Serendipity - Relooking Life

[OmOm]

The title of this thread is

[OmOm]

Life and Death

 

An elderly relative who had been struggling with a long-term illness passed away some time ago. His passing was quiet, he did not wake up from the semi-conscious state that he was in for the last few months. The silence with which he departed from this world was a stark contrast to the immense amount of anguish and grief that all who were dear to him had been experiencing. His wife, in particular, was sapped of energy. The constant vigil that she kept at his side in the hospital was physically, emotionally and spiritually draining.

 

A Buddhist master once remarked:

 

"Is it not strange that we celebrate the birth of a baby and mourn the death of an old man when the former has just stepped into suffering in this world and the latter out of it?"

 

Indeed, death and life seem to be intricately and inexorably linked in a perpetual dance. Life starts a new journey of exploration, growth and aging, culminating in sickness and eventually death. The dead return to the soil, nourishing the expanse of flowers and grass, and, through them, every single living thing. The endless cycle of death and life is a phenomenon that we powerlessly accept. The greatest kings, the strongest warriors, the hardiest labourers, they all cannot escape the beckoning of death. It is inevitable, unavoidable.

 

If ever there was a yardstick or a measure that is truly fair, death has got to be it. The lady of Justice may be blindfolded but Death is a step ahead. He does not even have eyes, ears or senses which can corrupt or bias his judgement. Big, small, strong, weak, fat, thin, young, old, male, female, white, black, He takes them all. Sadly, it is only in the presence of Death that all equality in humanity is restored.

 

It is perfectly natural for us, as human beings, to feel grief and sadness when our loved ones pass away. We have affection for the departed, a strong attachment of the heart and mind. The pain that arises when this attachment is forcibly torn from our hearts and minds strikes us hard and even renders us immobile. The pain invites confusion and stirs up many forms of negative feelings in us. Guilt, especially, is something that inflicts the greatest amount of suffering and anguish in all of us.

 

"I should have treated him better."

 

"If only I had been there more often for her when she was still well."

 

"He was a good man and deserved more than what we gave him."

 

Time heals the open wounds that guilt and the pain of loss inflict on mortal men like us. In time, the pain diminishes and for the fortunate, it even vanishes. For others, the pain fades but lingers as a soreness in one's heart and mind, refusing to go away.

 

However, just as Life gives way to Death, so too must Death relent when the time is right. And the cherubic angel of Life surely takes her turn on the stage as Death exits the spotlight.

 

It is crucial that we seek to understand the relationship between death and life, as well as the roles that they have in our lives and the Universe. For death and life are two forces that have, perhaps, the greatest impact on us mortals and can therefore lead us to reflect further on everything else that we can possibly fathom in our journey here in this world.

[Tonyng]

 

Hi, are you a practicing Buddhist? Do you believe in reincarnation? If so, on what grounds?

[Icedbs]

come on..let's stop religious thread.

[Jamesc]

Er not sure what kind of Buddhist master but he should know death should also be celebrated.

 

[OmOm]

Hi bro Tonyng,

 

I turn to Buddhist teachings, amongst other forms of teachings, to guide my thoughts and actions in daily living.

 

My understanding of reincarnation is built upon my interpretation of the human soul and consciousness (I take the liberty to use these two terms interchangeably for this discussion). I believe that the individual consciousness is a function of the physiology of the human form.

 

Picture a fluorescent light-bulb. When it is connected to the power grid and electricity runs through it, the bulb emits light which is perceived by people around it. When the bulb expires, it no longer produces light. Human consciousness is akin to the light that is emanated by the bulb, and the bulb to the human form. The consciousness that is projected by the human form diminishes when the physical aspects die.

 

The physiology of a single human form is made of smaller components. For example, our elemental body comprises carbon and other constituents. Each carbon atom in our bodies came from the environment during conception or in the process of growing old. Our bodies continually take in and shed atoms due to the processes that take place within.

 

Our consciousness (at a high-level) is a sum of the consciousness that arises from each of the components (the atoms are but one set of the components) in our form. It is ever changing given that our form is constantly changing.

 

When we pour water into a glass, we can visualise the water coming from the environment (system), from diverse sources converging into one point at the current moment. When we pour water out of a glass, we can visualise the water flowing back into the environment (system), to various destination points.

 

The process of reincarnation, as I view it, is similar to water flowing out of the glass and into the system, and subsequently out of the system into another glass. The water that fills the latter glass is not exactly the same but certain parts (depending on their bonds) may have come from the former.

 

In much the same way, the consciousness that arises within a form is not a direct one-to-one transfer from an earlier form but may be a combination of various consciousness from multiple forms of an earlier time.

 

Hi, are you a practicing Buddhist? Do you believe in reincarnation? If so, on what grounds?

 

[OmOm]

Hi bro Jamesc,

 

Indeed, as I mentioned in my post:

 

"Is it not strange that we celebrate the birth of a baby and mourn the death of an old man when the former has just stepped into suffering in this world and the latter out of it?"

 

The master was commenting that the world celebrates a birth and mourns a death, and implied that it should be the other way round.

 

Er not sure what kind of Buddhist master but he should know death should also be celebrated.

 

[Jamesc]

Hi bro Jamesc,

 

Indeed, as I mentioned in my post:

 

"Is it not strange that we celebrate the birth of a baby and mourn the death of an old man when the former has just stepped into suffering in this world and the latter out of it?"

 

The master was commenting that the world celebrates a birth and mourns a death, and implied that it should be the other way round.

This master hasn't been to Thailand, they don't mourn death.

 

I am amaze they accept death so naturally.

 

Anyway you are quite right, life and death is no big deal.

 

People dun need to get so worked up about it or even the small things in life.

[Jamesc]

Bro OmOm

 

Forget the books go for direct experience if you want the truth.

 

 

[1fast1]

Life and Death

 

A Buddhist master once remarked:

 

"Is it not strange that we celebrate the birth of a baby and mourn the death of an old man when the former has just stepped into suffering in this world and the latter out of it?"

 

Actually, Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) said something almost exactly like that (with the cynical twist he's famous for):

 

"Why is it that we rejoice at a birth and grieve at a funeral? It is because we are not the person involved."

[OmOm]

I believe both are important and help to reinforce understanding that is provided by either. It is analogous to learning how to drive. Basic and advanced theory are relevant because they are guidelines for you to experience driving for yourself on the roads.

 

Bro OmOm

 

Forget the books go for direct experience if you want the truth.

 

[Jman888]

庄子 advocate a lot on the celebrate of death, not sure if all of his concept come from budhism but it provide another perceptive of life.

[Jamesc]

I believe both are important and help to reinforce understanding that is provided by either. It is analogous to learning how to drive. Basic and advanced theory are relevant because they are guidelines for you to experience driving for yourself on the roads.

Not many people can pass the practical test just by reading the book!

 

You need to get your hands behind the wheel!

 

Any way was Buddha enlightened by reading books or direct

experience?

[Jman888]

Not many people can pass the practical test just by reading the book!

 

You need to get your hands behind the wheel!

 

Any way was Buddha enlightened by reading books or direct

experience?

 

 

修行 is the hardest part of the practice, we can all understand the teaching but no many can pass the test, we are just human