Since death alone is certain ...

[paganbuddha]

Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?

no I'm not dying anymore than most of you, it's a philosophical question, something that is given as a meditation exercise in most Buddhist traditions, I'm just curious of people's opinion of all walks of life on this question

you can even ask this question from yourself

and you can post even what YOU should do

edit: fixed title

[gregkavarnos]

And what is the question exactly? I mean, I don't see any question marks anywhere in your title or post.

[paganbuddha]

Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?

[dude]

study death

[randomseb]

Don't waste time worrying about death? If you intend to one day practice and gain awakening, don't wait until "one day", start now?

[gregkavarnos]

Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?

Depends on who you ask. What do you reckon you should do?

[ghost01]

Facing death can put thing's in perspective, for me it makes me want to understand life better, to understand myself. I would personally like to face death with no fear.

[Knotty Veneer]

Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?

Appreciate the life you have now and don't waste it on meaningless things.

[PadmaVonSamba]

Start at the end and work backwards.
Start with something ideal,
even though this may not be what happens.

You are on your deathbed.
It is your last day.
People ask you,
"Do you want some food? Do you want something to drink?
Do you want me to pop a movie into the DVD player for you?
Would you like to wear a fancy hat?"

And you think,
"No, no, there is nothing more that I need.
I am fine just lying here.
And you are finally at peace.
There is nothing more that you need to do.
It's like the end of the workday and
Your shift has ended,
and you are taking a ride home,
so now you can just relax.

No more craving. You are finally free
and everything that people are doing seems
ridiculous somehow
because you are at the last stop on the line
looking backwards at them
at everybody on the train of life,
all running around like crazy
still trying to find a good seat.

So, that final state,
where you don't need anything,
I would try to cultivate that now
while you still have a few breaths left.
.
.
.

[Sherab Rigdrol]

Oh I've been asking this question ever since I was a child. At this point in my life I started to work with the dying. Trying now to make a career helping people die as consciously and compassionate as possible. Very lucky to have come across Anyen Rinpoche the past year as he has created a structured way to do that through his Dying With Confidence training. September I'll hopefully be starting Level 1.

Death has always been the pink elephant in the room for the West. I'm doing my best to make friends with him and feed him some peanuts.


Oh and knowing the fact of death--learn and practice as much Dzogchen teachings as humanly possible. Practice Phowa as much as possible too. These are my two goals for the rest of this incarnation.

[odysseus]

Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?

Train on realising the deathless.

[kirtu]

Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?

Well death is certain and the time of death is uncertain. However death alone in not certain. Read as death, with no continuation of mind, is the nihilist view. Read as all beings must themselves face death without help from others (i.e. one's own mind must face death) then that is true.

Death is certain. The time of death is uncertain. And one will face the karma that one has accrued by oneself - that is certain.

So the response would be to practice now at least for a better rebirth (the minimum motivation of any Buddhist practitioner). And it would be better to practice for liberation and best to practice to attain Buddhahood and free all sentient beings from their sufferings. Which sounds like a party line but thems the facts.

Ironic that the end of March is the death anniversary of one of my beloved cats. But in truth, if we could see the discarded bodies of ourselves and other beings all of the earth would be covered in bodies to the height of Mt. Meru.

We must die. Our friends must die. Our "enemies" must die. Our beloved family and pets must die. We are helpless to keep them from death.

Kirt

[_username_]

"When close approaching death you should forgive your neighbor and ask for mercy."

[Punya]

Stop wasting time on Dhama Wheel and go do some practice (note to self ).

[Quiet Heart]

Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?

no I'm not dying anymore than most of you, it's a philosophical question, something that is given as a meditation exercise in most Buddhist traditions, I'm just curious of people's opinion of all walks of life on this question

you can even ask this question from yourself

and you can post even what YOU should do

edit: fixed title

-----------------

As I am 67 years old, I am probably closer to that certainty than other younger members of this forum.
From my personal view death is a non-event .... merely a stage on the path from birth to rebirth and (hopefully) realisation.
There is no Self .... but only a temporary self (note no capital letters on the word self).
Life is like a tree... new leaves grow on it in the spring, and each year they die and fall off with the coming of winter.
Otherwise, without this season's leaves falling off that tree ... how would next year's leaves ever be reborn and bloom again in the next spring?
Personal opinon .... both death and birth/life are illusions of one's Ego Self. Pay no attention.
Just live the Now mindfully.
I'm trying to make that my Practice.

[LastLegend]

As I am 67 years old, I am probably closer to that certainty than other younger members of this forum.
From my personal view death is a non-event .... merely a stage on the path from birth to rebirth and (hopefully) realisation.
There is no Self .... but only a temporary self (note no capital letters on the word self).
Life is like a tree... new leaves grow on it in the spring, and each year they die and fall off with the coming of winter.
Otherwise, without this season's leaves falling off that tree ... how would next year's leaves ever be reborn and bloom again in the next spring?
Personal opinon .... both death and birth/life are illusions of one's Ego Self. Pay no attention.
Just live the Now mindfully.
I'm trying to make that my Practice.

I want to be like you one day. It's true then that at the age of 60 or after, people are supposed to be liberated given that they have been living according to the laws of nature.

[Andrew108]

Start at the end and work backwards.
Start with something ideal,
even though this may not be what happens.

You are on your deathbed.
It is your last day.
People ask you,
"Do you want some food? Do you want something to drink?
Do you want me to pop a movie into the DVD player for you?
Would you like to wear a fancy hat?"

And you think,
"No, no, there is nothing more that I need.
I am fine just lying here.
And you are finally at peace.
There is nothing more that you need to do.
It's like the end of the workday and
Your shift has ended,
and you are taking a ride home,
so now you can just relax.

No more craving. You are finally free
and everything that people are doing seems
ridiculous somehow
because you are at the last stop on the line
looking backwards at them
at everybody on the train of life,
all running around like crazy
still trying to find a good seat.

So, that final state,
where you don't need anything,
I would try to cultivate that now
while you still have a few breaths left.
.
.
.

This is well said. People should take his to heart.

[kirtu]

And you are finally at peace.

You weren't at peace much/most of your life already? That would be a problem.

Kirt

[PadmaVonSamba]

And you are finally at peace.

You weren't at peace much/most of your life already? That would be a problem.

Kirt

Yes, if ou weren't at peace much/most of your life already, that would be a problem.
That's why it is good to get started asap.
.
.
.

[Namgyal]

Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?

Milarepa, 'The Dharma of Milarepa, my way, is to live and die without regrets.'