Hi TS,
First of all, as a free thinker, I hope my answers will not trigger any repurcussions from the Buddhists followers here. I just like to share my thoughts on the topic from a neutral perspective. :)
I believe there is no definite right or wrong answers to the questions you have posed.
Probably let me illustrate using my personal experience:
My wife's father was diagnosed terminally ill a few years back with cancer. We were told he will pass away in 6 months time. (in actual fact, he passed away less than a month after the diagnosis). Our family was devastated when we heard the news. We tried our best to do whatever we can to prolong his life, like looking for Sinsehs, mediums, taking "miracle pills", etc. In the end, my father-in-law chose to die as he cannot take the pain any longer. We respected his decision and discharged him from the hospital. He passed away in our home. So is this committing suicide in your "definition"? Imo, my father-in-law is "committing suicide".
At first we felt regretted to allow him to decide. We felt intense pain and remorse as we might help save his life by looking for more "miracle" methods. But after the pain subsided through these years, we start to question ourselves, have we helped him by allowing him to decide? Till date, we cannot have a definite answer of whether we were right or we were wrong. So instead, we chose to let go of this intense pain and move on with life. Who knows, my father-in-law might be enjoying now in the other realm?
Probably you might question about for the case of those who cannot decide for themselves, like the unconscious people, children, etc. Well again, who knows the unconscious might be happy in their state of coma? Why should we think that they are suffering? Yes, it is very painful for the love ones of the "victim" to see that he/she has to undergo through this process of unconciouness. But again, can we for sure say that the person who is in coma is not happy? I myself cannot answer this too.
To end my comments, I find that, again, there is no definite right or wrong answers to the questions you had posed. The bottom line, imo, is to follow the heart at that moment. For example, so long as the family's decision to let the coma patient end his/her life so as to end the "misery", and this is not due to evil intentions but because of financial constraints/ emotional breakdowns/ etc, it will be a right decision. If the family decides to fight on believing that there is hope for the patient, it will be a right decision too. The family should not focus too much on what is right or what is wrong as this will only bring more misery to the family when they are bogged down by the process of harping too much on whether they had made the "right/wrong" choice. I feel that the family should enjoy the precious moments with the patient as much as possible and not be too overly concern with the decision making. I also feel that the family should also be happy with life even after the loved one has passed away as life will continue anyway. Why should we harp on the past? :)
If I sounded too serious, sorry about my style of writing. :p
I understand your father-in law's decision to choose to die as he canot take the pain anymore. For him, the endurance level to illness has become so low and he has decided to let go and die as the doctors cannot alleviate his pain so that he can continue to live on and there is no cure for his illness.
For people who have not been seriously illed before, they cannot understand the suffering of these terminally illed persons. Every day, it is a struggle for them especially the doctors have no medication or treatment to help them to cope with the intense discomfort, pain or ill-feeling.
Has anyone read the book of tibetian ways of living and dying ?
Personally, the author has given great insight into the ways of dying ie a step to step guide towards the process of dying right up the last breath.
However, when I do a search on the author hoping to find other books to read further. I am surprised to find that the eminent author has been charged with sex-related charges.
So, I am in a dilemna. Should I believe or not believe what is taught in the book ? Should I follow the step to step guide towards the process of dying right up to the last breath ?
Thank you for the kind attention.
Regards,
ahm97sic
This book should have an impact to whoever reads it regardless of which religion they practice.I find the book makes a lot of sense about the lving and dying
Originally posted by Ahm97sic:Has anyone read the book of tibetian ways of living and dying ?
Personally, the author has given great insight into the ways of dying ie a step to step guide towards the process of dying right up the last breath.
However, when I do a search on the author hoping to find other books to read further. I am surprised to find that the eminent author has been charged with sex-related charges.
So, I am in a dilemna. Should I believe or not believe what is taught in the book ? Should I follow the step to step guide towards the process of dying right up to the last breath ?
Thank you for the kind attention.
Regards,
ahm97sic
You meant the author of <the tibetan book of living and death>, which is sogyal rinpoche?
The author is sogyal rinpoche and his accomplishments and sex-related crimes are related in the entry of wikipedia.
I am in a dilemna. Should I believe or not believe what is taught in the book ? Should I follow the step to step guide towards the process of dying right up to the last breath ?
Anyone well-versed in tibetian ways of living and dying, please advise.
Thanks.
Regards,
ahm97sic
Originally posted by Ahm97sic:The author is sogyal rinpoche and his accomplishments and sex-related crimes are related in the entry of wikipedia.
I am in a dilemna. Should I believe or not believe what is taught in the book ? Should I follow the step to step guide towards the process of dying right up to the last breath ?
Anyone well-versed in tibetian ways of living and dying, please advise.
Thanks.
Regards,
ahm97sic
There are other translations of the same Tibetan Text, Bardo Thogal (aka Tibetan Book of the Dead). You may like to check out Dalai Lama's version of translation.
I think Sogyal Rinpoche should be qualified enough and with some degrees of realisation to translate the text. If there are any personal issues or scandals, it is truly unfortunate. Some famous masters with certain degrees of realisation continue to mess up in various ways.
Originally posted by Display Name:You meant the author of <the tibetan book of living and death>, which is sogyal rinpoche?
He isn't the author, the text is actually an ancient Tibetan text, composed by Padmasambhava. (founder of Tibetan Buddhism)
Dear Eternal Now,
Thanks for the info. that Dalai Lama has done a translation on the Tibetian book of Death.
Do you happen to know any online sources to the translation ? I am interested to find out more on the Tibetian book of Death.
Please provide the links if you know of any.
Thank you very much for your kind attention and help.
Regards,
ahm97sic
Originally posted by Ahm97sic:Dear Eternal Now,
Thanks for the info. that Dalai Lama has done a translation on the Tibetian book of Death.
Do you happen to know any online sources to the translation ? I am interested to find out more on the Tibetian book of Death.
Please provide the links if you know of any.
Thank you very much for your kind attention and help.
Regards,
ahm97sic
next best ebook....can sign up and download it, in case they end it.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2059776/Timothy-Leary-The-Tibetan-Book-of-the-Dea
~ The Psychedelic Experience ~
A manual based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead
By Timothy Leary, Ph.D., Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., & Richard Alpert, Ph.D.
/\
Hi guys, i would just like to share or should i say ask whether this explaination of mine is right.
I believe all of you over here certainly do believe in karma.
So one has bad karma therefore resulting in the ripening of the karma and conditions arise thus one will fall sick.
Then when we fall terribly sick and to the extend of ending our own life or committing suicide as mentioned in the previous post earlier on, is it also considered as karma ripening and one has to go through another round of suffering because of ending our own life?
Karma ripens thus leading it to sickness. When the situations gets out of hand, ending the own life may seems the best solution but also has the strongest karma. So i guess probably it is from the start that you will have to face all these, going through another round of suffering.
I am not whether this explaination of mine is right and would like to discuss with people over here.
Thanks
regards.
Originally posted by Fengyun1991:Hi guys, i would just like to share or should i say ask whether this explaination of mine is right.
I believe all of you over here certainly do believe in karma.
So one has bad karma therefore resulting in the ripening of the karma and conditions arise thus one will fall sick.
Then when we fall terribly sick and to the extend of ending our own life or committing suicide as mentioned in the previous post earlier on, is it also considered as karma ripening and one has to go through another round of suffering because of ending our own life?
Karma ripens thus leading it to sickness. When the situations gets out of hand, ending the own life may seems the best solution but also has the strongest karma. So i guess probably it is from the start that you will have to face all these, going through another round of suffering.
I am not whether this explaination of mine is right and would like to discuss with people over here.
Thanks
regards.
Hi fengyun,
Actually this is not a easy question for me also but I think maybe we can see it this way, that is , 'from the start' all of us is going through various kinds of sufferings. We will all fall sick, terminally ill one day( esp when we r super old that is), and faced death eventually through various reasons. So in this sense, we can't say that certain ppl faced certain planned karma to go through acts of commiting suicides. We will all fall sick one day, but to end our own lives is a action we decided to take now( creating a new link of karma?).
There are actions done that cannot be undone already, but we can still change the effects of the results of those past actions. Some are not easy of cos, but it can be done if we want, not matter how long it may take.ã€€å› æžœæ˜¯é€šä¸‰ä¸–çš„ã€‚
All of us have karma, good and bad; its a matter of which comes first. When good karma ripens, be grateful and treasured it, prolong it for the good of yourselves as well as others. When bad karma hits , faced it with courage and take it in your stride. Its not just talk, it really can be done.
So that is why it is of utmost importance that we practice the dharma as soon as possible before it is too late to do so.
Originally posted by Ahm97sic:Dear Eternal Now,
Thanks for the info. that Dalai Lama has done a translation on the Tibetian book of Death.
Do you happen to know any online sources to the translation ? I am interested to find out more on the Tibetian book of Death.
Please provide the links if you know of any.
Thank you very much for your kind attention and help.
Regards,
ahm97sic
Since Bardo Thogal is a very long text, I think it is better for you to read from a book and not strain your eye.
From my experience, and from research on reading behaviors, you can focus better and read faster reading from printed text instead of from screen.
Originally posted by Fengyun1991:Hi guys, i would just like to share or should i say ask whether this explaination of mine is right.
I believe all of you over here certainly do believe in karma.
So one has bad karma therefore resulting in the ripening of the karma and conditions arise thus one will fall sick.
Then when we fall terribly sick and to the extend of ending our own life or committing suicide as mentioned in the previous post earlier on, is it also considered as karma ripening and one has to go through another round of suffering because of ending our own life?
Karma ripens thus leading it to sickness. When the situations gets out of hand, ending the own life may seems the best solution but also has the strongest karma. So i guess probably it is from the start that you will have to face all these, going through another round of suffering.
I am not whether this explaination of mine is right and would like to discuss with people over here.
Thanks
regards.
Can say so, so we do not support suicide and euthanasia and non-acceptance of whatever situations we face.
Dear Moderators Sinweiy and Eternal Now,
Thank you very much for the replies, help and advice.
I have downloaded the English Translation of the Tibetain Book of Death as advised by Sinweiy and started to read them now.
Eternal Now, may I know where to buy a printed copy of the Dalai Lama translation of the Tibetian Book of Death ?
Dear Moderators, may I know whether there is any temple that is specialised in the teachings of the Tibetain Book of Death ?
Thank you very much for your kind attention, advice and help.
With Best Regards,
ahm97sic
Originally posted by Ahm97sic:Dear Moderators Sinweiy and Eternal Now,
Thank you very much for the replies, help and advice.
I have downloaded the English Translation of the Tibetain Book of Death as advised by Sinweiy and started to read them now.
Eternal Now, may I know where to buy a printed copy of the Dalai Lama translation of the Tibetian Book of Death ?
Dear Moderators, may I know whether there is any temple that is specialised in the teachings of the Tibetain Book of Death ?
Thank you very much for your kind attention, advice and help.
With Best Regards,
ahm97sic
If I'm not wrong the Tibetan Book of the Dead should be very popular and in many bookstores, but the sure-have are places like Evergreen (where Buddhist books are available cheaply) and Kinokuniya @ Taka.
Originally posted by Ahm97sic:Dear Moderators Sinweiy and Eternal Now,
Thank you very much for the replies, help and advice.
I have downloaded the English Translation of the Tibetain Book of Death as advised by Sinweiy and started to read them now.
Eternal Now, may I know where to buy a printed copy of the Dalai Lama translation of the Tibetian Book of Death ?
Dear Moderators, may I know whether there is any temple that is specialised in the teachings of the Tibetain Book of Death ?
Thank you very much for your kind attention, advice and help.
With Best Regards,
ahm97sic
Hello ,
I am not sure if there is any temple that specialises in the teachings of Tibetan Book of Death.
Sometimes though, some teachers do give teachings on Bardo, which is what this book is essentially about. Most teachers in the Tibetan tradition would also be able to answer your queries regarding this book.
Well, if there are any upcoming teachings on Bardo I could post it on this forum, so perhaps you can keep a lookout for it too.
Good luck ;)
Dear Eternal Now and Wanderer,
Thank you very much for the reply, help and advice.
Appreciate it very much.
Thanks,
With Best Regards,
ahm97sic