Death – A Buddhist Viewpoint

Death - A Buddhist ViewpointThe passing of the close friend, of a close friend, led me to seek out a Buddhist poem about death, from the Buddhist viewpoint.

Though we may relinquish our body in this lifetime, we are not gone, nor will we ever be.

This body is not me.
I am not limited by this body.
I am life without boundaries.
I have never been born, and I have never died.
Look at the ocean and the sky filled with stars, manifestations from my wondrous true mind.
Since before time, I have been free.
Birth and death are only doors through which we pass, sacred thresholds on our journey.
Birth and death are a game of hide-and seek.
So laugh with me, hold my hand, let us say good-bye, say good-bye, to meet again soon.
We meet today.
We will meet again tomorrow.
We will meet at the source every moment.
We meet each other in all forms of life.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

5 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. midniterainbow
    Jan 26, 2012 @ 02:12:51

    it’s Thich Nhat Hanh 🙂
    it’s a great poem, huh? I used to struggle w/ the concept of death. Such a natural thing, but so hard to accept.

    Reply

  2. Preacherdog
    Mar 12, 2013 @ 22:41:27

    This is nothing but a pile of worthless dung. Death came about due to human sin. You have but one earthly life to live, then you will die, and then you will stand before God to be judged. And how will you fare? It all depends on whether you have trusted in Christ, the Savior, for eternal redemption. Jesus is God’s answer to sin, death and corruption.

    Reply

    • Anupadin
      Mar 12, 2013 @ 22:54:51

      Thank you Preacherdog, for putting a Christian slant on the argument. Buddhism, being an inclusive philosophy is happy to accept your thoughts as a valid viewpoint. Namaste

      Reply

  3. Aye Maunng
    Jun 24, 2014 @ 11:07:43

    Skin-Deep Miracle

    Falsehood versus Falsehood
    Like a fish caught in a baited hook
    While swimming in a brook
    Damn as if you didn’t know
    Death dictatorial now or morrow
    Like a flower withered and be no more
    Spectacular such a feature
    Bloody stupid human features
    Right to human beings
    Irrespective of fools or kings
    Weak rather than strong
    Vulnerability all along
    Beggars as well as queens
    Under a terrible grip of death unseen
    Damn physical body appalling
    A sheer agony not a whit mis-spelling
    Out of tune on and on
    Nothwithstanding push you yourself on
    Physical beauty conditional
    What the hell stain-deep miracle
    Unabiding features telling
    A GRAVE-DIGGER derides death-prone creatures impending
    Such physical beauty on and on dwindles
    Whereby become senile infirm etc and so on mingle
    Meanwhile awfully decline
    Aye an aging life in clear outline
    Whereas covered damsel once sweet seventeen
    OTHER-GUESS is now seen

    Aye Maunng
    Myanmar

    https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008311391144&ref=tn_tnmn

    Reply

  4. Sheilagh Seale
    Mar 23, 2018 @ 16:55:34

    I love this poem. It spoke to me the second I read it. I am having put on the back of cards we are having with my husbands obituary on front. He just passed. Showed it to he’s kids and they love it too.

    Reply

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