Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
It's not the prevalent social customs that is important, it is the health of the surviving people that is important.
Herzog_Zwei,
The main intention of the original poster was to provide guidelines for practising Buddhists and their families, on how best to assist the deceased person reach better realms after leaving the physical body. That you do not share these same beliefs is no reason for you to keep harping on tangential issues.
Certainly, there are few governmental authorities in this world who would unquestioningly accommodate religious sensitivities to the detriment of public health, where there is clearly a serious threat. However, having this living will, is a good way for a Buddhist to clearly state what s/he prefers if the surrounding circumstances can accommodate.
Not everyone dies from pathogens or infectious diseases. I have seen at least 3 family members pass away from sheer old age (their heart stopped beating). In such a case, the living will that's presented above can actually be adhered to without causing harm to anyone.
If the person were to die in a hospital, and if hospital regulation stipulates that corpses need to be moved to the mortuary within a certain span of time if no family members turn up for collection, so be it. Even so, this living will can serve as a reminder to handlers of the body to be as gentle as possible while doing so. It's really as simple as that.
This I surmise, is the gist of this thread.
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
It's not the prevalent social customs that is important, it is the health of the surviving people that is important.
Let's present the handling of the deceased into two different scenarios, in times of relative stability and times of relative instability.
1) In stable societies, where people are well nourish not under too much undue stress, sufficient resources can be allocated to the dead, and the continuance of the culture of a community, civilisation.
2) In times of instability, war, famine , epidemic, etc. where ones' community or even one own personal survival is threatenened. The treatment of the deceased depends on the severity of threat. The simplest is is to run away as far as possible.
The difference is how much we can devote resources to our social health.
Originally posted by realization:Herzog_Zwei,
The main intention of the original poster was to provide guidelines for practising Buddhists and their families, on how best to assist the deceased person reach better realms after leaving the physical body. That you do not share these same beliefs is no reason for you to keep harping on tangential issues.
Certainly, there are few governmental authorities in this world who would unquestioningly accommodate religious sensitivities to the detriment of public health, where there is clearly a serious threat. However, having this living will, is a good way for a Buddhist to clearly state what s/he prefers if the surrounding circumstances can accommodate.
Not everyone dies from pathogens or infectious diseases. I have seen at least 3 family members pass away from sheer old age (their heart stopped beating). In such a case, the living will that's presented above can actually be adhered to without causing harm to anyone.
If the person were to die in a hospital, and if hospital regulation stipulates that corpses need to be moved to the mortuary within a certain span of time if no family members turn up for collection, so be it. Even so, this living will can serve as a reminder to handlers of the body to be as gentle as possible while doing so. It's really as simple as that.
This I surmise, is the gist of this thread.
Talking nonsense again. Ignorance is sure bliss. Sinweiy is posting the document as a legal document which can supeceed all local laws and bylaws regarding the population's health and welfare.