Douglass Smith on Buddhism and Mortality
In this talk Douglass Smith explores Buddhism’s approach to accepting mortality through meditation, aiming for freedom from death rather than literal immortality.
Doug explains that the Buddha, in his quest for enlightenment, moved beyond teachings promising eternal life, instead focusing on meditation practices that bring one closer to the self and cessation of suffering.
He discusses various meditation practices, such as charnal ground contemplations and the deep meditative absorption of the fourth jhana, which help individuals accept mortality by reducing fear and avoidance of death.
The Buddha’s early meditation teachers from Brahminic or Upanishadic backgrounds aimed for union with the universal principle, but the Buddha found these teachings insufficient and continued his search for deeper understanding.
The fourth jhana is highlighted for its state of equanimity beyond pleasure and pain, symbolizing death through its analogy of wrapping the body in white cloth.
The cessation of perception and feeling, a deep meditative state, is directly compared to death, illustrating Buddhism’s familiarity with states akin to death.
Doug also discusses charnal ground contemplations, where practitioners meditate on decaying bodies to confront their mortality and impermanence.
This practice, akin to exposure therapy, reduces fear and helps individuals accept the transient nature of life.
Overall, Doug emphasizes Buddhism’s focus on overcoming the desire for rebirth and the fear of death, guiding practitioners toward Nirvana, or freedom from death.
Through these meditative practices, Buddhism aims to foster acceptance and equanimity regarding mortality.
