An entire Upanishad, Kathopanishad, is devoted to the death phenomenon and beyond, before taking up the familiar core Advaita thought.
It starts with Nachiketa posing his query to Yama, the God of death. The latter says, " O Nachiketa, take all the boons of the three worlds, and more, but please excuse me from answering this one question of yours." The lad ( yes, Nachiketa was but a kid ! ) insists, spurning all the goodies ! It is also the work that fulfilled my own quest, one winter night more than a decade ago. On Jan 20, 4:54 pm, Pat <[email protected]> wrote: > On 19 Jan, 15:20, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Always a personal choice, yes. Yet some deaths seem so much more > > peaceful. My own mother came home from vacation, entered the hospital > > not feeling well, and died from a recurrence of cancer in three days, > > just enough time to gather her family, and all seven children (spouses > > and some grandchildren) were there at the final, peaceful moment. > > > My mother in law fought it all the way, requiring greater amounts of > > meds to keep her calm, languishing for months. The person we knew was > > gone months before that moment. > > > I wonder what it is we bring to the moment that makes the difference. > > I can only think that it's the individual's understanding of the > process. And that includes Lee's 'fear' element, as well as any > religious/non-religious beliefs ABOUT death. Both the religious and > non-religious could have perfectly good reasons for not fearing it: > the religious, because they believe that there is a life-after-death > and their belief that they will experience a 'good' afterlife based on > their beliefs about their own deeds during life and the non-religious, > as they (MAY) expect absolutely nothing to follow, which, if true, > would be nothing to fear. > > > > > On Jan 19, 9:11 am, Lee <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > It's just gota be a personal thing hasn't it? > > > > My Grandad died just last week, he died of Liver Cancer, he had been > > > clinging to life for the last three years and went out looking gaunt > > > and wasted. My Nan has colon cancer and has just decided to not have > > > treatment for it after watching my grandad fade out slowly. > > > > It's just gotta be personal choice, yes? > > > > On 19 Jan, 14:51, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I watched my friend Chris Bernard face his eminent death with love, > > > > courage and dignity. While participating in this with him, I > > > > wondered, what is the state of mind that death requires of us? What > > > > can we bring to it to ease our own suffering? Should we rage against > > > > the dying of the light like Dylan Thomas? Should we reach out for > > > > spiritual support, ask forgiveness, say farewell? What do YOU think?- > > > > Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -
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