LIVING AND DYING, WITH DIGNITY AND GRACE
- Living A Spiritually Significant Life
“There is nothing more precious than our human life. Having been born as
a human being we have immense freedom to accomplish almost anything we want,”
Geshe Kelsang Gayatso, a contemporary Tibetan Buddhist meditation master and
Dharma teacher, writes. (1)
“With so much freedom, we need to ask ourself what is the most
meaningful way to use our life. What will make us truly happy? What will benefit
most others? And when this life is over, what will help us then?
“If we ask ourself these questions sincerely and deeply we shall
discover that the way to make our life truly meaningful is to dedicate it to spiritual development (to achieve our
spiritual potential of buddhahood).. In essence this means to eliminate our
negative and deluded states of mind, and to cultivate positive peaceful states.
By making this our priority, the negative minds that are the source of all our
problems, such as anger, jealousy, attachment, pride, and ignorance, will
gradually decrease; and our positive qualities, such as love, compassion, and
wisdom, will increase. As a result we shall enjoy a happy peaceful life, free
from anxiety and problems, and we shall naturally benefit others.
“Spiritual practice is what
gives meaning to our lives, and by applying our practice at the time of death
we can die joyfully and experience pure, lasting happiness in all our future
lives. Eventually we shall be able to transcend all the limitations of ordinary
existence and attain the highest state of all, full enlightenment.” (2) 23.9.2003 0459
In his book ANCIENT WISDOM,
MODERN WORLD: Ethics for the New Millennium, the Dalai Lama gives due
emphasis to the timeless ethic of compassion. (3)
“The more we develop compassion, the more genuinely ethical our conduct
will be,”
he writes. (4)
After compassion comes patience, strengthened by resolution:
“Only the inner protection of patient forbearance can help us from
experiencing the turmoil of negative thoughts and emotions. The mind, or spirit
(lo in Tibetan), is not physical. It
cannot be touched or harmed directly. Only negative thoughts and emotions can
harm it. Therefore, only the corresponding positive quality can protect it.”
(5)
His Holiness then writes on avoiding extremes, generosity as a virtue,
and the essential ingredients in our pursuit of spiritual transformation,
including humility, concern for others, confidence, determination.
Happiness arises from virtuous causes, he stresses, and the basis of
virtue is ethical discipline.
The ethic of compassion helps provide the necessary foundation for both
restraint and the cultivation of virtue.
Referring to the lives of the founders of the major world religions, the
Dalai Lama writes that they “conducted themselves with great simplicity.
Ethical discipline and love for all others was the hallmark of their lives…”
(6)
“This, then, is my true religion, my simple faith,” His Holiness sums
up. “Our own heart, our own mind is the temple.
“The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their
rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are: ultimately these are all we
need…” (7)
The Dalai Lama also emphasizes serving others in the spiritual sense,
therefore the need to achieve the highest stage of enlightenment to benefit the
maximum number of people.
“Remember, the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice is to serve others and
for the most effective state of service it is necessary to achieve pure mind
and body (buddhahood). The aim is to be able to help a vast number of sentient
beings through myriad ways…” (8)
“The purpose of becoming fully enlightened is to fully serve others,” he
reiterates. (9)
“You
have to practice morality, concentrated meditation, and wisdom (the main
elements of the Noble Eightfold Path) on a daily basis,” he advises. (10) 23.9.2003 0847
“A
healthy mind creates a healthy body,” Master Chin Kung, a leading contemporary Pure Land
teacher, teaches.
“All sickness comes from pollution and the worst pollution is that of
the mind. The Buddha called this pollution the three Poisons of Greed, Anger
and Ignorance.
“Between the pollution of the environment and that of our mind how can
we not get sick?
“However, even with the worst pollution around us, a person who is free
of the three poisons will not become sick.” (11)
Indeed, it may be added, such a mentally detoxified and purified person
becomes spiritually liberated as well.
Master Chin Kung stresses that “the most important principles of the
Buddha’s teachings are having purity of mind, thoroughly seeing through to true
reality, letting go of all worries and attachments and serving all sentient
beings with a joyful heart.” (12)
These are the hallmarks of a highly enlightened being, known in Buddhism
as a bodhisattva. We can all strive to be a bodhisattva in this present life,
and indeed we should.
Master Chin Kung, who is held highly in the Pure Land
world of today, concludes that “once we are rid of worries and attachments we
can go to the Western
Pure Land
whenever we wish. By maintaining a
pure, non-discriminating, compassionate and kind heart, one holds the key to
remaining youthful.” (13) 23.9.2003 1715
Authenticity is a big part of personal integrity. “I’ve found that
whatever we are, we have to be genuine, authentic. We have to be all of it; if
we are wishy-washy, it’s not going to help,” says Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, an
American medical doctor, psychiatrist, author and authority on death and dying,
who has been instrumental in the development of hospices throughout the world.
(14)
“In psychiatric language, a belief has to be really internalized to
become part of our lives. In this society, there are very few genuine,
authentic people. That’s why many people have such trouble dying!”
Her observation is probably true, not only in the US, but also in
all the other countries today. So many people are lacking in authenticity.
And, she adds: “We have to learn patience, tolerance, and love of our
self, which is the hardest lesson in the world. When we were growing, we were
told, if you love yourself, you are egotistical, selfish, no good. We have to
change this belief.” (15)
“A good life is not about money, real estate, careers, or the stock
market; it’s about how well we love and are loved. It’s about living with
heart,” says Lama Surya Das, an American authorized priest and teacher in the
Dzogchen lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. (16)
Equanimity is one of the four sublime virtues (Brahmavihara in Pali) in
Buddhist practice – the others being loving-kindness/love, compassion, and
appreciative/sympathetic joy. “They make one divine in this life,” Narada Thera
teaches us. (17)
“They can transform man into a superman (buddha).
“If all try to cultivate them irrespective of creed, colour, race or
sex, the earth can be transformed into a paradise where all can live in perfect
peace and harmony of one world…
“Irrespective of religious beliefs, one can cultivate these sweet
virtues and be a blessing to oneself and all others.”
Together with a sense of self-value or importance as well as of respect,
equanimity is associated with the universal value of human dignity.
Of dignity in life and death, Dr. Sherwin Nuland (who has “not often
seen much dignity in the process by which we die” in over four decades of
medical practice in the US),
has written:
“The dignity that we seek in dying must be found in the dignity with
which we have lived our lives. Ars
moriendi is ars vivendi. The art
of dying is the art of living.
“The honesty and grace of the years of life that are ending is the real
measure of how we die. It is not in the last weeks or days that we compose the
message that will be remembered, but in all the decades that preceded them.
“Who has lived in dignity dies in dignity…” (18)
In a similar vein, Chogyam Trungpa (1939-1987), a well-known Tibetan
meditation master in the US,
has written:
“Death comes, obviously. You can never avoid death. Whatever you do,
death occurs. But if you have lived with a sense of reality and with gratitude
towards life, then you leave the dignity of your life behind you, so that your
relatives, your friends, and your children can appreciate who you were.” (19)
Another well-known Tibetan master and author, Sogyal Rinpoche, has
written:
“To learn how to die is to learn how to live; to learn how to live is to
learn how to act not only in this life but in the lives to come. To transform
yourself truly and learn how to be reborn as a (spiritually) transformed being
to help others is really to help the world in the most powerful way of all.
“Let us dare to imagine now what it would be like to live in a world
where a significant number of people took the opportunity, offered by the
teachings, to devote part of their lives to serious spiritual practice, to
recognize the nature of their minds (buddha-nature), and so to use the
opportunity of their deaths to move closer to buddhahood, and to be reborn with
one aim, that of serving and benefiting others.” (20)
- Dying into the spiritual essence
“Life is a lifetime falling into death,” Laurence Mckinney has written
with a philosophical and poetic touch of pathos. “From birth we trace an arc,
tossed up into the living for a time; but even as we are loosed into life our
destiny is determined.
“Life, it seems, has a catch to it. There is an end of it. Eventually we
must touch down, and we hope the catch is gentle…” (21)
Chuang Tzu, a third century B.C. scholar and the greatest disciple of
Lao Tzu, 6th century B.C. sage and accredited founder of Taoism, has
written on the latter’s departure:
“When the Master came, it was at the proper time (reportedly born 604
B.C., about fifty years before Confucius); when he went away, it was the simple
sequence (of his coming).
“Quiet acquiescence in what happens at its proper time, and quietly
submitting (to its ceasing) afford no occasion for grief or joy.
“The ancients described (death) as the loosening of the cord which God
suspended (the life). What we can point to are the faggots that have been
consumed; but the fire is transmitted (elsewhere), and we know not that it is
over and ended…” (22)
Asked if he dreaded death, Chuang Tzu replied: “No, why should I dread
it? Life is a borrowed thing. The living frame thus borrowed is but so much
dust. Life and death are like day and night…” (23)
He has also written: “When life comes, it cannot be declined; when it
goes, it cannot be detained…” (24)
Venerable Ajahn Chah, one of the outstanding Thai Buddhist monks of the
20th century, has taught::
“When one does not understand death, life can be very confusing,” (25)
“The Buddha told his disciple Ananda to see impermanence, to see death
with every breath. We must know death; we must die in order to live. What does
this mean? To die is to come to the end of all our doubts, all our questions,
and just be here with the present reality. You can never die tomorrow; you must
die now. Can you do it? If you can do it, you will know the peace of no more
questions.” (26)
“Death is as close as our breath.” (27)
Contemplating human mortality
“The Buddha told his disciples and followers to think about death and the remembrance of
mortality/impermanence. He said that death was his greatest teacher. He told
people that remembering how little time we have in this lifetime would help us
spend our days on earth more wisely,” Lama Surya Das has written. (28)
“Reflecting upon death is not meant to be a morbid practice. In fact, it
can have the opposite effect; it can ground us in the here and now and make us appreciate the wonderful miracle of life
each moment as it’s given to us now. The Buddha said:
The universe and its inhabitants are as ephemeral as the clouds in the
sky;
Beings being born and dying are like a spectacular dance or drama show.
The duration of our lives is like a flash of lightning or a firefly’s
brief twinkle;
Everything passes like the flowing waters of a steep waterfall.”
On Marananussati, reflection
on termination of the psycho-physical self, Ven. Narada Thera, the Sri Lankan
Theravada scholar-monk and teacher, has commented:
“Contemplation on death enables one to comprehend the fleeting nature of
life. When one understands that death is certain and life is uncertain, one
endeavours to make the best use of one’s life by working for self-development
and for the development of others instead of indulging in sensual pleasures.
“Constant meditation on death does not make one pessimistic and
lethargic, but, on the contrary, it makes one more active and energetic.
Besides, one can face death with serenity…” (29)
In Japan where feudal warfare raged on for some 700 years from early
Heian period (794-1185) to the start of Tokugawa (1603-1868), the Primer of Bushido (Way of the Warrior) taught: “The idea most vital and essential to
the bushi (warrior) is that of death,
which he ought to have before his mind day and night… Consider every day of
your life your last and dedicate it to the fulfillment of your duties…” (30)
Preparing for death
“To die sitting down or standing up! One can master one’s own death; the
ancients could do it, but can you?” asked Ch’an Master Nan Huai-Chin. (31)
Interviewed in 1989 at the age of 91, Norman Vincent Peale, author of
over 20 books on personal development including the best-selling Power of Positive Thinking, said:
“I am still
learning how to die peacefully, and not to be afraid of it…” (32)
On his deathbed, the great Athenian philosopher, Socrates (?470-399
B.C.) exhorted his followers to practise dying as the highest form of wisdom.
The great French essayist Michel de Montaigne (1533-92) gave much thought
to death in his life of fifty-nine years, and in one of his essays on learning
to die, he wrote of the necessity to accept death as a natural event: “Your
death is a part of the order of the universe, ‘tis a part of the life of the
world…’tis the condition of your creation.” (33)
Montaigne also expressed the need to be prepared for its imminence.
Dr Nuland has commented on life and death: “Only in this way, he wrote,
is it possible to die resigned and reconciled, “patiently and tranquilly,”
having experienced more fully because of the constant awareness that it may
soon come to an end…” (34)
“Preparing for death is one of the most profoundly healing acts of a
lifetime,” says Stephen Levine (born 1937), an American poet and teacher of guided
meditation and healing techniques.
“Because we never know whether our next breath (exhalation) may be our
last, being prepared for the immediate unknown becomes as practical as applying
for a passport while still uncertain of our destination or time of departure.
Without these first steps the last steps can go badly…
“We prepare for death by living every second, living life minutely,
exploring our body and mind with a merciful awareness…” (35)
Master Jae Woong Kim writes: “It may safely be said that we are devoting
ourselves to spiritual practice in order to use it just once – at the critical
moment of our death. Therefore, in order not to forget your practice at
shocking moments, you should always practice watching your mind without losing
mindfulness.” (36)
Master Kim then narrates how the Buddha once asked his students, “What
is the span of human life?”
The first two students did not give a satisfactory answer. Only the
third student showed that he knew and understood the practice; he answered, “It
is the time between inhaling and exhaling, Lord.”
Master Kim comments: “Spiritual practice lies in not losing our mindfulness even in such a short moment
as the time between breaths. Thus we should practice surrendering (karmic
hindrances in the mind, such as laziness, hatred, or lust) moment after
moment.”
“Practice now so that at the time of death the force of your familiarity
with virtue will affect your attitude,” the Dalai Lama advises. (37)
“Keep
away from lust, hatred, and ignorance as much as possible so that you can
maintain virtuous practice while dying…”
On
the significance of preparing for death, Sogyal Rinpoche writes:
“The fundamental message of the Buddhist teachings is that if we are
prepared, there is tremendous hope, both in life and death.
“The teachings reveal to us the possibility of an astounding and finally
boundless freedom, which is ours to work for now, in life – the freedom that
will also enable us to choose our death and so to choose our next birth.
“For anyone who has prepared and practiced,
death comes not as a defeat but as a triumph, the crowning and most glorious
moment of life.”
Maintaining calm, peace and tranquility at the time of death
“From the Buddhist viewpoint, the mind at the time of death is at a very
critical stage, and if you are able to leave a strong positive impact at the
time of death, that impact will become a very powerful force in continuing a
positive experience in the next life, That is for certain,” the Dalai Lama has
taught. (38)
According to His Holiness, the main point is peace of mind in order not
to disturb the process of death. (39)
“It is very important that those attending the dying know that the dying
person’s mind is in a delicate state; they should be careful not to make
disturbances – speaking loudly, crying, and roughly handling articles – and,
instead, create a peaceful environment,” he advises. (40)
“It
is helpful if the body is not disturbed until full death occurs.” (41)
”
The Dalai Lama advises: “When another person dies, be careful not to
upset him or her by causing more attachment or stirring up anger and hatred. Do
not bemoan their departure, grasp at them, or cry in their presence. Help them
to depart meaningfully by reminding them of deeper practice.
“If it is at all possible, ask others to do the same for you…” (42)
Love also plays a graceful role at the critical time of death.
John Seidman, who has seen many young people die of AIDS in the past
decade, told Dr Nuland: “The one bond we do need to believe is absolutely
unbreakable in death is love. If love is what we feel we’re providing at those
mysterious moments leading up to death, that, I suppose, is what makes a death
“good,” if anything really can. But it’s such a subjective quality.” (43)
Ch’an Master Sheng-yen said: “At the moment of death you should orient
yourself towards a beautiful future. Your mental state at this time is most
important. Regrets at this time are not to your advantage.
“Maintaining an equanimous attitude ensures an auspicious future. This
next life might be in a heavenly realm or the Buddha Land, or, if in the human
realm, you may have the opportunity to leave home and practice…
“There is no need to prolong life with a myriad of instruments, nor
should we lament out loud when death is near. This will only harm the one who’s
dying.
“Dignity lies in allowing peaceful, quiet death.
“It is best to be free of suffering, physically if possible, but
certainly psychologically, otherwise there may be negative consequences in the
future.
“At all times it is important to treat the living and the dying with dignity.
It is deluded thinking to believe that only dying will give us dignity. It is
by living life purposefully with dignity that we bring dignity to death.”
(44)
Sogyal Rinpoche passes on the message of the Tibetan masters:
“All my masters would give this as their advice, for this is the essence
of what is needed as you come to die:
Be free from attachment and aversion.
Keep your mind pure.
And unite your mind with Buddha (Amitabha
Buddha).” (45)
NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA
1.
Living
Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully, published by Tharpa Publications, London, 2000, p.
1.
2. While focusing on
the present moment in living, spiritual practice provides a perspective on the
totality of being and
existence – the life eternal, making the present life meaningful and fruitful
spiritually in the context
of eternity. Are we living the present life to free all our past and future
lives
from the chains of karma and the prison walls of samsara? 23.9.2003 0457
3. Published by
Abacus, London, 2000.
4. ANCIENT
WISDOM, MODERN WORLD, p. 78.
5. Ibid., p. 111.
6. Ibid., p. 232
7. Ibid., pp. 242-243
8.
ADVICE ON DYING
And Living a Better Life, translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins, Ph.D.,
published by
Atria Books, New York, November 2002, p. 206.
On doing good and
being good, the Buddha has taught in THE
DHAMMAPADA (verse 183):
Not to do any evil, but to cultivate good, to purify one’s mind – this is the Teaching of the Buddhas.
Narada Thera, a distinguished Theravada
scholar-monk, author , and teacher, comments:
“What is associated with the three immoral roots of
attachment (lobha), ill will (dosa), and delusion (moha) is evil.
“What is associated with the three moral roots of
generosity (alobha), goodwill or
loving-kindness (adosa), and wisdom (amoha) is good.
“The religion of the Buddha is summarized in this
verse.”
Earlier in verse 24, the Buddha has advised that the
energetic person prospers in life:
The glory of
him who is energetic, mindful, pure in deed, considerate, self-controlled,
right-living, and heedful steadily increases.
: THE DHAMMAPADA Pali Text and Translation with Stories in brief and Notes by Narada Thera, published 1993 (Fourth edition) and printed for free distribution by The Corporate Body of The Buddha Educational Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.
9.
Ibid. p. 237
10. Ibid., p. 218
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE
In Ways of Enlightenment (an authoritative and comprehensive manual on
Buddhist faith and practice in the Tibetan Nyingma school, prepared and
published by Dharma Publishing, Nyingma Institute, Berkeley, 1993, p. 94), it’s
stated in clear and strong words:
“The three trainings of the
Buddhist path (moral discipline, meditative concentration, and wisdom) brings
freedom so complete that those who follow this path are said to travel unseen
even by Mara, the lord of illusion and death. The Dhammapada tells us: “Mara does not know the path of those who
abide in perfect conduct, meditative mindfulness, and genuine wisdom.” (DPN: 14)
“As the Enlightened One says
in theMahasihanda Sutta: “Kassapa,
there is nothing further or more perfect than this perfection of morality, this
perfection of the mind and heart, and this perfection of wisdom.”” (Digha Nikaya VIII) 23.9.2003 0845 1633
11. The Collected Works of Venerable Master Chin Kung, printed by
Amitabha Buddhist Society
(Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur,
July 1999, p. 101.
12. Ibid., p. 106.
13. Ibid., p. 108.
Arrival at the Western Pure
Land of Lord Amitabha Buddha frees one from the karmic laws of samsara; one
attains spiritual liberation. Once reborn in the Pure Land, one can continue to
cultivate until reaching the highest level of enlightenment.
14. TYING ROCKS TO CLOUDS: Meetings and Conversations
with Wise and Spiritual People, by
William Elliott (born 1959),
published by Image Books/Doubleday, New York, 1996, p. 30.
15. Ibid., p. 35.
16. AWAKENING THE BUDDHIST HEART, by Lama Surya
Das, published by Broadway Books,
New York, 2000, p. 109.
17. THE WAY TO NIBBANA, by Ven. Narada
Thera, published by the Buddhist Missionary Society,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, pp.
2-3.
18. HOW WE DIE, by Dr Sherwin Nuland,
published by Vintage Books, New York, 1995, p. 268.
A veteran clinical doctor
and an accomplished writer, Nuland has taught surgery and the history of
medicine at Yale.
19. SHAMBHALA: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, by Chogyam
Trungpa, edited by Carolyn Rose
Gimian, published by
Shambhala, Boston, 1984, p. 55.
Trungpa Rinpoche was invited
to teach in the US in 1970. He founded the Naropa Institute for contemplative
studies and liberal arts. Authored several books on Buddhism and meditation.
20. GLIMPSE AFTER GLIMPSE: Daily Reflections on Living
and Dying, published by Ebury Press,
London, 1995, Entry for
December 21.
Buddhists believe that the
present lifetime, despite its karmic burden of misery and suffering, presents
human beings with the rare opportunity (Buddha has said that it is rare to be a
human being and it is rare to be a buddha) of purifying, liberating, and
transforming themselves spiritually to become fully enlightened beings capable
of serving and benefiting the greatest number of sentient beings.
The Pure Land devotees,
however, seek their spiritual liberation through their rebirth in Amitabha
Buddha’s Pure Land where they can successfully continue their spiritual
development until they attain buddhahood. They also have the option of
deferring their attainment of Buddhahood, which they can exercise through a special vow,
to return to the myriad worlds of samsara for the sake of serving the multitude
of sentient beings spiritually. To them, rebirth in the Pure Land marks the
first major breakthrough in their pursuit of spiritual perfection. 24.9.2003 0216 15.11.2013 03:24
21. NEUROTHEOLOGY: Virtual Religion in the 21st
Century, by Laurence Mckinney, published by American Institute
For Mindfulness, Cambridge,
MA, 1994, p. 155.
22. THE TEXTS OF TAOISM, translated by James Legge,
first published in 1891, and first published
by Graham Brash, Singapore,
1990. Quotation from THE WRITINGS OF
KWANG-SZE, Part I, Book III, pp. 201-202.
Translator Legge comments:
The ‘faggots’ are understood to represent the body, and the ‘fire’ the
animating spirit. The body perishes at death as the faggots are consumed by the
fire. But the fire may be transmitted to other faggots, and so the spirit may
migrate, and be existing elsewhere.
23. THE WRITINGS OF CHUANG TSU, Part II, Book
XVIII, p. 6.
24. Ibid. Book XIX on
Ta Shang (‘The Full Understanding of Life’), p. 11
With modern scientific
means, life can be aborted in the womb; death may be delayed, but certainly not
detained.
25. NO AJAHN CHAH – Reflections, compiled and
edited by Dhamma Garden, reprinted for free
distribution by Majujaya
Indah, Ampang New Village, Selangor, p. 6.
26. Ibid., p.6
27. Ibid., P. 7
28. AWAKENING THE BUDDHIST HEART, p. 24
29. THE WAY TO NIBBANA, p. 46.
30. Quoted in AIKIDO, by Jon Pearson, published by
Vermillon, London, 1997 (revised edition),
pp. 14-15.
31. The question was
posed to a group of participants in a meditation session held in 1962 at Yang
Ming Shan in Taiwan. Quote from Grass Mountain: A Seven-day Intensive
Ch’an Training with Master Nan Huai-Chin (born 1918), a distinguished Chinese
classical scholar, teacher, and author, published by Samuel Weiser, Maine, USA,
1986, p. 23.
32. TYING ROCKS TO CLOUDS, p. 49.
“When we are free of fear
about death, we are able to free another from the fear of death. That is
fierce work on oneself,
because it is such a deep fear,” said Ram Dass, a.k.a. Richard Alpert, Ph.D. in
psychology (Stanford University, who has taught at Harvard and was active in
research on consciousness in the 1960s. Through books like Grist for the Mill and How
Can I Help? he has contributed to the integration of Eastern philosophy
into Western thought. 24.9.2003
2359
“People have fear because of
ignorance. They don’t know who they are. They think they are vulnerable, but
awareness (of oneself and death) isn’t vulnerable…” (Ibid., p. 67)
33. Quoted in HOW WE DIE, pp. 87.
34. Ibid., p. 88.
35. A Year to Live, by Stephen Levine,
published by Bell Tower, New York, 1997. The three quotes
are taken from pp. 7, 13,
and 39 respectively.
“For over twenty years
Stephen Levine has worked creatively to help thousands of people approach their
own deaths with equanimity, truth, and an open heart. I can think of no one
better qualified to help us enrich our lives through embracing the mystery of
death,” Ram Dass says.
36. POLISHING THE DIAMOND: ENLIGHTENING THE MIND, p. 35.
For Pure Land Buddhists, the
key practice of mindfulness is constantly, earnestly and faithfully reciting
Lord Amitabha Buddha’s Name, if possible, to the very last breath and having
Amitabha clearly and strongly in the heart and mind to the very last moment of
one’s consciousness in the human body. 25.9.2003 0129
37. ADVICE
ON DYING, the two quotes from pp. 220 and 222 respectively.
37. GLIMPSE AFTER GLIMPSE, entry for November 4.
For Pure Land devotees, the
next birth (rebirth) will be in Amitabha’s Pure Land, signifying their
attainment of spiritual liberation.
38. The Transformed Mind, by the Dalai Lama,
published by Viking/Penguin, New Delhi, 1999, p. 106
39. ADVICE ON DYING, p. 111
40. Ibid., p. 126
41. Ibid., p. 13
“For most people death occurs when the
subtlest level of mind (the mind of clear light) manifests,” the Dalai Lama
explains in spiritual terms. “The most subtle consciousness usually remains in
the body for three days, unless the body has been ravaged by disease, in which
case it might not remain even a day…” (ibid., p. 150)
To quote from an article in Britannica Encyclopedia Online:
“…The state of human death has
always been obscured by mystery and superstition, and its precise definition
remains controversial, differing according to culture and legal systems…”
The Roman writer Pliny the
Elder (23-79 AD), author of the encyclopedic Natural History (77), wrote that “so uncertain is men’s judgment
that they cannot determine even death itself.” The challenge remains, but it’s
certainly and universally known that no being can escape death.
An online article in Wikipedia: “…Death was historically
believed to be an event that occurred with clinical
death (the medical term for cessation of blood circulation and breathing,
the two necessary criteria to sustain life).
“It is now understood that
death is a series of physical events, not a single one, and determination of
permanent death is dependent on other factors beyond cessation of breathing and
heartbeat…”
The Britannica article also describes death as a process rather than an
event, and raises two major points: (1) death of the brain is the necessary and
sufficient condition for death of the individual, and (2) the physiological
core of brain death is the death of
the brain stem.
To quote: “Brain-stem death,
far from being a radically new idea, turns out to have always provided both an
ultimate mechanism of death, and a satisfactory anatomical basis for a wide
range of philosophical concepts relating to death…”
As pointed out in Wikipedia, breath death is used as a
legal indicator of death in many jurisdictions.
And as explained online by Horizon
Research Foundation, engaged in the Human
Consciousness Project (researching the mind and brain during clinical
death, following cardiac arrest): The brain stem is an area of the brain that keeps us alive. 15.11.2013 04:17
In NEUROTHEOLOGY (p. 161), Laurence Mckinney writes that the process
of brain death takes place by degrees: “The human brain at the point of death
has billions of fully functional neurons. Each one is different, each is alive.
As death arrives, they cannot all suddenly jump up and die at the same moment.
That would be impossible. They die off over some period of time, and their more
sensitive functions go first…”
In her first book On Death and Dying, Dr. Elizabeth
Kubler-Ross, a Swiss-American psychiatrist who began her medical work in the
late 1950s with terminally ill patients in the US, has admitted that “at times
it is even difficult to determine technically when the time of death has
occurred…” (extract published in FIELDS OF WRITING, St. Martin’s Press,
New York, 1984, p. 327)
In general, Pure Land
Buddhists observe a moratorium of about three to eight hours during which the
body remains serenely undisturbed and untouched..
42. ADVCE ON DYING, pp. 223-224
43. HOW WE DIE, p. 196
44. Talk by Ch’an
Master Sheng-yen on “The Dignity of Living and Dying” on 27 October 1996, the
text
of which printed in CH’AN
NEWS LETTER No. 122, May, 1997.
45. GLIMPSE
AFTER GLIMPSE, Entry for June 24
Through constant, single-minded and wholehearted mindfulness
of the Buddha, a Pure Land devotee can
attain spiritual union with
Amitabha. One can do so while living or
at the moment of death.
Mindfulness is steadfastly maintained by
chanting or reciting
the
Buddha Amitabha’s Name sincerely, faithfully and earnestly.
Anyone can do it.
Just chant or recite: NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA
Mahasthama Mindfulness Center
25 Selasar Rokam 40
Taman Ipoh Jaya
31350 Ipoh
Perak Malaysia
Telephone: 05-3134941
26.9.2003 2311 2.10.2003 0336
15 pages 5,160 words
16 pages 5,495 words
15.11.2013 04:45
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