A student asked me once if I was afraid to die.
I said no.
She told me she is.
I believe she is not alone.
Many people are. ( Read "Chicken pox and me" - 16/04/07 )
I suppose people are afraid because of the uncertainty,
And also due to the lack of knowledge about death.
Actually,
Death - What is there to be afraid of ?
There are some people who claimed to be so good,
And maybe even holy;
But wherever they go, they need and have a whole entourage of people, guards, armies and soldiers protecting them, surrounding them.
Honestly, if they're truly so good and morally upright,
They'll have nothing to fear -
Cos' the power of their goodness and virtues will protect them.
And, if they're truly enlightened,
The more they have nothing to worry or fear,
Cos' they would have understood, realised and let go.
And they probably can't wait to go, too.
Cos it'll mean the end of their suffering - freed from all worldly bondage, and the rounds of births and rebirths in Samsara,
And no longer under and subjected to the influence and torment of the 5 khandhas (i.e. body, feeling, thought fabrication/imagination, memory and sense consciousness) which are really a burden that all wise men are glad to be relieved of.
However, if there's still a trace of fear in their hearts, it only goes to show they haven't let go - ie. not enlightened yet.
And it also shows they're not so good and holy after all.
As a child, and even now as an adult, I've crossed swords with Death so many times.
(Read Close Encounters of the 'Death' kind - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/01/close-encounter-of-death-kind.html )
To me, all that I know is,
I die, I die.
"From the physical aspect :
Everyone dies.
There is no one ( and nothing ) in this world who doesn't die.
From the spiritual aspect :
In Truth/Reality, nothing really dies.
When one form ceases, another will arise in its place;
And round and round the cycle ( of Samsara ) goes,
And never ends."
"All living beings, without exception, is subjected to birth, ageing, disease and Death."
- The Buddha
"From craving springs grief;
From craving springs fear.
For him who is wholly free from craving,
There's no grief, much less fear."
- The Buddha
"Wheresoever fear arises,
It arises in the minds of the fool.
Not in that of the wise man."
- The Buddha
"Shame and fear is there only when one committed evil, does wrong things.
For him who is wholly restrained and morally upright,
There's no shame;
Nor fear."
"The one thing we should all be afraid of in this world,
Is NOT death;
But in doing wrong/evil."
"Whoever is afraid of death,
Taking delight in birth,
Can (and will) NEVER realise the Dhamma."
- Venerable Ajahn Mun
"Fear death and you will die again."
- Venerable Ajahn Mahha Boowa Nanasampanno
.
.
..
" ........ In one whose fetters are ended,
All fears are overcome.
With the ending of craving,
The guide to becoming,
When phenomena are seen for what they are,
Then just as in laying down of a burden,
There is no fear in death.
I have lived well the Holy life,
Well developed the path.
Death holds no fear for me,
It's like the end of a disease.
......... One gone to the far shore
Without clinging
Without effluent
His task completed,
Welcomes the ending of life,
As if freed from a place of execution.
Having attained the Supreme Rightness,
Unconcerned with all the world,
As if released from a burning house,
He does not sorrow at death."
- Venerable Adhimutta, Theragatha XVI.1
.
.
..
"I don't delight in death,
Don't delight in living.
I await my time
Like a worker his wage."
- Venerable Revata, Theragatha XIV.1
"Fear, I have been afraid;
Boldness, I have been bold;
Love, I have loved;
Hate, I have hated;
Detestation, I have detested;
Anger, I have been angry -
All this because I have a heart,
I am not a dead man,
Or monk.
But I have tried with my utmost ability to train myself without ever slipping back or giving way.
Those things which used to be in-charge and overpowering
Crumbled away under the power of the work and diligence of
The One who is NOT afraid to die."
- Venerable Ajahn Mun
"I die, I die.
I don't give a damn anymore.
I spit at birth, I spit at life
Life and Birth is nothing but Suffering!
I've tasted it all, seen it all -
Enough !
I want NOTHING to do with life or birth NO MORE!
