THE FIVE AGGREGATES
Death, as defined in Buddhist texts, is the dissolution of Khandhas. The Khandhas are the five aggregates of perception, sensation, mental formations, consciousness and corporeality or matter. The first four are mental aggregates or name, forming the unit of consciousness. The fifth, rupa is the material or physical aggregates.
This psycho-physical combination is conventionally named as individual, person or ego. Therefore, what exist are not individuals such as, but the two primary constituents, name and rupa; bare phenomena. We do not see the five aggregates as phenomena but as an entity because of our deluded minds, because of or innate desire to treat these as a self in order to pander to our self-importance.
We will be able to see things as they truly are if we only have patience and the will to do so. If we would turn inward to the recesses of our own minds and note with just that bare attention (with sati), note objectively without projecting an ego into the process, and then cultivate this practice for a sufficient length of time, as laid down by the Buddha in the Sati Pattana Sutta, then we will see these five aggregates not as an entity but as a series of physical and mental processes.
Then we will not mistake the superficial for the real. We will then see that these aggregates arise and disappear in rapid succession, never being the same for two consecutive moments, never static but always in a state of flux, never being but always becoming.
The duration of these mental aggregates is very short, so much so that during one flash of lightning, over thousands of such successive appearances of thought units or thought-moments, occur within our mind. The material or physical aggregates, however abide a little longer approximately seventeen times the moments. Thus during every moment of our lives, formations arise and dissolve. This momentary dissolution is one form of death.
This momentary dissolution of elements is not apparent, because successive aggregates arise immediately to take the place of those that have dissolved, and they in turn arise and disappear as others have done before, as we say - Life goes on. But with the passage of time, however, the material or the physical aggregates lose their strength, and decay sets in. A day will come when these aggregates cannot function any more. According to conventional term, this is the end of one existence, Then we say, “Death has occurred.”
REBIRTH
But the four mental aggregates, viz; consciousness and the three other groups of mental factors forming Nama or the unit of consciousness, go on uninterruptedly arising and disappearing as before, but not in the same setting, because that setting is no more. They have to find immediately a fresh physical base as it were, with which to function - a fresh material layer appropriate and suitable for all the aggregates to function in harmony. The Karmic Law of affinity does this work, and immediately a resetting of the aggregates takes place and we call this REBIRTH.
But it must be understood that in accordance with Buddhist belief, there is no transmigration of any substance from one body to another. According to Buddhist philosophy what really happens, is that the last Javana or active thought process of the dying man, releases certain forces which vary in accordance with the purity of the five javana thought moments in the series. (Five, instead of the normal seven javana (thought-moments). These forces are called Karma Vega or Karmic energy which attracts itself to a material layer produced by parents in the mother's womb:
The material aggregates in this germinal compound must possess such characteristics as are suitable for the reception of that particular type of Karmic energy. Attraction in this manner of various types of physical aggregate produces by parents occurs through the operation of death gives a favourable rebirth to the dying man: An unwholesome thought gives an unfavourable rebirth.
A BUNDLE OF ELEMENTS AND ENERGIES
In brief the combination of five aggregates is called birth. Existence of these aggregates as a bundle is called life. Dissolution of these things is called death, And recombination of these aggregates is called rebirth. However, it is not easy for an ordinary man to understand how these so-called aggregates recombine.
Proper understanding of the nature of elements, mental and Karmic energies and co-operation of cosmos energies is important in this respect. To some, this simple and natural occurrence - death means the mingling of the five elements with the same five elements and thereafter nothing remains.
To some it means transmigration of the soul from one body to another and to others it means indefinite suspension of the soul, in other words, waiting for the day of judgement, To Buddhists, death is nothing but the temporary end of this temporary phenomenon. It is not the complete annihilation of this so-called being.
CAUSES OF DEATH
According to Buddhism, Death can occur in any one of the four ways:
i) It can be due to the exhaustion of the life span assigned to beings of that particular species, This type of death is called Ayu-khaya.
ii) It can be due to exhaustion of the Karmic energy that caused the birth of the deceased. This is called Karma-Khaya.
iii) It can be due to exhaustion of abovementioned two causes simultaneously Ubhayakkhaya.
iv) Lastly, it can be due to external circumstances, viz: accidents, untimely happenings - working of natural phenomena or a Karma of previous existence not referred to in. This is called Upachedaka.
There is an excellent analogy to explain these four types of death, it is the analogy of the oil lamp. The light in the oil lamp can be extinguished due to one of four causes:
i) The wick in the lamp burns up. This is likened to death through the exhaustion of the life span.
ii) The consumption of the oil in the lamp is likened to death through exhaustion of Karmic energy.
iii) The consumption of the oil in the lamp and the burning off of the wick at the same time - is likened to death occurring through the combination of causes described in (i) and (ii) occurring simultaneously.
iv) The effect of external factors such as the wind blowing out the light - is likened to death caused through external factors.
Therefore, Karma alone is not the cause of death. There are external causes also. In Anguttara Nikaya and elsewhere, Buddha categorically states that Karma does not explain all happenings.
FACE FACTS
How should one best face this unavoidable event? By being forewarned - by reflecting that death will, and must come sooner or later. This does not mean that Buddhist should view life with gloom. Death is real, and has to be faced - and Buddhism is a religion of reason that trains its followers to face facts, however unpleasant they may be.
Guru Nanak says “The world is afraid of death, to me it bring bliss.” It clearly shows that great and noble people are not afraid of death but a prepared to accept it. Many great people have sacrificed their lives for the welfare and happiness of mankind. Their names are recorded in the history of the world in golden letter of posterity.
The late American organiser, Saul Alimsky says “This single most important thing I’ve ever learned was that I’m going to die. For once you accept your own death, all of a sudden you are free to live. You no longer care except so far as your life can be used tactically - to promote a cause you believe in.” This is the way how great personalities view the concept of death.
DEATH IS INEVITABLE
It is rather paradoxical that although we so often see death taking toll of lives, we seldom pause to reflect that we too can soon be similar victims of death. With our inert strong attachment to life, we are disinclined to carry with us the morbid thought, although a reality, that death is certainty. We prefer to put this awful thought as far away as possible - deluding ourselves that death is a far away phenomena, not to be worried about.
We should be courageous enough to face facts. We must be prepared to face reality. Death is a factual happening.
Death is a reality. If we appreciate such eventualities and equip ourselves with the realisation that death is an inevitable event that has to be accepted as a normal occurrence and not a a dreaded event, We should be able to face it, when it eventually comes, with calmness, courage and confidence.
OUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
With the knowledge that death will overtake us one day, we should decide, with the same calmness, courage and confidence, to discharge our duties and responsibilities towards our immediate dependants. We should not procrastinate. We should not leave things for tomorrow when they can be done today. We should make good use of time and spend our lives usefully. Our duties to our wives, husbands and children should be performed in due time. We should execute our last will and testament, without waiting for the last moment, so that we may not cause undue difficulties and problems due to our neglect. Death may call at any time - it is no respecter of time. We should be able to face the ultimate bravely and with equanimity.
CRAVING AND IGNORANCE
Can death be overcome? The Answer is - Yes: Death exists because of birth. These are two links in the cycle of existence, better known by the name Paticca Samuppada. Altogether there are twelve links in this cycle, some of which are Klesas or impurities. Some karmas or actions give rise to vipakas or results (in this cycle-rebirth) and vipakas over and over again. This repetition of countless births is called Samsara.
If this cycle of existence is to be stopped, it can be cut off only at the stage of impurities, Viz: Avijja (Ignorance) and Tanha (craving) - These are the roots in these cycles of births that have to be exterminated. Therefore, if we can cut off Craving and Ignorance - birth is overcome, death is overcome, Samsara is transcended and Nibbana attained.
EVERYTHING IS UNCERTAIN
We should try to understand that everything in this universe is uncertain. Existence is only a vision or illusion. When we analyse everything either scientifically or philosophically, in the end we find nothing but voidness.
According to the Buddha, impermanency, unsatisfadtoriness and non-substantiality in everything is the natural phenomenon in this universe. Those who can understand these three characteristics will be free from undue fear, only through this realisation of universal truth that we can maintain peace and calmness in our mind.
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