vehicle for his purpose - for spreading the Dhamma. India at that time was a patriarchal society as Sri Lanka is now. So he chose to be a man.
But there had been matriarchal societies in the history where females have been the dominant gender. In such a society if a person is going to become a Buddha, that person would take on the female form as she would get more authority and power to spread the Dhamma.
In fact it does not really depend upon your gender. It is actually how a Buddha is going to use the gender, use the rights, use the social position for the purposes of spreading the Dhamma.
So a female can be a Buddha if there is a feminine society (matriarchal society) where the female is respected more than the man. Then when a Buddha is going to take birth in that society he would choose the female form.
Q: What would be the most appropriate type of meditation for a beginner?
A: R-E-L-A-X. Relaxation meditation- any method which makes your body relax and mind less tense. Method of meditation is not as important as how you meditate.
Whether you are watching the breath, whether you are taking the breath, or whether you are focusing on the Buddha, or whether you are focusing a method, the most important thing is not what you meditate on, but how you are meditating.
So when you are meditating, please do not try to attain things, but try to simplify things.
Do not control things, but try to make peace with things. Meditate with kindness, with gentleness and most importantly with patience.
When you meditate remember these five things. Let things go, let in peace, be kind, ...be gentle and be patient.
Q: Is it a must to go to a monastery to practise this?
A: No, go to a ‘nice’ room in your house. Keep a cushion or two and sit down and meditate.In a monastery there are so many rituals. In your house you can practise the above mentioned simple meditation. Stay in your room... relax and meditate and have a wonderful time!
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