Terminal Care (Buddhist Thoughts and Methods for End-of-Life Care)

Author: Dazhao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: When the Buddha first attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, he exclaimed, "Wonderful! Wonderful! All living beings possess the wisdom and virtues of a Buddha, but due to attachment to delusions, they fail to realize them. If one separates from delusions, all-wise, self-realized wisdom naturally manifests." From then on, he began his half-century of teaching and preaching, and even at the final Nirvana assembly, he earnestly reminded, "All living beings possess Buddha-nature, inherently complete with the four noble qualities of being inherently pure, ever-joyful, self-reliant, and Nirvana. Therefore, all living beings should strive to become Buddhas." Thus, it is evident that the Buddha's teachings throughout his life centered around the theme of "living beings and Buddha-nature."
The "great matter of life and death" and the "principle of awakening" serve as the philosophical background for Buddhist end-of-life care. Based on this, we are enthusiastic about introducing and discussing various aspects of end-of-life care. It can be said that this book is written for readers who wish to understand death and explore the Buddhist perspective on transcending death. It is filled with explorations of the art of living and practical wisdom.
The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth chapters of the upper part of this book focus on positive Buddhist end-of-life care, including the elaboration and clarification of the concept and scope of "end-of-life care," an analysis and introduction to the process of death, and the liberation and salvation during the bardo stage.
The self-care and reverse care revealed in the lower part of the book are aspects that have not been sufficiently noticed by people before. The author has first proposed these concepts within the topic of "end-of-life care" and elaborated on them using familiar Buddhist philosophical theories and historical records, demonstrating the profound significance of Buddhist end-of-life care.