Death and Buddhism

When preparing for death Buddhist generally agree a person’s state of mind while dying is of great importance. This is how Buddhism addresses the issue of death, and it has an intuitive, practical logic to it. Here, the folly of attachment is brought into the sharpest relief, because we know the body is as sure to die as it was born. While dying the person can be surrounded by friends, family and monks who recite Buddhists scriptures and mantras to help the person achieve a peaceful state of mind.

What is the cause of suffering in Buddhism?

255 There is no path in the sky and a monk must find the inner path. We will die and all the people we love will die. Understood this way, the only sensible course of action seems to be to seek that state where death cannot follow: Nirvana, the state of being awake.

Buddha says life is suffering, caused by desire. All things indeed pass away, but the Buddhas are forever in eternity. We fear death because we hold onto life. To end the suffering, we must end desire. Buddhism views ignorance rather than sin as the roadblock to Nirvana. From a greater perspective, death causes pain because of our desire for life.