Organ Donation
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Originally posted by 2009novice:
Haha... rest assured.. My knowledge of Buddhism may be mediocre, but I am not easily confused.
Buddha always say we must check and not to follow his teachings blindly...
Before I took refuge, I did some reading, little research... just by reading the 4 Noble Truths got me pondering and pondering....
Watched news- people suffering/ natural disasters, killings, wars
See doctor- many old people queueing/ waiting for doctor...
See funeral at void decks, or friends who passed away...
It's not that I am pessimisstic or what.. I just want to be more sensitive to other people's feelings...
@ Rainbow Jigsaw,
I'm not sure whether Platform Sutra can solve your questions on duality. Maybe u can try reading it. lol
Ha! I guess as much! Hope you have a good laugh though!
When the transitoriness of life hits us, we feel empty, and that's we feel our day to day life rather unmeaningful. But it is also this dissatisfaction that makes us ponder. Lord Buddha also experienced this emptiness and set off seeking, and for that we are thankful.
Maybe you can highlight some of the excerpts of the Platform Sutra that maybe enlightening. And your thoughts maybe?
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Hey Eternal Now
Great to know that you have a big heart in desiring to donate your organ.
I think Confucius once said, "How can one know about death before he knows clearly about life?" In one's lifetime, one should fulfill one's responsibility in realizing the ideal of a harmonious society.
Hence, whether at the last moment of your life you will donate the organ willingly. I don't think anyone can know except yourself. Perhaps by reviewing one current daily life one can predict your future organ reaction.
1) When your mum or close one enter your room to tidy the place. Are you happy and thankful about it or you react with.......?
2) When you lose your Iphone or personal belonging after much search with no possiblility of recovery. Do you react negatively over it with the blaming attitdue or accept it without reservation?
These two is a simple questions perhaps you can reflect with more question on your own. However, if one can honestly say that most of the time, one react with negatively then I think one is not prepare for the donation act. Why? If one is unable to deal with the external material things which one own how can he deal with people removing organ from one body which one has acustom to since birth. With shame, I would said I will react to No 2 that's why I did not opt for the donation.
Perhaps your taiwan master was right in saying that it might be a painful process for oneself especially if the person still has a lot of attachement to the body.
Yesterday, I was watching the program on Otko channel, Werid or What. Inside this program, they presented a case of heart transplant from a hollywood stuntsman who die in an accident to a businessman. Interestingly, the businessman began to pick up the stuntsman eating habit, sport activity, music preference and etc. It is as if part of the stuntman is still living in him. According to a Arizona University professor whom they interview, he believe memory is not only locate in the brain but in the organ, muscle and individual cell. Well perhaps this is what we call in the buddhist circle attachment...
Lastly, I heard a story of Shariputra whom during his earthly life wanted to culitvate the Bodhisattva way. When he came across a person crying by the roadside who was seeking for help, he decided to help him at all cost. So the person request for his eye when he gouge out his right eye. The person request for the left since he wanted left instead of right. Shariputra was so discourage that he said, " The Bodhisattva way is too difficult to practice, I better be a bhikshu."
In conclusion, is a good to have a bodhisattva heart but one need to see if one capacity is there. Whatever choice you made I wish well and happiness.
Gassho
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
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First the methods of practising is important.
Are u a purelander or five precepts kind of practitioner coming back as human to cultivate life after life until enlightenment.
Enlightened people should have no problem donating. I am not so sure abt Louhan. Does an arhat donate organs?
Pusa should have no problem donating.
Havent attain enlightenment better dun donate?
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An Arhat, in this case meaning Theravadans, is also not lacking in loving kindness or compassion, he will readily give his organs even while he is alive. There is a video in Youtube recounting a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka who donated one of his organs to a Christian missionary.
It's been awhile, I will try to rummage Youtube and see whether I can post the link.
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Originally posted by reborn76:
Hey Eternal Now
Great to know that you have a big heart in desiring to donate your organ.
I think Confucius once said, "How can one know about death before he knows clearly about life?" In one's lifetime, one should fulfill one's responsibility in realizing the ideal of a harmonious society.
Hence, whether at the last moment of your life you will donate the organ willingly. I don't think anyone can know except yourself. Perhaps by reviewing one current daily life one can predict your future organ reaction.
1) When your mum or close one enter your room to tidy the place. Are you happy and thankful about it or you react with.......?
2) When you lose your Iphone or personal belonging after much search with no possiblility of recovery. Do you react negatively over it with the blaming attitdue or accept it without reservation?
These two is a simple questions perhaps you can reflect with more question on your own. However, if one can honestly say that most of the time, one react with negatively then I think one is not prepare for the donation act. Why? If one is unable to deal with the external material things which one own how can he deal with people removing organ from one body which one has acustom to since birth. With shame, I would said I will react to No 2 that's why I did not opt for the donation.
Perhaps your taiwan master was right in saying that it might be a painful process for oneself especially if the person still has a lot of attachement to the body.
Yesterday, I was watching the program on Otko channel, Werid or What. Inside this program, they presented a case of heart transplant from a hollywood stuntsman who die in an accident to a businessman. Interestingly, the businessman began to pick up the stuntsman eating habit, sport activity, music preference and etc. It is as if part of the stuntman is still living in him. According to a Arizona University professor whom they interview, he believe memory is not only locate in the brain but in the organ, muscle and individual cell. Well perhaps this is what we call in the buddhist circle attachment...
Lastly, I heard a story of Shariputra whom during his earthly life wanted to culitvate the Bodhisattva way. When he came across a person crying by the roadside who was seeking for help, he decided to help him at all cost. So the person request for his eye when he gouge out his right eye. The person request for the left since he wanted left instead of right. Shariputra was so discourage that he said, " The Bodhisattva way is too difficult to practice, I better be a bhikshu."
In conclusion, is a good to have a bodhisattva heart but one need to see if one capacity is there. Whatever choice you made I wish well and happiness.
Gassho
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
The issue of donating organs rest on the ideals of compassion (selflessness)and practical understanding of pain (attachment to self and body). Contemplation on impermanence may be helpful.
Another way is shui yuan, if it is meant to be, it will meant to be. Like in the case of Singapore, you must opt out, instead of in. Also your organs must suitable for harvesting, usually of an early death, probably physical trauma.
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Originally posted by Weychin:
Precisely it is the ideal of compassion which Eternal Now master say it is a good act which led to higher rebirth. At the sametime, the practical understanding of attachement to self which led Eternal Now taiwan master said it is not easy.
Hence, the purpose of Shariputra eye donation story is highlight the difficult of practising compassionate giving in this world even when Shariputra is the wisest disciple. It does not imply that Theravada practitioner has no compassion. I have read about great Theravada practitioner who is much more compassionate and accomplished than Mahanyana practitioner. It is not one tradition that one practise which determine if one is practising the Mahanyana way. It is the individual practise and the way it live out the Buddha's teaching that make the difference.
At the end of the day, it is the individual choice. May the choice that one choose help him to achieve Buddhahood in the days to come.
Gassho
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
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I concur! That's why the third option!
Sorry! The point regarding Theravadans was not meant to implicate you ! But rather a reply to Pure Emptiness !
By the way, can't find the relevant video!
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Originally posted by Weychin:
Ha! I guess as much! Hope you have a good laugh though!
When the transitoriness of life hits us, we feel empty, and that's we feel our day to day life rather unmeaningful. But it is also this dissatisfaction that makes us ponder. Lord Buddha also experienced this emptiness and set off seeking, and for that we are thankful.
Maybe you can highlight some of the excerpts of the Platform Sutra that maybe enlightening. And your thoughts maybe?
Haha... canot la I still cmi.... It was because a few mths back I attended a Dharma talk... The fa shi gave a talk about Platform Sutra... got diagrams etc. Then he touched on the differences of an awakened person or unenlightened person, è¿· vs æ‚Ÿ, good or bad...For example, Buddha did not differentiated and judge people. Even Devadatta tried to harm Buddha, Buddha still continued to enlighten him...
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Originally posted by reborn76:
Hey Eternal Now
Great to know that you have a big heart in desiring to donate your organ.
I think Confucius once said, "How can one know about death before he knows clearly about life?" In one's lifetime, one should fulfill one's responsibility in realizing the ideal of a harmonious society.
Hence, whether at the last moment of your life you will donate the organ willingly. I don't think anyone can know except yourself. Perhaps by reviewing one current daily life one can predict your future organ reaction.
1) When your mum or close one enter your room to tidy the place. Are you happy and thankful about it or you react with.......?
2) When you lose your Iphone or personal belonging after much search with no possiblility of recovery. Do you react negatively over it with the blaming attitdue or accept it without reservation?
These two is a simple questions perhaps you can reflect with more question on your own. However, if one can honestly say that most of the time, one react with negatively then I think one is not prepare for the donation act. Why? If one is unable to deal with the external material things which one own how can he deal with people removing organ from one body which one has acustom to since birth. With shame, I would said I will react to No 2 that's why I did not opt for the donation.
Perhaps your taiwan master was right in saying that it might be a painful process for oneself especially if the person still has a lot of attachement to the body.
Yesterday, I was watching the program on Otko channel, Werid or What. Inside this program, they presented a case of heart transplant from a hollywood stuntsman who die in an accident to a businessman. Interestingly, the businessman began to pick up the stuntsman eating habit, sport activity, music preference and etc. It is as if part of the stuntman is still living in him. According to a Arizona University professor whom they interview, he believe memory is not only locate in the brain but in the organ, muscle and individual cell. Well perhaps this is what we call in the buddhist circle attachment...
Lastly, I heard a story of Shariputra whom during his earthly life wanted to culitvate the Bodhisattva way. When he came across a person crying by the roadside who was seeking for help, he decided to help him at all cost. So the person request for his eye when he gouge out his right eye. The person request for the left since he wanted left instead of right. Shariputra was so discourage that he said, " The Bodhisattva way is too difficult to practice, I better be a bhikshu."
In conclusion, is a good to have a bodhisattva heart but one need to see if one capacity is there. Whatever choice you made I wish well and happiness.
Gassho
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Good post... it is precisely because I am aware that aversion still arises in me that I have chosen to opt out for now.
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Originally posted by Weychin:
An Arhat, in this case meaning Theravadans, is also not lacking in loving kindness or compassion, he will readily give his organs even while he is alive. There is a video in Youtube recounting a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka who donated one of his organs to a Christian missionary.
It's been awhile, I will try to rummage Youtube and see whether I can post the link.
ong I cant believe what you have said here about theravadans, not lacking in loving kindness or compassion?
small vehicle or great vehicle, isnt that the dhamma the Buddha has taught? labels like mahayana, theravada or vajrayana dun exists in enlightened beings.
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Originally posted by Rooney9:
ong I cant believe what you have said here about theravadans, not lacking in loving kindness or compassion?
small vehicle or great vehicle, isnt that the dhamma the Buddha has taught? labels like mahayana, theravada or vajrayana dun exists in enlightened beings.
"Enlightened people should have no problem donating. I am not so sure abt Louhan. Does an arhat donate organs?"
Was replying to an above question, a Louhan is an Arhat.
If someone's view is that a division exist, we first approach with the existing division and reconcile until the division no longer exist.
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Originally posted by 2009novice:
Haha... canot la I still cmi.... It was because a few mths back I attended a Dharma talk... The fa shi gave a talk about Platform Sutra... got diagrams etc. Then he touched on the differences of an awakened person or unenlightened person, è¿· vs æ‚Ÿ, good or bad...For example, Buddha did not differentiated and judge people. Even Devadatta tried to harm Buddha, Buddha still continued to enlighten him...
So true.
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i have just posted a "Living Will Declaration" for purelanders.
it mentioned best not to die in hospital. as, within the 8 hour period, u do not know how many times they will touch the body, doing autopsy, injecting non-decaying chemicals, etc.
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