The intentional ending of life is against the Buddhist teaching but a voluntary euthanasia is right. Ethics in Buddhism are related to virtue, karma and liberation. helping someone to end their life is helping them to be in a bad mental state caused by human desires. As a Buddhist, one of the greatest codes we have in life is human life; humanity offers the best opportunity for enlightenment; and it also places great importance on compassion. Ending someones life that is in awful agony is seen as compassion especially with their consent. Allowing individuals to choose voluntary euthanasia would be the right thing to do. this option can only be considered in a terminal illness. Euthanasia became legal in 1963 with certain conditions like: the death is for the purpose of peaceful passing to end human suffering, the killing has to be done by a doctor and with a humane method. The person himself had to request the death being conscious and sane. Voluntary euthanasia is the only way it could be accepted in Buddhism, it's important to remember that death does not terminate life and it cannot end with pain, individuals are linked into a new life wherever it begins. The First Noble Truth stated that death itself is a basic aspect of suffering. Siddhartha Gautama expressed "Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others." Someone who is ready to leave should decide for themselves and not let others decide for them, if their suffering is unsupportable they should know what the correct thing to do is.
-Gaby Gonzalez (Buddhist)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
In my personal opinion I agree with the Buddhist philosophy in ethics. The human life is one of a kind and i am thankful for having it. It should only come to an end by natural reasons or if you are in great amount of pain. Although one should be completely conscious when desiring to end it's life.
ReplyDeleteYou are the only one who can choose what to do with your life, an involuntary euthanasia shouldn't be accepted. An individual should be the only one able to decide if they want to die, I agree with the Buddhist thinking. If the suffering is too much then yes, you could decide to stop living but if terminally ill not by other reasons like suicide.
ReplyDeletei agree because you are the only one who can control your life and if there is a way you can safe your life you should try it and never give up. no one can choose for you and if what you are going through is really a suffer than yes you should find a way to end it! as an individual you should know what the ethical thing to do is
ReplyDelete