Death according to Buddhist concepts
By Alex Supartono
JAKARTA (JP): What is death? Is it the end, or is it the gate through which we enter a new phase, a transformation? This question has been around as long as mankind, and is the most basic question in philosophy and religion.
Death is the only thing that mankind cannot deny. Any analysis of life without taking death into account is nonsense.
But in this age of advanced technology and communication, death is no longer discussed. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, the spellbinding march of progress. The realization that nothing is forever spurs progress, making time a precious commodity. The race for efficiency has bred an powerful sense of optimism, and we have forgotten our own mortality.
Secondly, there is the inclination to deny death, despite the knowledge that this is impossible. Even in the face of death, most people hope that they will be an exception, that death will not touch them. It is a foolish dream, but such is human nature. This makes it a difficult subject to discuss.
It is in this context that the Buddhist concept of death is helpful; how does it explain the mystery of death?
Wheel of life
Eastern and Western views of life differ. In the East, life is likened to a page in a book, while in the West life is regarded as the whole book. Death in the East is finishing a page in a book, before turning to a new page. In the West, however, death is the end of the book, with no sequels.
The Eastern attitude is inherent in Hindu and Buddhist teachings, which share the concept of the "wheel of life" -- the conviction that life is a perpetual process in a constant chain of death and reincarnation.
The death of the body does not mean the end of it all; it is just a collective transformation of "factors and functions". Life never ends, it goes on infinitely and it has done so since the beginning of time. Life is like a page in a book, but the book itself has neither a beginning nor an end. No matter how many pages are turned, the story goes on, infinitely.
The "wheel of life" is the Eastern belief of karma, the total account of causes in life which affect our future lives. If the West regards life as in direct communication with God, with its fate depending on His judgment, Eastern beliefs proclaim that life is karma. Thus destiny is a logical consequence of the law of cause and effect.
Buddhism teaches us to see happiness and suffering today as the result of a previous life's behavior, and as a decisive factor in determining the course of our future life. Pain and grief experienced today have its origin in the past, and the payback for one's deeds will come in our future lives.
We must realize that our lives are our responsibility. By accepting our own suffering, we are able to overcome our problems and find peace and happiness. We will discover that we are master of our own destiny.
Road sign
Buddha asserted that life consists of suffering rooted in fear of death. All living creatures fear death. But human fear is unique, since we understand the meaning of death and often ask ourselves what awaits us in the hereafter.
Fear grows from the awareness of death. Our love of life banishes thoughts of death, as if it were a financial debt whose repayment can be deferred forever. When the realization of death hits, solace is sought in the eternal soul, or in reincarnation.
This idea exists in nearly all religions.
In Buddhism, there is a belief that we will be reborn after death in The Pure Land of the West. Here we will live forever in happiness; however, this belief should be regarded more as a enticement into Buddhism.
Buddhism's main objective is to liberate us from worldly affairs, so that we meet death properly.
Buddhism is frequently slated for focusing too much on suffering. But what is more positive than realizing death is accompanied by suffering, and finding a way to overcome this sufferings? Even if Buddhism preaches eternal life, it is not medicine that eradicates man's fear of death. Several questions about death were answered by Buddha from his own experience.
Life flows in large waves. It would be wrong, however, to think that Buddha's teachings were romantic. In his view, death exists to bring forth new life. Its function is to provide a period of rest before new life.
Buddha's idea of eternal life in the Sutra Teratai asserts that death is a road sign. This view sees life and its ramifications as sublime; it does not, however, exclude death. It aims to teach us to live well with an awareness of our mortality.
Buddhism is not a depressing or passive religion yearning for life in another world, but neither does it permit much optimism. Its message holds that the pleasure of life is not found in evading sufferings; hardships should be experienced. Illumination comes from reality, no matter how bitter this process may be.
The concept of death as a road sign is intriguing; but it does not wholly explain the connection between life and death. Maybe life should lead the devotee towards an acceptance of death.
Life and death are two aspects within one entity inseparable from the human spirit; it is nature's current of infinity. Death, just as life, is present in the infinity of the universe.
Death does not destroy identity, just as a sleeping person is not destroyed by sleep. The death of a living entity will not destroy its nature, it will carry on in the next life.
The eternal flow of life is a wave, alternating rhythms of infinite life and death.
The spirit, life's essence, is in constant flux within each person on his or her road to infinity. Life exists; it is infinite since it is tied up with the universe. Life did not take form before the universe, nor did it appear out of the blue, nor was it created by a mystical power.
Death does not stand still, it is active just as life is. Death is kept alive by the soul.
Life is infinite and death is a part of infinite life. Death is not the last chapter of one's life. Nor does it mean eternal life. It is a period of rest before a new existence.
Buddhism does not recognize the concept of a beginning and an end. Everything moves as it should, life flows on without questioning its source or its destiny. Source and destiny are life and death itself.
The most interesting part of all is that we decide our own destiny. Everything depends on the person alone, he or she is responsible for his or her actions and their consequences. For the noble humanism championed by the West, this sense of individual accountability is a necessary condition.
The reckoning for sins and good deeds comes to us alone.
Alex Supartono is an active member of Jaringan Kerja Budaya and Forum Bebas Wacana Filosofis in Jakarta.