[Buddha-l] Nirvana Sutra Chapter 19

[Christopher Fynn]

Hi Dan

The idea that killing oneself or another living being might be a
solution to the problem of suffering seems to run completly counter to
the Buddhist emphasis on suffering as a reality which can only be
ended through the practice of Dharma.  So long as one is subject to
re-birth, how can suicide be "a way out"?

I always understood that the first precept, which prohibits
intentional killing, included the killing of oneself. There may be
exceptions in the case of arhats or self-sacrifice for the sake of
others, but any such action motivated by self-hatred, aversion ,
depression, anger or delusion would certainly be a non-virtuous act
leading to rebirth in some lower state.

At least in the Tibetan tradition of Mahayana, it is also taught that
the difficult to obtain "precious human body"  is the only working
basis to obtain enlightenment - and that a ""precious human birth" is
superior to to birth as a god, asura, naga, etc. Abandoning or
destroying one's body (other than some sort of self-sacrifice to help
liberate others)  would be destroying the only basis for obtaining
enlightenment - and thus break the bodhisattva vow to continually
strive to obtain enlightenment  for  the sake of all beings. Further,
avoiding or non-tolerance of suffering, abandoning working for others,
 to wish to obtain personal peace or liberation whilst abandoning
others or "to make a solitary escape from cyclic existence" are all
seen as breaking the pledges and vows of a bodhisattva. Doing these
any of things under the influence of conflicting emotions would
inevitably make the consequences worse. It is difficult to find any
justification for suicide (as opposed to self sacrifice for the sake
of others)  or to see how suicide could have anything but negative
consequences here.

I'm aware that there  are passages in the Lotus Sutra, a text
particularly popular in East Asia, which advocate the burning of one's
own body as a sort of human incense stick or butter lamp offereing,
and various passages in other sutras  describing bodhisattvas giving
parts of their body or even their lives - but Tibetans  will generally
point out that there are other texts describing what they consider to
be far more efficacious and much less gruesome means of accumulating
merit and counteracting negative deeds (such as chanting OM MANI PADME
HUM).

In the Vajrayana teachings "abusing one's aggregates" or despising or
harming one's body is a certainly considered a downfall leading to
rebirth in the lowest hell because, once one has received the vase
consecration,  the body and the other aggregates should be known to be
of the nature of the buddhas and other 'dieties'. Destroying one's
body is therefore tantamount to destroying Buddhas or Buddha images.

Tibetans generally consider suicide to have terrible consequences and
when anyone commits suicide all kinds of elaborate rituals are
required. This makes the current wave of self-immolation in Tibet more
disturbing. Perhaps those carrying these acts see them as as some kind
of justifiable self sacrifice in defence of the Dharma.

- Chris

On 13/05/2013, Dan Lusthaus <vasubandhu at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>> In Buddhism, one wouldn't go to hell for committing suicide,
>>
>> Hi Dan - are you sure about this?
>
> Yes, Chris. There are already Pali suttas in which Buddha declares of monks
>
> who had committed suicide that they were on to good destinies. Modern
> sensibilities aside, asian cultures have not been squeamish about suicide.
> In China, Korea and Japan, it is built into the moral codes of the country
> (esp. in Japan) -- Buddhism was a never a counteragent to those cultural
> tendencies. On the contrary...
>
> Dan
>
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