[Buddha-l] Why imagine dying [confused]?

[Jim Peavler]

I am nearing 70. After 12 years of college, terminating in a PhD in something or another around 1970 or so (for years I couldn't imagine terminating), teaching in Universities for 12 years, breaking out after I discovered I was no longer needed there to help young men keep out of a war, I went into  fields like working around super computers that were doing various sciences, developing tools for publishinug technical papers electronically and writing advertising and public relations for beer companies and a motor-cycle manufacturer. I have been serious about trying to understand life since my father died in suddenly when I was 15. I have not yet got far enough along in my studies to tackle death. (This for Joanna, although she is already probably way too familiar with it.)

I think you have started at the wrong end of the elephant. Go to the Trunk first, and try to understand life (as Richard suggests, one breath at a time is about the write dosage). You will get so busy at that that you will probably surprise yourself by dying before you even get to the tail.

Here is a thing you can read that, I believe, purports to give the Buddha's own answer to your questions. I have yet to get this far past Sermon One in my own understanding. There is more Buddhism here than I yet understand,

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bits/bits013.htm