1. The View of Buddhism & Science with reference
Abortion
Ven.T.Arunasiri Thera
Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy
Reg No:- BABAL/15/7/22
Subject:- Introduction to Philosophy
Lecturer:-Ven.K.Wimaladhamma

2. Content
Introduction
What is Abortion?
What is an embryo or Kalalaya (In Buddhism &
Science)
 Abortion in order to medical science
Revealed of abortion through the Tripitaka
Can abortion be considered as reasonable or fair in
Buddhist perspective?
Conclusion

3. Introduction
At present moment “Abortion” is a topic that takes our
attention. Many of them frequently discuss about Abortion
critically as well as morally. Abortion is one of crucial social
issue. For instance, Each year, nearly 1.2 million American
women have an abortion to end a pregnancy.Therefore which
could be a one of social problem.
Un-expected pregnancy is societal in present society. So it is
a very crucial problem at current world. Therefore people
who attempt give their interpretation regarding abortion. In
this presentation hope to do discuss about abortion in view
Buddhist & scientific perspectives comparatively.

4. What isAbortion?
Etymology of the word of “Abortion”
In Sanskrit is called – “Garbaksha”, in Pāli is called as
“Gabbhapātana” and in Sinhala is called “Gabsā.”
In Cambridge Advanced Leaner’s Dictionary explained
about the term of “Abortion” as follows,
1. To stop the development of a baby that has not been
born, usually by having medical operation
2. The intentional ending of a pregnancy, usually by a
medical operation

5. The main course of abortion
• Lack of sexual education (In Childhood )
• Poverty
• Parents leaving home (Rape)
• Birth Control failure
• Inability to support or care for a child
• To prevent the birth of a child with Birth defects or severe
medical problems
• Physical or mental conditions that endanger the woman's
health if the pregnancy is continued

6. What is an embryo or Kalalaya?
(In Buddhism & Science)
In science an embryo means, after the got pregnant woman, to
develop womb between seven or eight weeks. Within that period
it is called Embryo. Then after nine to until birth, it is called
fetus.
Buddhism Explained Embryo as follows,
“Nilatelassa yathā bindu sampimṇdo anāvilo – evaṃ
vaṇta paṭibāgaṃ kalalanti vuccati” (Parajika pali Commentary)
The meaning of the above verse is that the colour and the size of
human-embryo is similar to a drop of sesame oil or ghee.

7. Two kinds of abortion in order to medical science. They are,
Spontaneous Abortion
Criminal Abortion
Spontaneous Abortion
Here spontaneous means, sometimes doesn’t emerge an embryo
after procreation. For this have two reasons.
• Having not deposit fertilization of ovule in internal
endometrium
• Gave out an embryo

8. Cause of Spontaneous Abortion
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Kidney infection
• Related womb problem
• Unmatched blood groups
• Infertile male hormone
• Problem of mother tissue
• Problems of hormones
• Viral disease

9. Criminal Abortion
This means to take away the fetus before the development of
pregnancy by external influence. There are two stages at which
abortion is done.
• Early Abortion
• Late Abortion
According to the medical science first type of abortion is not
crucial. They emphasize second one is as Criminal.

10. The cause of woman persuaded for doing abortion
According to medical science categorized three aspects for that. As
follows,
• Have not regarding incest
• To maintain feminine figure
• To protect life of the mother woman

11. Sub-disease of doing abortion
• To die due to unsafe abortion
• Inability to be pregnant
• To become disabled
• High blood shed
• Sexual disorder

12. Revealed of abortion through the Tripitaka
Buddhist philosophy covered all corporation of each section. On
the other hand contemporary society had many social problems.
So Buddhism also gave their interpretation about that kinds of
social problems. In this sense abortion had been discussed in
Buddhism. Especially in vinaya pitaka adequate examples can be
seen for the abortion.
In Pārājikā pali explained about story about abortion. One day a
woman approached to the monk. He was a very closed-friend of
her. She asked about him how to do abortion. Then he gave
instruction for doing abortion.
• “Tena kho pana samayena aññatarā itthi pavutthapatikā
jārena gabbhīni hoti. Sā kulūpagaṃ bhikkuṃ
etadavoca…..”

13. Sometimes some woman got advice from monk for using strategy
to destroy an unborn baby. In pārājikā pāli mentioned, One day a
pregnant woman came to the monk. And she needed instruction
to destroy an unborn child. Then that monk said to heat belly.
Which explained thus,
“ingeyya gabbhapatanaṃ jānāhīti. Tenahi bhagini tāpehiti. Sā
tāpetvā gabbhaṃ patesi”

14. Can abortion be considered as reasonable or fair in
Buddhist perspective ?
Buddhism doesn’t agree to harm any beings. In fact
Buddhism is based on loving & compassion to all living
beings & non-living beings. Which implicit how much
power of spreading loving to all beings. Actually in
Buddhism spread love & compassion even non-living beings
too. For instance,
“Ye keci pāṇa būtatthi tasāvā tāvarāvā anavasesā
dīghāva ye mahantāḥāvā majjimārassa khānukathūlā
diṭṭhāvā yeva addiṭṭhā yeca dūre vasanti avidūre būtāvā
saṃbhavesīvā sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitathā”

15. Five objects should be accomplished for killing as unwholesome
deed.
They are respectively,
• Being aware that one is a living being
• It must be a living
• Using a strategy for killing
• Effort for killing
• To succeed it

16. Further Buddhism mentioned there are three bases for killing
unwholesome deeds. As follows.
• Have killed by yourself
• Have killed by other-selves
• Confirmation of killing
According to above theory an abortion whether the abortion is
done by yourself of someone else, or if there is confirmation of
killing, it is called unwholesome deed. It is proved there is no any
excuse for abortion.

17. Abortion considered as a crime in Buddhism. Buddhism
illustrated three kinds of deviating behavior. They are,
• Physically
• Verbally
• Mentally
If the person who does wrong intention by using physically,
verbally and mentally it must be unwholesome deed according to
Buddhism.

18. Conclusion
Buddhism mainly expounded while you are walking in this
existence to live without harming others. Buddhism highly
appreciated non-violent society. Which implicit clearly under the
unlimited loving kindness towards all living and non-living
beings. However regarding abortion looked sensitively &
morally. In Buddhism there isn’t opportunity to doing abortion.
Dhaṃmapada says, all beings would like to live, they fear for the
punishment, beat & death so on. Then Buddha mentioned
comparing others with oneself, one should neither strike nor
cause to strike.
“Sabbe tasanti danḍassa – sabbe bhāyanti maccuno
Attānaṃ upamaṃ katvā- na haneyya na ghātaye”

19. Bibliography
Primary Resourses
• Vinaya Pitaka, 1978, London PTS
• Samyutta Nikaya,1978,London PTS
• Abhidhamma, 1978,London PTS
Secondary Resources
• K.Sri, D. (1989). How to live without Fear & Worry. Kuala Lumpur: Buddhist
Missionary Society .
• K.Sri, D. (1992). Bauddha Visvasa Vimarsanaya. Taipei: The Corporate Body of the Buddha
Educational Foundation .
• K.Sri, D. (2004). You & Your Problems. Kuala Lumpur: Buddhist Missionary Society.
• Kalughakole, S. (2009/2010). Gabsava Pilibada Bauddha Akalpaya.
Vidusarani, 31-44.
. Wimaladhamma,K. Abortion (Presentation)
Online Document
• Sutta Central Eraly Buddhist text,translation and parallels . (2016, 10 30).Retrived from,
https://suttacentral.net/
• Cambridge Dictionary . (2016, 11 02). Retrieved from
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/