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Buddhism View About Death
Hello everyone, I'm a new member of this board :cool:
I'm a Mahayana Buddhist but not a very knowledgeable one.
I'd like to open a discussion with other fellow Buddhists about "death," in particular, how Buddhists view death and how to cope with the passings of an individual being.
In my class, I learned that as part of the process to Enlightenment, one must give up all the senses and feelings (sorry I'm not sure if senses are included since it's been a while since I took the class). However, for feelings, it includes anger, sadness, jealously, and even happiness. And
When someone passes, is there any way we can cope with it? I guess I'm just utterly confused right now and do not know exactly what I'm intentionally trying to ask... Basically, I just feel that life is so short and anyone, and I mean ANYONE, could just suddenly leave, and it just saddens me even if it's someone I don't know. I know it's impossible to feel apathetic at such a traumatic event, but is there a way to view death as a happy thing? Is there a way within the Buddhist context to turn death into a happy feeling?
Off topic: I'd like to learn everything about Buddhism (philosophically). Do you guys have any recommendations on where to start? I don't necessarily need to know the history of it, but just how Buddhists view different matters. I just feel like there is something I can "do" but I'm not fully sure what yet... Therefore, I'd like to dig deeper inside to see if I can find the answer...
Much thanks!
I'm a Mahayana Buddhist but not a very knowledgeable one.
I'd like to open a discussion with other fellow Buddhists about "death," in particular, how Buddhists view death and how to cope with the passings of an individual being.
In my class, I learned that as part of the process to Enlightenment, one must give up all the senses and feelings (sorry I'm not sure if senses are included since it's been a while since I took the class). However, for feelings, it includes anger, sadness, jealously, and even happiness. And
When someone passes, is there any way we can cope with it? I guess I'm just utterly confused right now and do not know exactly what I'm intentionally trying to ask... Basically, I just feel that life is so short and anyone, and I mean ANYONE, could just suddenly leave, and it just saddens me even if it's someone I don't know. I know it's impossible to feel apathetic at such a traumatic event, but is there a way to view death as a happy thing? Is there a way within the Buddhist context to turn death into a happy feeling?
Off topic: I'd like to learn everything about Buddhism (philosophically). Do you guys have any recommendations on where to start? I don't necessarily need to know the history of it, but just how Buddhists view different matters. I just feel like there is something I can "do" but I'm not fully sure what yet... Therefore, I'd like to dig deeper inside to see if I can find the answer...
Much thanks!
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Comments
Ok, I will tell you how it is with me.
I predominantly follow Theravada, but I make a point (and I have said this on this forum many times, so the regulars here will be familiar with this - or sick of it!)
of every day, "Having Tea With Yama".
Now, if you follow Mahayana, you will know who this cute little guy is.
If you don't, I suggest you look him up, because he's an important dude.
I make a point of consciously being aware that even though we take tea together at 4pm each day (cucumber sandwiches and cream cake, no less) he is actually with me, every second of the day.
Sometimes, he is so tiny, he fits into my top pocket. At other times, he looms large, colossal and blocks out the sun... he can be terrifying and comforting, all at the same time. But he's always there. Moe often than not, he's walking, like some invisible, protective guardian, about three steps behind me.
And all I know for sure, is that one day, he will lay his hand upon my shoulder, and I will not be able to refuse him when he bids me to follow him.
Get used to contemplating death, every day.
It's an inevitable and insistent part of life, excludes nobody and that at least, gives every sentient being something in common.
So i guess what you're saying is that it's normal to feel sad and there's no need to overcome this feeling?
How do monks feel when their fellows have passed on? Do they feel sad too? If they do, how will they ever reach Enlightenment?
Continuing to feel sadness, and not letting go of the grief, is unskillful.
As for monks I cannot speak with any authority about this, but I have read books wriiten by monks, who recall sadness at the time when their masters passed away.
metta to all
The number one cause of death is birth.
Birth is traumatic. Nine months in the warm and safe place, then they are thrust into a fearful and strange place. That's why babies cry at birth. If they don't they don't live.
Contemplation on death is very helpful in loosening one's attachments. This is contemplation of impermanence on the gross level.
When one is alive, one cannot let go of things but at death's door one suddenly realises that one cannot hold on to anything except one's karma.
the happening of something inevitable, If one has prepared their life for the time of passing there is nothing to fear, If one has steadfast refuge then there is no lower rebirth to fear
This is utter rubbish.
Babies don't automatically cry at birth.
neither of mine did.
The births were not traumatic.
They were calm, serene, joyful and absolutely wonderful.
I realise you're trying to make a point here, but resorting to melodrama is not really the way to do it....
Ok back in line with you here. Agreed...
And this is also a good point.
Well, 3 out of 4 ain't bad...!:D
Babies have to cry at birth. If they don't they are in trouble. The crying opens up the lungs and allows air to expand them. A strong, lusty cry is a component of respiration and part of Apgar score.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apgar_score
3 1/2 ain't bad.
BABIES DO NOT NEED TO CRY AT BIRTH.
in fact, it's an accepted premise that a crying baby is a distressed baby, and the birth should be a calming soothing peaceful experience. Neither of my daughters cried.
I didn't cry.
Nothing wrong with either my lungs or theirs.
This is an utter fallacy.
Here in the UK everything possible is done to prevent trauma. Most newborn babies don't cry.
My midwives did everything possible to prevent this crying....
We don't have a lung-problem epidemic, |I promise you.
Sorry to butt in, but is that "clinging to a particula point of view" in your voice? :-)
Whether or not babies have to cry, the fact that we are born into this world is not a good thing, since the buddhists among us will then just spend the rest of their lives trying to prevent their own rebirth... Whoever created this whole mess must be having quite a chuckle (evil one, no doubt) over our collectively busy but pointless anthill called Universe, heh.
Ok then, back to thinking about how to prevent future rebirths :-)
This is always a good place to start as far as something to do.
Actually, babies' ribcages are under compression during the birth process, but as soon as the chest is out, the ribcage expands and air is sucked into the chest.
My baby, delivered without any medications and into a dimly-lit room, only cried when they took her off my abdomen and set her down on the receiving table so I could get out of the birthing chair. She started the instant the nurse set her down and she stopped the instant Dad picked her up. Her Apgar was 9 at 1 minute ... no lusty cry but her breathing was good and this was confirmed by the absence of cyanosis. Score at 5 minutes was 10.
Why is it not a good thing to spend your life follwing the Dharma ?
For a Buddhist this is something to strive for.
If a Buddhist dedicates their life following the teachings of our Lord Buddha, trying to get to enlightenment, then I think their life must be a content, peacefull and happy one.
And you say that their is a "someone" who created this "whole mess", and the "universe is a collectively busy and pointless anthill."
well that is not the opinion of mine and I am sure a majority of Buddhists.
Never the less, respect to your opinion.
metta to all
My last post was meant to be (unskilfully) sarcastic. Zoom out and look at our world as a fishbowl of samsara with us swimming in it - the only way out is the one indicated by Buddha. In that sense, it is a good thing to spend your life following the Dharma. Because otherwise, you and I are stuck in an unhappy place. If an ant was stuck in a glass jar (and had intelligence), then the "right thing to do" for that ant would be to dedicate its life to finding a way out (and then teaching all of the other ants to follow it). Bad analogy, but it captures the sarcasm somewhat.
Whatever, sorry for ranting, let's move on :-)
In the West people tend to look down on it, but the Pure Land Sutras are as authentic as any Mahayana Sutras.
Anyway here is the Amida sutra:
http://www12.canvas.ne.jp/horai/amida-sutra.htm
Also the Larger Sutra link is on the same page, but it is pretty long, so read the shorter one first and if you are interested, then you can read the Larger Sutra. There is also the Contemplation Sutra in which Shakyamuni teaches a lay follower (Queen Vaidehi) how to visualize Amida and the Pure Land.
Thanks, will check it out!
And newborn babies may not automatically cry at birth - but they do automatically breath.....sometimes very loudly...
I also believe in rebirth, not as a reward system or a tenant of Buddhism, but as a logical inevitability based on random chance. I think we exist as some sort of singularity, but for reasons unknown, given an eternity, the almost impossible will become possible again, and we'll all be reborn in new forms. We may just be brief cosmic passengers that won't be able to see each other again until aeons of lives have been lived after this journey is over, but I'm glad to make your acquaintance now. At the same time, I guess we'll all be united as one when this universe can no longer support life before beginning again and recycling itself in whatever unknown processes take place after the inevitable expansion and decay of all matter occurs. That's my take anyway.