I am not obsessed, yet lately, I have been thinking about death. I believe my age, as well as Adi's cancer, are reasonable justifications to dwell on this topic. On those occasions, I ask myself a simple question,
"What can I do now, that will allow me to face death (1), with dignity?"
Practical as the question may be, it is in philosophy that I sought the answer. I surveyed three schools,
Epicureanism (2),
Stoicism, and
Buddhism. (Earlier, I filtered Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.) The answers these philosophies provided, are presented below
(3).
The format is a quasi-table, and the philosophies are presented in the following order:
- Epicureanism
- Stoicism
- Buddhism
A. The answer
- Do not fear Death
- Do not fear Death
- Qualified "Do not fear Death"
B. The underlying metaphysics
- The Soul (which includes the mind) is physical and disappears with the death of the body
- The soul may survive the body, but provides no benefit to the individual.
- The soul will be reborn in another being. Its destination is governed by Karma.
C. Rationale for "Do not fear"
- When the body (and soul) die, all sensations, including pain, cease. "Why should I fear death? If I am, then death is not, and if death is, then I am not."
- The stoics adopted the epicurean explanation quoted above. They also claimed that the period prior to our birth, is a symmetric state to death. In both, we do not exist. If we accept the former, why be afraid of the latter?
- Death is a law of nature, and should not be feared by righteous men. (Evil men should beware of reincarnation into a lower being.)
D. Training Instructions
- Gather with close friends, and conduct philosophical discussions on the subject.
- Prepare yourself by repeated exercises and meditations. Learn to accept what you cannot control. Form mental images of the event, and realize that it is not so bad. Observe yourself from an outside perspective. etc.
- Internalize that everything is impermanent. Meditate on death and its physical appearance (Is that skeleton, I?)
E. Dying Rituals
- I did not find any rituals.
- Be in the company of friends and family
- Engage a monk to chant by the death bed.
F. Suicide
- Not specifically discussed.
- Acceptable as a last resort. It provides an "open door", and eliminates excuses for complaining about life. An honorable suicide is admired.
- Taking any life, even your own, is not allowed.
Conclusions
- For my practical purpose, there are no serious contradictions between the three philosophies.
- The epicurean metaphysics are a closer match to my worldview.
- The stoics provide the more detailed and practical approach for mental preparation.
- I am not afraid of death. With stoic practice, I may keep this attitude till the end. (4)
Notes
- Death, is not the same as "dying". Death is a state, while dying is a process you undergo when still alive.
- To my surprise, the life recommended by Epicurus, is almost an opposite to the popular image that his name evokes.
- This post is limited to the question I asked myself, and it is not an attempt to summarize or compare the complete teachings of each school.
- More practice may teach me to live a "Good" life, but that is the subject of another post.
We were friends for eighteen years. Our friendship started as you accompanied me to remote California mountains on motorcycle expeditions. You patiently waited while I worked in far away countries, and then gladly rejoined me and Adi on many adventures . You put yourself at risk to protect us from an attacking animal, and suffered greatly for this sacrifice. With time, we started treating you like a family member. You were hurt, you were robbed, but rain, hail, or shine, you did your duty. Your peak glory was a cross-continent tour to Panama and back, where you garnered admiration for your endurance and perseverance. Inevitably, time moves on. You did not change, but my capabilities weakened. With age, I need a younger, stronger friend to support me. The time has come to say "Goodbye".
