A Buddhist Perspective on Euthanasia

In this week's class at Sacred Waters, a question was raised about the Buddhist view on reducing suffering for the terminally ill and on euthanasia.

First, we need to understand that illness and dying are two of the eight sufferings. The Buddha often spoke about them: birth, aging, illness, death, separation from loved ones, association with those we dislike, unfulfilled desires, and the suffering due to the five aggregates. These eight permeate cyclic existence.

Watching those we love suffer also entails the awareness that we may soon lose them and all that we had wished to do will remain undone. So watching another being whom we love undergo a terminal condition can entail four of the eight sufferings. This is a time of great emotional upheaval as we struggle to take care of the other person and honor their wishes. At the same time, we have to deal with our own sense of loss and, very often, our guilt.

We have learned that each of us has created our own destiny by our past karmas, or actions. And on an intellectual level, we may accept that. But watching someone suffer, we react emotionally, not intellectually. It hurts too much to watch their suffering and stand by doing nothing. But as in all of that person’s life, illness and death have been destined just as their lives were destined. By them.

Even if we could act with the purest of intentions—solely from the wish to lessen their suffering without any consideration of our own— it is not our right to end the life of any being. Not even if we do so out of love.

The reality is that although we may think we are ending their suffering, we are merely delaying it. The seeds for suffering will remain in the person’s, or animal’s, consciousness. The seeds will reappear in another lifetime. And next time, the seeds may be worse. Or there might not be anyone present who cares about the person as much as we care now.

Out of love, out of respect, out of wisdom, we need to set aside our own suffering and concentrate on easing the suffering of the one we love, to help them lay to rest those seeds of suffering now.

With love, with respect, with wisdom, we can help them do what they need to do and then die when their time has come.

Teaching Buddhism

 

A few days before I left Australia a few weeks ago, the new owners of Country Focus newspaper came by to show us the copy for an article they had written on the center. In response to something they said, Charles recounted an event that had happened some time ago.

At the stall they have in the monthly Nanango market, Charles and Celine always put out a table of Buddhist books for free distribution. One Saturday, a man walked up and began leafing through Heart of a Buddha, a small, non-threatening book with about 100 pages.

Charles invited the man to keep the book, but the man dismissively tossed it back on the table. In about ten minutes the man returned and handed Charles a copy of the New Testament. Charles thanked the man, saying he would read it when he had a chance. Looking at Charles, the man hesitated, then picked up a copy of Heart of a Buddha, put it in his pocket, and walked away.

Having previously seen Charles’ calm reactions and his patience, I can easily picture his smiling and unruffled reaction to the man’s dismissive book tossing and ensuing return. As I listened to Charles’ account, I could not help but wonder how I would have reacted. Might a trace of irritation at a perceived rudeness have arisen? Would I have as patiently thanked the man for his presentation of the Old Testament and been able to honestly say I would read it when I had a chance?

People often ask me how to teach others about Buddhism. I always respond that we need to emulate the teachings.

This account is a perfect example of skillfully teaching Buddhism to others through the practice of it.

Angry Buddha

A woman who practices reciting Buddha Amitabha's name, is very tough and recites "NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA" three times daily. Although she is doing this practice for over 10 years, she is still quite mean, shouting at people all the time. She starts her practice lighting incense and hitting a little bell.

A friend wanted to teach her a lesson, and just as she began her recitation, he came to her door and called out: "Miss Nuyen, miss Nuyen!".

As this was the time for her practice she got annoyed, but she said to herself: "I have to struggle against my anger, so I will just ignore it." And she continued: "NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA, NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA..."

But the man continued to shout her name, and she became more and more oppressive.

She struggled against it and wondered if she should stop the recitation to give the man a piece of her mind, but she continued reciting: "NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA, NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA..."

The man outside heard it and continued: "Miss Nuyen, Miss Nuyen..."

Then she could not stand it anymore, jumped up, slammed the door and went to the gate and shouted: "Why do you have to behave like that? I am doing my practice and you keep on shouting my name over and over!"

The gentleman smiled at her and said: "I just called your name for ten minutes and you are so angry. You have been calling Amitabha Buddha's name for more then ten years now; just imagine how angry he must be by now!"

~ Being Peace, Thich Nhat Hanh 

Prayer for Peace

 

Time has no beginning;
it has no end.
Throughout immeasurable eons,
violence and conflict have abounded,
and body and spirit deeply wounded.
May the time for healing begin now.

Immersed in anger,
polluted by selfishness.
As though ensnared,
humanity has been beset by ignorance.
But wisdom and compassion lie buried within.
May serenity and insight arise now.

We are not separate:
we are one.
Seeming differences are inconsequential
for our hearts are the same.
Respect and harmony are waiting to awaken.

May universal peace begin now.

Seeking or According with Situations and People: A Follow-up

(This entry is a follow-up to a comment on the September ninth entry. Richard's question is a good one and often comes up in discussions.)

Comment: Dear Venerable Wu Lin, Please could you comment how sui yuan [according with conditions] relates to practices such as goal setting and visualisation. It also seems to me that in Liao Fan's Four Lessons, Liao Fan makes a vow because he wants to attain specific goals.

Response: Yes, at first Liaofan made wishes and with his diligent practice of goodness, he received what he wished for. But he did not wish for a longer life than his predicted fifty-three years or for a second son. Yet he lived to write his book at seventy-four and had another son. We can see that even when Liaofan did not seek what would make him happy, he still gained happiness as a result of his good deeds.

We unawakened ones who are still working at letting go of old habits, like attachments, can still set goals. The trick is to accord as we're letting go and setting those goals.

For example, before I started this blog, I had never thought of writing one. Then one day, I realized I would not be able to leave the apartment as much because of my mother's condition. This meant fewer opportunities to teach. On the spur of the moment, the idea of a blog came to me. I could talk about Buddhism without leaving the apartment!

My ongoing goal, which led me to become a nun, has been to propagate Buddhism. The blog arose on its own—an idea that suddenly occurred to me. I needed to learn how to create a blog and will always be learning how to improve it so I have an additional goal of a better blog. But I’m not trying to force it to happen.

As with so much of the practice, there are many gray areas between the black and the white. According with conditions takes much searching for the right balance between forcing what we wish for to happen and being a couch potato.