Read Part ONE and TWO of Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries here

UNDERSTANDING DEATH

Against The Stream: A Buddhist Manual for Spiritual Revolutionaries

Death is certain, but the time of death is uncertain, said the Buddha.

But who or what dies? Yes, the body dies, and the brain as we have known it no longer functions. Yet even the most novice meditator comes to understand that the essence of who we are isn’t in these physical forms. And who we are continues. Death is only a transition from one form to the next. No one ever really dies. Bodies die, but we continue—and we shall return to another form or realm of existence over and over. The cycle of existence does not end at the death of this body. We continue to exist until we have freed ourselves from all traces of greed, hatred, and delusion. And even after freedom, when we have achieved Nirvana, it may not be lights out. Perhaps all that is extinguished is existence of form and suffering.

Death is not the enemy; it is the natural conclusion of birth. It is perfectly safe—in fact, we have probably all done it countless times before.

It is said that we usually die the way we have lived. Fear of death is just a reflection of our fear of life. When we have clearly understood the truths of impermanence, dissatisfaction, and impersonality, death is no longer something to be feared. If we do not understand these things clearly through our own direct experience of meditative wisdom, we will surely live our lives in fear of the unknown. We will live in fear of death and never fully be alive.

Accepting death allows us to accept life as temporary and precious. Such acceptance of death allows us to finally fully incarnate in this world of constant change. And until we take birth, there is little ability to awaken and serve others. Our denial of death is a denial of life. Until we acknowledge death as certain, we will be tentative about all that we do, thus not fully showing up for or participating in the work at hand.

In early spiritual practice people often have great insights into impermanence and clearly see the ways in which they have been asleep and confused. These initial insights are sometimes mistaken for freedom. In actuality, though, all that has occurred is escape from a deluded state of ghostlike existence into the realm of humanity. When we begin to awaken, we finally become human; we take birth and begin to face death. Although incarnating as human is a positive step on the path  to freedom, it is only the beginning of a gradual liberation from suffering.

The Buddha included the investigation of death in his initial meditative instructions, as part of the first foundation of mindfulness. This is because before one can find liberation, one must face incarnation. The Buddha encouraged his students to spend time in cemeteries and cremation grounds, to witness and reflect on the fact that our bodies, like the bodies burned or buried there, will one day meet the same fate. As spiritual revolutionaries we must face death and embrace the preciousness of our time in these bodies.

Noah Levine Dharma Talk: Understanding Death

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