[Buddha-l] Nirvana Sutra Chapter 19

[L.S. Cousins]

On 13/05/2013 08:09, Dan Lusthaus wrote:
> According to the mythos of the Pali texts, the Buddha himself, soon 
> after his Awakening, considered that he had done what needed to be 
> done, and was ready to kill himself to pass into nirvana. It was 
> Brahma who talks him out of it, telling him that he needs to teach 
> others. The argument is not that killing himself would be morally 
> wrong. After all, he's just achieved Awakening -- he should know right 
> and wrong, yes?
>
> Jatakas also extol the bodhisattvas who sacrifice their own lives, 
> assisted suicide if you will (the starving tigress with cubs, etc.). I 
> could go on.
>
> You are right that the codified position eventually wraps it with the 
> notion of ahimsa, but the early Pali texts are much more complicated. 
> The Mahayana attitudes even moreso.
>
There is not even a hint of the Buddha committing suicide in the story 
of the Request of Brahmā. He was simply considering not teaching.

Sacrifice is hardly the same thing as suicide.

Lance