A Buddhist Death: Tradition resources

These resources may help provide more detailed information about the ideas and practices concerning death in different Buddhist traditions.

A good starting place is this short, informative booklet assembled by the Buddhist Council of Victoria (Australia):
"Buddhist Care of the Dying"

INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC TRADITIONS

Vietnamese
"For the Aged and the Sick," by Ven. Thich Thanh Tu

Tibetan
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, by Sogyal Rinpoche
Excerpts from Living, Dreaming, Dying, by Rob Nairn
Preparing for Death and Helping the Dying, by Sangye Khadro

Theravada
"Death and Dying," by Ajahn Jagaro
"Life is Uncertain, Death is Certain," by Ven. Sri K. Dhammananda
"What are Buddhist funeral practices?", London Buddhist Vihara
Extract from Buddhist Rituals and Ceremonies of Sri Lanka
Notes on a Theravada Approach to Spiritual Care to the Dying and the Dead, by Gil Fronsdal

Chinese
"Appropriate Care for the Dying"

Pure Land
"Support for the Dying"

This blog

The purpose of this blog is to offer support and information to anyone interested in the topic of death and dying within the context of the very diverse Buddhist tradition.

My own efforts to learn about this topic have been frustrating. Many web sites and books offer information, guidelines, and instructions that purport to be "Buddhist" but in fact reflect the ideas and practices of only a specific tradition (i.e., Tibetan, Theravada, Pure Land). The doctrinal and practice differences within the overall Buddhist tradition can be vast. As I seek to overcome my own confusion, I feel drawn to help alleviate others' confusion by offering an overview of what death and dying mean in the Buddhist tradition. I also hope to help people address their needs and concerns about death and dying, both their own death and the death of others.

My approach is non-sectarian. Here, you will learn about many different Buddhist ideas and practices associated with death and dying. If you would like help within a specific tradition, please contact me and I will try to help. Through monastic friends, I have access to specific information about practices and understanding in many different schools/traditions of Buddhism. As a Western Buddhist monastic, I can also help Westerners find a way through the vastness of these traditions to create your own approach to death and dying.

May the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha support and protect you.

Dedication

This site is dedicated to my dear friend, Bill Ford, with whom I had many warm and heartfelt discussions about death. We had planned to organize a death-and-dying workshop together with our friend, Julie. Before we were able to do this, Bill died suddenly. Just as he taught me about death during his life, so he taught me a tremendous amount about death with his own death.

The death of my Dharma friend, Emily Barlow O'Donnell, provided the energy to dedicate myself to this effort.

May all their rebirths be happy and may they quickly attain liberation!

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