Am I ready to accept death? Yes, though my life is not yet fulfilled, I am ready to live my life as though every day is my last because it encourages me to live life to the fullest.
Since the fear of death is very strong for me, that fear motivates me to respect all life as precious.
Indeed, life is so precious that I wish to live to an old age.
Death in Buddhist Philosophy
In Buddhism, death is a part of old age. It is the twelfth and final part of dependent arising.
In his discourse on contemplation, the Buddha urges us to reflect on ageing and death:
• I am subject to ageing, have not gone beyond ageing....
• I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness....
• I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death....
What is meant here is that all who are born are destined to age and die.
At first glance, the prospect of ageing and death appears depressing because one part of the twelve parts of dependent arising is taken out of context.
In context, dependent arising consists of twelve parts:
• ignorance
• consciousness
• name and form
• the six senses spheres
• contact
• feeling
• attachment (craving)
• grasping (clinging)
• existence (becoming)
• birth
• ageing and death
Regarding these twelve parts of dependent arising, the Buddha explains that:
• due to the condition of ignorance, action arises;
• due to the condition of action, consciousness arises;
• due to the condition of consciousness, name and form arise;
• due to the condition of name and form, the six sense spheres arise;
• due to the condition of the six sense spheres, contact arises;
• due to the condition of contact, feeling arises;
• due to the condition of feeling, attachment arises;
• due to the condition of attachment, grasping arises;
• due to the condition of grasping, the potentialized level of karma called existence arises;
• due to the condition of existence, birth arises;
• due to the condition of birth, ageing and death arise.
Because of dependent arising, mental unrest arises. This validates the First Truth that life is full of suffering.
In order to relieve oneself of such unrest, then one should begin by seeing how each of the twelve parts of dependent arising produce suffering.
• the unwanted sufferings of ageing and death are produced in dependence upon birth;
• birth is produced in dependence upon the potentialized level of action called "existence";
• existence is produced in dependence upon grasping;
• grasping is produced in dependence upon attachment;
• attachment is produced in dependence upon feeling;
• feeling is produced in dependence upon contact;
• contact is produced in dependence upon the six sense spheres;
• the six sense spheres are produced in dependence upon name and form;
• name and form are produced in dependence upon consciousness;
• consciousness is produced in dependence upon action;
• action is produced in dependence upon ignorance.
Thus is the First Noble Truth emphasized.
Then, by deeply reflecting on each of the twelve parts of dependent arising, it is possible to purify one's mind i.e. relieve mental unrest by seeing that:
• when ignorance ceases, action ceases;
• when action ceases, consciousness ceases;
• when consciousness ceases, name and form cease;
• when name and form cease, the six sense spheres cease;
• when the six sense spheres cease, contact ceases;
• when contact ceases, feeling ceases;
• when feeling ceases, attachment ceases;
• when attachment ceases, grasping ceases;
• when grasping ceases, the potentialized level of karma called "existence" ceases;
• when the potentialized level of karma called "existence" ceases, birth ceases;
• when birth ceases, ageing and death cease.
With the mind thus purified, it is possible to see each part causes the next part. In this way, the Second Truth - the cause of suffering is ignorance - is amplified. Then one can see that:
• the cessation of ageing and death arises in dependence upon the cessation of birth;
• the cessation of birth arises in dependence upon the cessation of the potentialized level of karma called "existence";
• the cessation of the potentialized level of karma called "existence" arises in dependence upon the cessation of grasping;
• the cessation of grasping arises in dependence upon the cessation of attachment;
• the cessation of attachment arises in dependence upon the cessation of feeling;
• the cessation of feeling arises in dependence upon the cessation of contact;
• the cessation of contact arises in dependence upon the cessation of the six sense spheres;
• the cessation of the six sense spheres arises in dependence upon the cessation of name and form;
• the cessation of name and form arises in dependence upon the cessation of consciousness;
• the cessation of consciousness arises in dependence upon the cessation of action;
• the cessation of action arises in dependence upon the cessation of ignorance.
Karma and Mental Unrest
Due to the karma of non-virtuous actions, mental unrest arises. Due to the karma of virtuous actions, mental unrest arises.
With regard to these karmas which are the sources of suffering (mental unrest), the afflictive emotions of desire, hatred and ignorance are also sources of mental unrest.
Impermanence: Nothing Lasts Forever
It is through validating impermanence that mental unrest is relieved. For each of phenomenon arising due to dependent arising have a beginning and an end.
Once mental unrest is relieved, one is freed from suffering. Yet, due to impermanence, this liberation is an on-going process involving meditation and study.
Conclusion: Death Encourages Me to Live Each Day to the Fullest
Returning to the question, "Am I ready to accept death?", the answer is a heart-felt "Yes". Indeed, I accept death as a vital part of life. My fear of it motivates me to preserve my life through meditation so as to promote peace of mind and develop respect for ageing and death.
Though I cannot stop myself from ageing and facing the prospect of death, I can accept that with serenity. However, my respect for ageing and death encourages me to change my perspective.
In living each day as it were my last day on earth, I endeavour to live my life to the fullest.
Thus am I ready to accept death.
Reference:
12 Links of Dependent Arising: http://www.khandro.net/doctrine_12links_DLbk1.htm
Twelve Nidānas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas
No comments:
Post a Comment