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Baskaran sent me this photo of a 21-week-old unborn baby suffering from spina bifida being operated on by a surgeon. The baby would not survive if removed from the womb and a special operation has therefore been performed when it is still in the womb. The surgeon has to make an incision on the womb to operate on the baby. As the operation was about to be completed, the baby reached out its tiny but fully developed hand to grasp firmly on the surgeon's finger, a moment described by the surgeon to be the most emotional in his life. Now, taking the first Buddhist Percepts into consideration, Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi which means I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life, should abortion be allowed?
Baskaran sent me this photo of a 21-week-old unborn baby suffering from spina bifida being operated on by a surgeon. The baby would not survive if removed from the womb and a special operation has therefore been performed when it is still in the womb. The surgeon has to make an incision on the womb to operate on the baby. As the operation was about to be completed, the baby reached out its tiny but fully developed hand to grasp firmly on the surgeon's finger, a moment described by the surgeon to be the most emotional in his life. Now, taking the first Buddhist Percepts into consideration, Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī sikkhāpadaṃ samādiyāmi which means I undertake the training rule to abstain from taking life, should abortion be allowed?
Comments
Alex, your view sounds sensible. At least in the early stage, you don't have a grasping hand yet.