Your thoughts on death.

[Random]

You manifestly endure endless states of Becoming until transcendece becomes you. Nothing ever ends, and energy cannot be destroyed. Know it. The problem is never where-you-go, but always where you ARE.

 

[Quiddity]

I forgot who said it:
The worms have a party!
Or something to that affect.

 

[xexon]

Death?

Put that in the same religious mythology folder as chosen people and pieces of paper that represent God.

Death is the wave returning to the ocean. It merely returns you to the state you were before. Your identity as the wave has ended, but your awareness has greatly improved outside that mask.

Death is the removing of the mask you wear in this life. An identity, that we somehow manage to cram ourselves into.

Its refreshing, if you understand the nature of death.

Terrifying if you don't.



x

 

[Sonic247]

And the next set-

Psalm 88:10- Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise [and] praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

1st Corinthians 15:55-O death, where [is] thy sting? O grave, where [is] thy victory? The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength of sin [is] the law. But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[TINA.J.MURPHY]

My take on death is this, it is not to be feared if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour. You should only fear death if you are unsure where you will spend your eternity.

 

[Engyo]

Well, since I am a Buddhist, and Buddhism teaches that there is no such thing as eternity - that's not an issue.

 

[Willamena]

Well, since I am a Buddhist, and Buddhism teaches that there is no such thing as eternity - that's not an issue.

What does Buddhism offer in place of the concept of eternity, if I may ask?

 

[Engyo]

The concept of co-dependent arising (dependent origination). This means that nothing exists by itself - all is dependent on other causes and conditions. You couldn't have come into existence independent of your father and mother, for example. It also means that as those causes and conditions change, so do we (or anything). So because of this, one of the core teachings of Buddhism is that nothing is eternal. Everything changes over time. It's not a comfortable notion, of course, but the universe often isn't a comfortable place.

 

[Random]

The concept of co-dependent arising (dependent origination). This means that nothing exists by itself - all is dependent on other causes and conditions. You couldn't have come into existence independent of your father and mother, for example. It also means that as those causes and conditions change, so do we (or anything). So because of this, one of the core teachings of Buddhism is that nothing is eternal. Everything changes over time. It's not a comfortable notion, of course, but the universe often isn't a comfortable place.

Wouldn't "Nirvana" have been a more accurate answer?

 

[Willamena]

The concept of co-dependent arising (dependent origination). This means that nothing exists by itself - all is dependent on other causes and conditions. You couldn't have come into existence independent of your father and mother, for example. It also means that as those causes and conditions change, so do we (or anything). So because of this, one of the core teachings of Buddhism is that nothing is eternal. Everything changes over time. It's not a comfortable notion, of course, but the universe often isn't a comfortable place.

Not to be difficult, but I don't understand what this has to do with eternity (the "time without time," with no beginning and no ending). You seem to be defining it as some sort of stasis (in contast to "changes over time")? Is this a common concept of eternity? (excuse my ignorance)

On the other hand, I can fully agree with the sentence, "Nothing is eternal." Eternity is not a place for things.

 

[Engyo]

Hmmmm, we may be discussing very different usages of the word "eternity" here.

 

[Willamena]

Hmmmm, we may be discussing very different usages of the word "eternity" here.

That must be it.

 

[Pariah]

It would seem to me that only living and dying remain painful.
Death is only the instant you draw your last breath.

 

[Rolling_Stone]

It seems my answer to many questions is is the signature below (which is really not at all unlike the Bhagavad Gita's answer). If life is everlasting, why worry? If not, why fret about the inevitable?

 

[Rolling_Stone]

The concept of co-dependent arising (dependent origination). This means that nothing exists by itself - all is dependent on other causes and conditions. You couldn't have come into existence independent of your father and mother, for example. It also means that as those causes and conditions change, so do we (or anything). So because of this, one of the core teachings of Buddhism is that nothing is eternal. Everything changes over time. It's not a comfortable notion, of course, but the universe often isn't a comfortable place.

But what about existence? Existence exists by itself and cannot not exist.

 

[Sonic247]

It would seem to me that only living and dying remain painful.
Death is only the instant you draw your last breath.

True but it has alot that goes along with it, for instance leaving the things you have gotten in this life here, no more chances to inprove relationships with reletives ect.

 

[Engyo]

But what about existence? Existence exists by itself and cannot not exist.

Existence changes over time. It is not eternally constant - and it varies according to causes and conditions. Thus it does not contravene the principle of dependent co-arising.

 

[Rolling_Stone]

Existence changes over time. It is not eternally constant - and it varies according to causes and conditions. Thus it does not contravene the principle of dependent co-arising.

You are confusing existence with things that have existence. (It is this confusion that led me away from Buddhism in spite of its depth of thought and understanding.)

 

[Engyo]

You are confusing existence with things that have existence. (It is this confusion that led me away from Buddhism in spite of its depth of thought and understanding.)

OK, then can you give me the definition of existence that you are referring to, so that I can respond accordingly?

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

For a muslim death is one of the premier parts of life to look forward toand work hard for. It is a phenomenal event that is completely unavoidable, and something never to be done again. There is only one chance a person has to do it right the first time. Death is what we live for really. It is the first stage of the akhira, and if it is passed well the subsequent stages (judgement and so on) becomes easier. To have a good death is one of our ultimate aims in life. We steadily prepare for death because of it's eventuality and certainty of occurance. The same reasoning with if one makes plans to take a trip to China, which one of us would not make proper preperation? We would go about the business of acquiring the necessary money, hotel reservations, transportation, getting a plane ticket, and so forth. The same is with death or even moreso, because the trip to China may or may not take place depending upon conditions, but death will with a certainty take placeand there can be no condition to forestall nor stop it.

Some ayats about death from Quran:

19. See they not how Allâh originates creation, then repeats it. Verily, that is easy for Allâh.

20. Say: "Travel in the land and see how (Allâh) originated creation, and then Allâh will bring forth (resurrect) the creation of the Hereafter (i.e. resurrection after death). Verily, Allâh is Able to do all things."


10. And they say: "When we are (dead and become) lost in the earth, shall we indeed be recreated anew?" Nay, but they deny the Meeting with their Lord!

11. Say: "The angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls, then you shall be brought to your Lord."