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**Navzrrqt** · 08-27-2012, 09:00 PM

Hi

I would be interested in any replies, whether from practising Buddhists or others.

If anyone could point me to any relevant Buddhist teachings or texts that might be useful. I would also be very grateful.

I have recently witnessed the death of my mother. This profound experience certainly brings you to the very limits of what we call 'this world'!

I don't have any answers whatever to the great indigestible facts of life, like death. How can a person be here, and then gone? Is that like one of your Zen koans? Can death be an opportunity? Can we use all the energy and the massive conundrum of death to empower us to do something?

Death seems like a great dose of reality, destroying everything. What can we do about that?

I am sorry for your loss. Hope she had a good, full life!

Death is indeed empowering. It teaches you to live life to the fullest.

One thing it does for you that you probably have noticed is putting the most important things into focus. When somebody close passes away it is natural to put away your job, hobbies and unimportant things and focus on those that share your grief, that are important to you and what is best for them.

If ever I have a problem deciding something I ask myself what if this is the last decision you make in life? What would I choose. Then those choices that bring most happiness to my family stand out and are easy to pick.

It also teaches us to savour every second of life as if it was the last. To be awake in life. Buddhism teaches that those that are awake in the moment "will never die" as opposed to those that are not "are already in this life as if dead". This is very important in Budo too where the decision between life and death is decided by ones ability to tune attention to the situation in the correct manner and not to lose that focus even for a fraction of a second.

That is a lesson that is valid in every aspect of life. To tune your attention to the important stuff so that at the end of your life you can say that your life was full of live moments and not of dead ones.

At least that is my goal in life.

Kindly
Victor

08-27-2012, 09:00 PM	#6
Navzrrqt Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 372 Senior Member	Hi I would be interested in any replies, whether from practising Buddhists or others. If anyone could point me to any relevant Buddhist teachings or texts that might be useful. I would also be very grateful. I have recently witnessed the death of my mother. This profound experience certainly brings you to the very limits of what we call 'this world'! I don't have any answers whatever to the great indigestible facts of life, like death. How can a person be here, and then gone? Is that like one of your Zen koans? Can death be an opportunity? Can we use all the energy and the massive conundrum of death to empower us to do something? Death seems like a great dose of reality, destroying everything. What can we do about that? I am sorry for your loss. Hope she had a good, full life! Death is indeed empowering. It teaches you to live life to the fullest. One thing it does for you that you probably have noticed is putting the most important things into focus. When somebody close passes away it is natural to put away your job, hobbies and unimportant things and focus on those that share your grief, that are important to you and what is best for them. If ever I have a problem deciding something I ask myself what if this is the last decision you make in life? What would I choose. Then those choices that bring most happiness to my family stand out and are easy to pick. It also teaches us to savour every second of life as if it was the last. To be awake in life. Buddhism teaches that those that are awake in the moment "will never die" as opposed to those that are not "are already in this life as if dead". This is very important in Budo too where the decision between life and death is decided by ones ability to tune attention to the situation in the correct manner and not to lose that focus even for a fraction of a second. That is a lesson that is valid in every aspect of life. To tune your attention to the important stuff so that at the end of your life you can say that your life was full of live moments and not of dead ones. At least that is my goal in life. Kindly Victor
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