A young Buddhist has sent in the following question, but requested that her location be private lest Blackberry start blocking access in her country too:
In my studies, I have learned of many noble monks who have self-immolated, usually as a form of protest. Is there such a thing as “other-immolation”? I could see that as an effective protest too. Humbly yours, Anonymous.
MH: Dear Anonymous, you have posed a very tricky question, one that honors your studies. For you see, when you see an Other, whom do you really see? The part of the Other that makes you want to kill it is that part of yourself that you wish to kill. Immolating an Other is really immolating yourself. The Self and Other are parts of the same whole, Yin and Yang if you wish. This is an ancient koan, the riddle that can’t be answered, it is why there is no other-immolation, no matter whom you immolate, it is always self-immolation.
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