17
votes
Accepted
How do Buddhists express condolences?
Here in Sri Lanka, we typically say "Anicca Vata Sankhara" or "Vaya-dhamma Sankhara" in the bereavement notices. When you meet the family members, you put your hands together and greet without smiling....
- 25.6k
12
votes
Accepted
What do you do to prepare for death?
I prepare for death by watching clouds.
Appearances of entities arise when certain elements come together, and then morph beyond recognition as elements drift apart.
Death is all around us at all ...
- 55.2k
11
votes
Should a Buddhist be afraid of death?
Isn't this an obvious question? Should a Christian not "desire a wife of his neighbor", nor steal, nor mention God's name in vain etc. - but some still do.
"A Buddhist" just like &...
- 55.2k
10
votes
How do I do "contemplation of death" meditation? And is it dangerous?
How to do "contemplation of death" meditation ?
With each and every in and out breath reflect: "life is impermanent, but death is certain, hence will attend to what need to be done without delay."
...
8
votes
How do Buddhists express condolences?
Buddhist philosophy teaches you to act with sincerity and not to speak for the sake of speaking. Given that, I don't think you need any particular line for expressing condolence. A simple "I'm sorry ...
- 181
8
votes
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"Gatha" (Verse) on mindfulness/contemplation of Death : Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw
Because you mention the Mahasi Sayadaw in your question, most relevant is the Mahasi Sayadaw's discussion of the Purabheda Sutta:
http://static.sirimangalo.org/mahasi/Purabheda%20Sutta.htm
(Sorry, ...
- 23.8k
7
votes
Accepted
What is happening to Lord Buddha after "parinirvana"?
Nothing
Because there is no person to happen anything, and there is no samsara. So that's The End. When a person achieves nirvana , there is no person anymore. Death is not the end of a person, ...
- 558
7
votes
If Buddhists believe that life is just suffering why don't they just kill themselves?
Buddhists do kill themselves, but instead of killing the body they kill the Ego -- which is much more effective.
- 55.2k
7
votes
Why aren't there omnicidal Buddhists?
existence is the root of suffering
no, it's not. The official definitions are "unsatisfied thirst is [mental] suffering", "craving and grasping is the origin of suffering", "...
- 55.2k
6
votes
Accepted
What happens to the five aggregates after death?
1. Do they stay together, and cause birth of a one specific person (which can be called rebirth), or do they separate?
Even when you are alive, the 5 skandhas arise together in every experience. So ...
- 25.6k
6
votes
Euthanasia for animals
Being mindful all the time is an important part of the practice. Not just at the time of death. But if you have a wholesome thought at the time of death, your next birth will be better.
Whether it's ...
- 25.6k
6
votes
Accepted
Metta for dead father
Generally you should not do Metta to:
Lingavisabhāga (opposite sex - generally directed at a specific person)
Kālakatapuggala (a dead person)
See page 81 Seeing and Knowing revised edition by Pa Auk ...
6
votes
How to overcome the suffering of attachement to the body's continued existence (in Western modernity)?
In preparation for death you should:
accept the fact everyone must die and let go of the fear of death
not procrastinate meditation to develop wisdom
make your mind equanimous as possible to handle ...
6
votes
Accepted
How can people meet again after rebirth?
If you both have:
(1) compatible faith (sama,saddhā),
(2) compatible virtue (sama,silā),
(3) compatible charity (sama,cāgā),
(4) compatible wisdom (sama,pannā).
Sama,jivi Sutta 1
With the balance of ...
5
votes
Accepted
Meditation and good deeds vs clarity of mind during death
Ultimately, the moment of death consciousness is all that counts. That consciousness, however, is of course partially conditioned by all the good and bad deeds one has performed in the past, ...
- 23.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Euthanasia for animals
The precepts are frequently understood from a a Western perspective as "do not [kill]", similar to "thou shalt not ..." as in Christianity. However, this type of dualist view (either one or the other, ...
- 1,870
5
votes
Accepted
In the wheel of life, how can death be a condition for ignorance?
Bhava-chakra, the wheel of life, or, as I would translate it, "the wheel of individuation" is a relatively late depiction of the 12 Nidanas. In the suttas of Pali Canon, the nidanas are usually ...
- 55.2k
5
votes
Accepted
Apocarteresis in Buddhism
Your calling it "suicide" (i.e. intentionally killing yourself) and "committing" (a crime) suggest that the action/intention/view you have in mind are not appropriate.
The following paragraphs from ...
- 43.1k
5
votes
Accepted
Are there any references in the Pali canon to the experience of death?
Death perspective from the Abhidhamma point of view:
Notes:
"Death is the temporary end of a temporary phenomenon." By death is meant the extinction of psychic life (jīvitindriya), heat (usma = ...
- 3,380
5
votes
Accepted
Which sutta is this excerpt about Buddha's death from?
The quoted passage sounds vaguely like the last paragraph of Ud 8.5 the Cunda Sutta. For example you quoted,
You have done what is good and wholesome ... after death you will be reborn in a happy ...
- 43.1k
5
votes
Metta for dead father
According to my teacher, it is important to reconcile and forgive major issues we had had with our (now deceased) parents. There is a tremendous amount of emotional energy locked in grudges and ...
- 55.2k
5
votes
How to actually do death contemplation?
i do seem to care about others who die though but not on myself
But that's the whole point. So if you already don't mind dying (that's how i understand your statement), then maybe you're an arahant?
...
- 1,673
5
votes
What is happening to Lord Buddha after "parinirvana"?
I am not as knowledgeable in these matters as many others I see in this Exchange, but it seems to me that the answer to this question might fall under the categories of the 14 Unanswered Questions #'s ...
- 307
5
votes
What is happening to Lord Buddha after "parinirvana"?
It is something undeclared by The Buddha.
These four views are undeclared by The Buddha:
After death a Tathāgata exists
After death a Tathāgata does not exist
After death a Tathāgata both exists &...
- 868
5
votes
Buddha teaching regarding eating
It's in Puttanmansa Sutta.
"And how is physical food to be regarded? Suppose a couple, husband &
wife, taking meager provisions, were to travel through a desert. With
them would be their ...
- 4,203
5
votes
Accepted
Is meat eating a possibility?
If you eat vegetables or grains, it can indirectly cause the death of animals like snails and earthworms, due to clearing of land, ploughing, pesticides, weeding etc.
If you wear clothes made of ...
- 33.5k
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