WEEKLY GROSS-OUT: Self-immolation

A Tibetan man set himself on fire in New Delhi today at a protest against a visit by Chinese president Hu Jintao, who is due to arrive in India later this week for a summit meeting. Pictures taken by a Reuters photographer show the protester enveloped in flames, before being taken to hospital with burns on his torso. It was not clear how serious his injuries were, but what is clear is that self-immolation is just stupid. It's quite a sight to behold, but it's not a substitute for taking any real action. Violence against oneself (including but not limited to self-immolation) is prohibited by most interpretations of Buddhist doctrine, and even if you're not a Buddhist, self-harm is still the wrong thing to do.