In this section members can record stories of how people meet their deaths. Examples can come from experiences with friends or family or from the literature (fact or fiction).
Rich sources of stories might include (a) carers, (b) hospice workers (ref Kubler-Ross, Ram Dass, etc ???), (c) legendary tales of meditation masters being in control of the process and (d) other ???
The original idea was to record inspirational tales of peaceful passings but it might be useful to also have records of people who went on their way less easily (eg distressed, fearful, raging or whatever).
You can add to this section in three ways (a) put a comment at the bottom of the page, (b) insert your comment into this page, or (c) create a new page and link to it from this page.
Siddhartha
The passing of Siddhartha Gautama (563 -483 BC) The Buddha
After 40 years on the road as an itinerant preacher the Buddha was 80 and quite frail. He suffered a bout of dysentery in a small, jungle village and knew that his end was nigh. He settled himself between two sal trees to give his last teachings which finished with - "Everything is bound to perish in the end. Seek your salvation with diligence. The time for my entry into Nirvana has arrived! These are my last words."
He then entered the fourth state of meditative absorption and passed away.
Hui-Neng
The passing of Zen Master Hui-Neng (617-713) Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism.
After taking food the patriarch said to his disciples, "Please sit down, for I am going to say good-bye." He answered several questions from the disciples in poetic style then said, "Take good care of yourselves. After my passing away, do not follow the worldly tradition and cry and lament … After my death, if you carry out my instructions and practice them accordingly, my being away from you will make no difference. On the other hand, if you go against my teaching, no benefit would be obtained even if I stay here."
Then he uttered another verse and sat up until the midnight hour, when he suddenly said to his disciples. "I'm going!" Then he passed away at once.
At that moment, an unusual scent filled the room, a lunar rainbow touched the earth, the trees of the forest turned white and the birds and the beasts cried mournfully.
Sources: Cleary T (translator) (1998) The Sutra of Hui-Neng Grand Master of Zen; Shambhala; ISBN 1570623481 1570623481 and Price A F & Wong Mou-lam (translators) (1990) The Diamond Sutra and the Sutra of Hui-Neng; Shambhala; ISBN 0877730059
Zibo
The passing of Zibo (1543-1604) The last great Zen Master of China
Zibo was imprisoned and flogged on trumped up charges. His death scene was related by Hanshan on the basis of eyewitness accounts:
"After he had washed himself, Zibo told his attendant, 'I'm going. Please thank all the protectors of the Dharma back home for me.' The attendant began to cry. Zibo scolded him saying, 'Twenty years with me, and you still behave like this?' Then Zibo spoke several verses for the man, and when he finished, peacefully passed away sitting upright.
A man whom Zibo had met and comforted in the prison hurried to Zibo's side when he heard he had died. He rubbed Zibo and said, 'The Teacher departed well'. Zibo opened his eyes and with a slight smile said goodbye.
It was January 1604. Zibo was sixty years old and had been a monk for over forty years."
Source: Clearly J C (Translator) (1989) Zibo the Last Great Zen Master of China; AHP Paperbacks; ISBN 0895819163
