Death & Rebirth
According to Buddhist teachings, a person’s actions lead to a new life after death in an unending cycle known as sasra. Only if moksha is attained via insight and the elimination of craving does the cycle end. Rebirth is one of the core Buddhist teachings, alongside karma, Nirvana, and moksha. According to Buddhism, the concept of “individual self” is an illusion. It is impossible to isolate oneself from one’s environment (Dorjee). Zen Buddhism demonstrates that there is no opposition between ego and “no-self.” Only by questioning, doubting, and rejecting oneself is the true character of the self-revealed. According to Suzuki, “to practice Zen properly, you must cultivate a spirit of inquiry; for the depth of your enlightenment will be proportional to the power of your questioning spirit.”
To reach the paradoxical truth of neither self-existence nor non-existence, Zen practitioners use this “spirit of inquiry” to question and dismantle the assurance of all that exists. The ego “evaporates into simple abstraction when pursued analytically, leaving nothing behind,” argues Suzuki. Buddhism adherents constantly question and doubt the existence of the individual self, but they do not deny the existence of “I,” who questions and doubts self-certainty (Dorjee). In order to address this issue, Buddha presents the middle path, which is neither a self nor a no-self doctrine. In Buddhist scripture, Garfield explains that the Buddhas “allude to a self, they teach no-self, and they also teach neither self nor no-self”. The middle way, which focuses on neither the self nor the non-self but rather the “inquiring spirit” of the meta-self, is one of the most profound insights taught by Buddhism.
Tibetan Book of the Dead
At the conclusion of the dying process, during the bardo, and throughout the process of rebirth are stages of consciousness. During these phases, the mind is in a state of extreme subtlety, and an expert practitioner may harness these natural conditions to make substantial progress on the spiritual path. According to Tibetan tradition, after death and before to rebirth, when a person’s mind is not tied to a physical body, a number of occurrences occur (Evans-Wentz). A progression from the clearest views of reality one is spiritually capable of shortly after death to horrible hallucinations coming from the impulses of an individual’s past unskillful actions is common in these experiences. Transcendental insight may come via a direct experience of reality in the bardo for the spiritually accomplished, but the bardo may also be a dangerous place where karmically generated hallucinations may lead to an unhappy rebirth for others.
In the early centuries of Buddhism, Buddhists were divided about whether rebirth happened immediately after death or whether there was a hiatus. With the birth of mahayana, the concept became prevalent in a period of change. Eventually, the concept was expanded to include six or more states that encompassed the whole rebirth cycle. The phrase “transitional experience” may apply to anything that happens as a consequence of a change in circumstance (Evans-Wentz). The bardo’s basic meaning, the experience of being between death and rebirth, is its archetype. The six classic bardos highlight how the bardo’s core features are present in various transitional periods. When bardo’s essence is honed further, it may be applied to every moment of life. It is difficult to avoid the continual bardo that exists between the past and the future in the present.
Tibetan Science of Dying
In Buddhist theology, mind and body are not regarded to be distinct since it is not believed that independently existent things exist. Everything is interconnected and causally related, and everything is continually changing and reorganizing. This implies that impermanence and change are fundamental Buddhist concepts. The historical Buddha himself wanted a state that death could not destroy occur (Evans-Wentz). According to Buddhist teachings, thinking of oneself as distinct from others is a basic mistake. As the physical form is the foundation of the road to enlightenment, possessing a human body is a rare privilege in Buddhism. A person is not considered to have or own a body, but rather occupy it.
The dynamic interdependence of the mind and body in Tibetan medicine makes it a suitable contrast to current biomedicine. Tibetan medicine accepts the “inseparability” of mind and body on more delicate levels, as well as the dualism of mind and body on coarser ones occur (Evans-Wentz). On one side, it rejects the so-called “Cartesian dualism” of the mind and body, on the other hand, in favor of a view that equates a person’s mind with his or her brain, and therefore it is neither monolithic nor dualistic. In both the philosophy and practice of Tibetan medicine, this Buddhist-derived paradigm of body and mind may be found, although it may be difficult to discern.
Tibetan Art of Dying
Research-derived information is used with various types of “evidence,” such as client views and practitioner experience to arrive at optimal solutions for customers and provide the most significant outcomes in a framework used to deliver and build services. The first encounter between a mentee and mentor is critical to the development of the relationship. People may exhibit their best self while beginning a relationship with another person, but this may not be who they really are. However, as the relationship grows, individuals reveal more of their genuine selves. The first encounter and the months that follow are referred to as the “initiation” stage of the mentoring relationship (Evans-Wentz). This is the time when mentors and mentees get to know one another and start to develop a sense of ownership over the mentoring relationship. However, both the mentor and the mentee must apply to a mentoring program before the first meeting may take place. Mentors must apply and demonstrate that they are qualified to serve as a mentor and that they possess the necessary knowledge and skills. In order to find a mentor, applicants describe their personalities and the aid they require. The key to a successful mentor-mentee relationship is finding the correct mentor for the mentee and pairing him or her with a mentor who has those qualities.
Transforming Fear into Freedom
Denial is a frequent defensive technique used to shield oneself from the anguish of confronting a distressing truth. After the initial shock of getting a terminal diagnosis, according to Halifax, people often deny the truth of the new information. Patients may refute the diagnosis explicitly, ascribe it to an incompetent clinician or incorrect testing, or just avoid the subject of discussion (Knauft). Patients often feel and show anger as they accept the truth of a terminal illness. It may be aimed at medical professionals for insufficiently preventing the disease, family members for contributing to risks or failing to give necessary assistance, or spiritual providers or higher powers for the unfairness of the diagnosis.
In addition, the anger may be diffuse and unfocused, manifesting itself as an easily angered temper or a lack of patience. Psychologists are able to provide a helping hand to caregivers and members of the family by facilitating the expression of feelings and teaching them how to be attentive listeners to terminally ill patients (Knauft). In addition, psychologists who have received enough training are adept at addressing issues pertaining to bereavement and loss, traumatic stress, and acting as advocates for high-quality medical care.
References
Dorjee, Dusana. Mind, Brain and the Path to Happiness: A Guide to Buddhist Mind Training and the Neuroscience of Meditation. Routledge, 2013.
Evans-Wentz, Walter Yeeling. Tibetan Book of the Dead. Courier Dover Publications, 2020.
Knauft, Bruce M. “Life Is but a Dream: Culture and Science in the Study of Tibetan Dream Yoga and Lucid Dreaming.” New Directions in the Anthropology of Dreaming, Routledge, 2020, pp. 204–25.
write