It is a very complicated issue especially for pureland buddhists. To put it simply, there is this school to train boddisattvas in the West called Sukavathi, the schoool's headmaster is Amitabha Buddha with 2 vice principals (观音,势至)
What the school offers:
1. Once u enter the schoool, you will never drop out from that school. Becoming a Buddha is guaranteed (but take some time lah)
2. Once you attain 八地 boddisattvas, you will be fit to come back to this world to help others (by manifesting as human, animal, king, god, priest, pastor blah blah). And you can manifest as thousands of bodies in thousands of worlds at the same time.
3. There are 9 stages in that school, direct entry into higher stages are possible depend on how good is your practise
Pre-requisites for entry to this school
1. Reciting the name of Amitabha (there are other methods but this is the easiest) with strong concentrated mind (you are guaranteed to be reborn there if you manage to achieve samadhi 一心�乱) at the moment of death. Obviously you need to practise before you die.
2. You must detach yourself from all worldly desire and attachment (attachment to your son, your money etc) at the moment of death. Obviously you must practise this also before you die
3. You must be good Mahayana Buddhists by helping others as much as you can (cultivation of å–„æ ¹, ç¦�å¾·, å› ç¼˜)
But most people are not able to achieve samadhi. So at the moment of death, it is crucial to gather monks/other believers to motivate you (recite Amitabha Buddha, ask you to forget about your worldly attachment etc). This process is known as 助念
So obviously, the organ harvesting process while it is the Mahayana way, will interfere with this process of 助念 ...
And then there is this uncertainty about whether the surgery will cause pain. How can you go to that school if you are painful and cannot focus on reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha??
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Obviously, for Buddhists who do not want to go to that school, they will not hesitate to donate their organs.
Singaporeans are pragmatic. Why donate when you can sell? Better to opt out and offer the organs to the highest bidder.
Originally posted by googoomuck:Singaporeans are pragmatic. Why donate when you can sell? Better to opt out and offer the organs to the highest bidder.
The last time i checked sales of organ is illegal right ?
Originally posted by Isis:
The last time i checked sales of organ is illegal right ?
Pragmatism supercedes morality and ethics.
At present still illegal but Khaw Boon Wan has hinted that it might be legal soon, once the authorities are able to provide enough safeguards against abuse.
The operation carries risks for donors. Research on organ donors(sellers actually) in poor countries revealed that the donors suffered a deterioration of health after they parted with one kidney.
Donate only out of pure love that's worth the sacrifice.
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Originally posted by googoomuck:Pragmatism supercedes morality and ethics.
Without morality, abuse is easy. Morality is a mean used to protect and prevent harm done. Pragmatism does not necessary supercedes morality and ethics.
Wisdom is needed to discern the consequence and for understanding.
Duplicated
Duplicated
Originally posted by Isis:Without morality, abuse is easy. Morality is a mean used to protect and prevent harm done. Pragmatism does not necessary supercedes morality and ethics.
Wisdom is needed to discern the consequence and for understanding.
If you are pragmatic about it, where's the abuse? Fark Morality and Ethics made by man.
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
If you are pragmatic about it, where's the abuse? Fark Morality and Ethics made by man.
Pragmatic does not necessarily supercedes ethics.
Ethics preserve the sanctuary of the society and protect the welfare of the people in the society. ( in particular of the poor, the ignorant from being abused. )