自殺=suicide; 公義=righteousness; 捨身取義=sacifiricing one's life for righteousness(shesheng quyi); 捨身護法=relinquishing one's body to protect the Dharma(sheshen hufa)
This article explores the concept of "sacrificing one's life for righteousness" (shesheng quyi 捨生取義) from the perspective of Buddhist ethics. In Chinese, the term yi 義refers mainly to righteousness, yet Buddhism has its own understanding of the concept. In Buddhist scriptures, "sacrificing one's life for righteousness" is closest to the idea of "relinquishing one's body to protect the Dharma" (sheshen hufa 捨身護法). Although the latter may be highly praised within Mahāyāna Buddhism, such an act is not regarded as a necessary moral obligation because of its complexity. Thus, Buddhist ethics does not define "sacrificing one's life for righteousness" as a categorical moral imperative. Buddhism believes that moral norms in the mundane world are nothing more than "secular constants" (shisu changsu 世俗常數). Therefore, in comparison with adhering faithfully to mundane ethical norms and obligations, Buddhism attaches greater importance to whether moral practice will lead one on the correct path to Nirvana. This is why, between the true Dharma and "sacrificing one's life for righteousness," Buddhist ethics places greater value on the former and uses it as the criterion for evaluating the latter.
