Stories for fear of death
15 Buddhist wisdom stories for fear of death from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- Dying peacefully like Dad (the bus-driver joke)Joke · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A comedian wants to die peacefully in his sleep like his father — unlike the screaming passengers on the bus his father was driving.
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He said, "When I die, I want to die in my sleep just like my father. He died in his sleep. Not like the passengers in the bus he was driving at the time, screaming and shouting."
- Floating above the paddy fieldsStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: An Australian soldier in Vietnam, going to help an injured mate, steps on a landmine that blows off his legs. After the intense pain, he wrote, he found himself floating above…
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that was a story of one of the state mp no the government in peace a long time ago and now what was his name again but anyway he was in vietnam during the vietnam war australian soldier and he was helping one of his colleagues who was injured and as he went to help his colleague he stepped on a land mine and blew off his uh his legs and because he blew off his legs he described what happened next i remember reading the article which he wrote about this experience obviously immense pain but the next thing he noticed was so intense pain the next thing you notice in his words which i can always remember was floating above the paddy fields of vietnam without a care in the world one of the most happy peaceful blissful experiences of his life and of course this was written by a politician who was always trustworthy come on when they talk about worldly things maybe you can doubt what they're actually saying but this was actually real honestly describing what he felt one of the most blissful peaceful experiences of his life but then he recalled that his wife back here in perth had just given birth to his first child a son and the thought came up it is not a kind thing just to die for his wife who had just given birth he had to come back for her so he next thing he noticed was being pulled back into his body and when he was in his body it was enormous pain again so much that he uh fainted and when he came to again he was in the hospital getting treated starting the long journey to um being a recovery he had to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life and apparently that because of him in the federal parliament in canberra they did make sure there was adequate wheelchair access for everybody but anyway the important part of that story was just what happened when he left his body the first initial shock of the explosion which blew his legs off so peaceful so blissful so joyful
- Free coffee for meditating by the corpseJoke · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: In Thailand, where people fear ghosts and fresh corpses, the young Western monk announces he will meditate beside a body and is plied with coffee by impressed monks — so he keeps…
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I remember once when I think it was Ajahn Chah's brother that died and was being cremated, I told one of the monks - I'm just going to go and do some meditation by the corpse. He said "what?!" I said "I'm going to do some meditation by the..". He said "have a cup of coffee". I thought - that's really nice. And I couldn't understand why they were giving me all this coffee. And the reason way they were so impressed that anybody could sit in meditation next to a newly dead corpse, because they were just so afraid of that. So once I found that out, I always went to say I'm going to sit by a corpse, and they brought all this nice coffee. [laughter]. A bit of a scam because I wasn't afraid.
- He renamed his sons Buddha, Dhamma and SanghaJoke · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A once-a-year 'Vesak Buddhist' businessman hears that thinking of Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha at death guarantees heaven, so he legally renames his three sons that — until on his…
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Let's call it a Thai man for change. A Thai man. He He was what we call uh in Buddhism a Wasak Buddhist. So, like an Easter Christian. You only go to the church once a year. So, he'd only go to the temple once a year on Wasak and it's only cuz his wife made him to made him go there. And he just his life was hopeless if he you know hell to live if he didn't do what his wife said. One day a year. It's a holy day of the year. Go to the temple, Wasak, please. So, he went there. He was a businessman. And as a businessman, he like making money, just doing deals, working in the businesses here and there. Quite a wealthy man. But even though he's wealthy, he still didn't like giving any donations. But Wasak, I suppose I'd better. And he was wondering just listen to all these boring sermons and meditating with his legs aching. Can't there be an easier way? And he happened to listen to one of these sermons by one of the monks. And at this sermon, the monk mentioned that this is classic Buddhist teachings. The most important time is your last moments before you die. And if you have a brilliant, beautiful, good thoughts as your last thought before you pass away, then your next life will be great, maybe even get reborn in a heaven realm. And the monk was saying that the best thing you can think about before you pass away is what they call in Buddhism the Triple Gem, Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. And if you can think of those three things, the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, as your last thought before you pass away, then you're guaranteed 100% to go to heaven. No questions asked. So, this businessman, mean I don't have to keep precepts. I don't have to keep all these rules. You know, all I need to do is Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. Don't need to give donations. No, as long as you think of Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha just as your last thought, then you go to heaven. He thought, "Wow. At last, I know how to work the system." So, he said, "All I need to do is to make it sure I don't have to go to temple anymore. I can stay in the shop doing business. I can watch the TV. I can go and get drunk. I don't have to do any of those things. All I need to do is make sure I think of Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha. How can I achieve that?" And he came up with this great idea. Because it just so happened he had three children, three sons. So, as soon as he got home, he got a lawyer and he officially changed their names to Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Because he knew that even today in Australia, when you die, your children are by your bedside in the hospital or at home. And sure enough, it worked according to plan. When he was on his last few hours of life, his three devoted children were next to him. And he was looking at them thinking, "Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, I'm going to go to heaven. Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha going to heaven." His plan was working perfectly until it just so happened he was saying to Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, his three children, "I'm going to heaven. No trouble at all." Until he suddenly thought, the thought arose in him, "My goodness, if my three children are here by my bedside, who's looking after my shop
- She came back to see what her husband was up toStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A retreat participant tells how, dying in hospital while her husband raced to reach her, she was out of her body having a blissful time — and came back only because she wondered…
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I just remember one lady saying, "Oh, it was just so blissful and beautiful being out of my body," she was in a hospital with some terrible sickness. Her husband was racing to the hospital to try and catch her before she died, but she had already died, she was away having a wonderful time, but then she came back when she was wondering what her husband was up to. [laughter] I mean in a good way, I'm not saying that he was playing around, but you know whether he was worrying about her, whether he was coming, that brought her back. She told us afterwards, "That was the most wonderful experience of my life." I said, "Yeah, probably you like everybody else who's had those experiences are no longer afraid of death." "Yes," she said "I'm not afraid of death. Why should you be afraid of death when you know it's gonna be nice?
- Snoopy: “Most days we won't”Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Charlie Brown and Snoopy sit on a pier enjoying a beautiful view of mountains and lakes. Charlie Brown says, “You know, Snoopy, all of us one day will die.” Snoopy replies:…
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And this Peanuts, this Charlie Brown and his dog Snoopy, must have been on vacation somewhere, they were on a pier and they were sitting there enjoying the afternoon, this beautiful view, just mountains and lakes and waters, having a beautiful afternoon there, and Charlie Brown says to his dog Snoopy, "You know Snoopy, all of us one day will die." And Snoopy, this great philosopher, he really is wise dog, much wiser than human beings, Snoopy says, "True, one day all of us will die, but most days all of us won't die.
- The convict who left his body to watch footballStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A meditation student at Karnet Prison Farm tells Ajahn Brahm that as a boy of five or six, having surgery in what was then Yugoslavia, he died on the table and floated out of his…
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Oh, this one case was of this young man. There was a boy about five, six, seven years of age. He told me this story at length and he was having some operation. This was many years ago in Yugoslavia when Yugoslavia was this one country and he was having an operation and he died on the operating table and he described just how he was floating out of his body and he could see that the doctors who were operating on him were looking at the wrong place. They weren't seeing where the problem was. And so he said that's where he was like dying or was actually dead outside of his body. And then he said all he did a five or six year old boy that's how old he was. He just thought the doctors you know he couldn't speak outside of his body but just thought doctor don't look over here look over there. And immediately that's what the doctor did. And he shouted out hey here's a problem. And because they could see what the problem was that they um solved the problem and he was fine again. He he recovered. But he said to me and he told me this story. He was one of my students meditating in Caret Prison Farm many years ago. He was a a convict in the jail. And he said but he didn't really mind being a convict. He said because ever since that time he came back into his body but whenever he wanted to leave his body he could he could do the old astral traveling make up a mind-made body as we say in in Buddhism and he could leave his body. So he said whenever he wanted to watch a football match didn't matter what prison they put him in he just leave his body and go and watch. he wanted to if he wanted to go and see a a concert by someone in Perth, he didn't even need to to book tickets, he just go there in his astral body and just get, you know, front seat view. And the way he said it and all the other information he gave me, he said, "Yes, okay. I think that's pretty accurate what he was saying.
- The man with four wivesStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A dying man asks each of his four wives to come with him into death. The beautiful fourth wife, his passport to high society, will only speak a eulogy. The third, who gave him…
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so once upon on a time there was a man with four wives That's a crazy guy I haven't got one wife I'm much happier he had four of them so this poor guy had four wives and he was getting towards the end of his life and he was actually on his death bed he thought he was going to die and he starts to get worried about what happens after you die and so he called his his fourth wife the wife he married lateer on in life and she was very very attractive in fact she was so beautiful she made many many things possible for him especially invitations to High Society she was his passport into the A-list of parties and receptions and concerts in the city in which he lived and so he brought her to her bed his bedside and said d I love you very much you've been so good to me she said yes I love you T darling too and he said I'm about to die that's so sad said his fourth wife and I'll be lonely without you will you come with me into death what no way I'm not going to die with you what do you think said but what I will promise you I will will go to your funeral I promise you that and I will speak a wonderful eulogy about you I'll praise you to everybody is that all said the man that's all I can do and all I will do I thought you said you love me get out of here and he chased his fourth white out and he brought his third white in he'd married her before the fourth wife and the third wife know wasn't was a bit older but still she was very attractive and in fact you know some some of these older women are very very attractive know to many men so it gives you hope doesn't it and the third wife the third wife had been really really helpful for him and she'd made probably even more things possible she made him get a comfortable house and a com a living all because of you know the third wife and what she was and so he brought his third wife in and said darling I love you very much too I'm very attached to you and she said I love you too darling and he said I'm about to die and I'm afraid will you come with me into death no it's never been done and I can't do that I won't do that but one thing I can promise you I won't just go to your funeral I'll pay for it and I'll make sure you get a wonderful funeral and he said but then what would you do he said well after you're dead I'll probably go with your eldest son what as adultery and I haven't even died yet get out of here you Shameless scary wag Hy and said his third wife he still had two to go so he brought his and his second wife he married his second wife a long long time ago and she wasn't pretty at all but she was one of those women who was really wise and helpful she was always there for him especially in times of trouble and she looked at his second wife said well I've know you for such a long time I'm about to die I'm I'm really afraid of dying and being alone will you I know these other two said no but will you please come with me into death and the second wife looked at him and started crying said darling i' really love to if I could I would but all I can do is come to your gravite that's as far as I can come I'm sorry get out he said and he still had one wife left and this wife he' known her for so long he couldn't remember the time before he met her and she was very neglected the two later wives got all of the the jewelry and the fine clothes and so the first wife she was very poorly dressed bad hair but behind the scenes she was working so hard for him he never really appr appreciated her or really supported or helped her at all and he looked at her and said you're my last chance I've known you for so long and I'm so connected to you and she said yeah we've got this very deep connection together and he ask the question I'm about to die will you come with me into death and she smiled and said sure I will I go with you everywhere that's why my name is Mrs Karma I go with you from life to life and your second wife Mrs family your family love you and they will always support you and be there with you and they can go as far as your gravide but no more you can't take them with you and and as for the third wife that was called Mrs money you usually get that later on in your life and Mrs money can pay for a wonderful funeral for you and Mrs money can do so much for you in this life but can Mrs money go with you into death no after you die Mrs money will go with your eldest son or at least with one of your children maybe to the lawyer I don't know that's the inheritance and the fourth wife which you get last of all in life is called Mrs Fain your reputation who makes many things possible for you entry into the A-list of society maybe if you're very famous and makes and will give you a good ulog a good word at your death who you were and what you did but can your Fame and reputation go with you no said the fourth wife it can't be done and that's the symy of the man with the four wives it can be the woman with the four husbands is only a metaphor of all these things which we love and care for and think of ours which know we attached to our Fame our Fortune our family and this thing called karma that's the only thing which you take with you
- The maths graduate with almost no brainStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Ajahn Brahm retells Professor John Lorber's case of a Sheffield University mathematics honours graduate whose brain scan showed about 1% cortex, the skull filled with fluid — yet…
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professor John lber about the boy with no brain an honored student in mathematics at Sheffield University sorry an Honor Graduate who had a slightly misshaped skull the doctor gave him a a brain scan a CT scan and it was only 1% cortex was there everything else was missing basically as professor lber said he had no brain to speak of and there's no way that that small amount left could actually compensate for everything which was missing and at that time when I tell that story I also want to do research and I ask people CU his whole head was just filled with cranial fluid there's no brain there no gray matter so I asked people if you can do an experiment and help me can you move your head from back to forth cuz if you can hear any slushing inside that must be you as well you've got no brain it's just cranial fluid but that fellow was an honest student in mathematics brilliant normal had a girlfriend in every which way you wouldn't know he had no brain
- The meditator taken to hospital as deadStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A member of the Perth community meditates so deeply at home that his wife finds no signs of life; paramedics and hospital doctors find a flat ECG and EEG and shocks do nothing —…
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this was a person who got into such a deep meditation at home I'll tell it very briefly that his wife was concerned he died and so called the ambulance and it got taken to S Charles Garden the hospital it was on a weekend he was just an ordinary person meditating in his bedroom he was meditating for too long and his wife checked him up could find no signs of life so call the ambulance ambulance could find no signs of life so took him to Charlie Gardner's hospital where they put ECG and EEG on him both were flat the guy had died at least so the instrument said now ECG there was no heartbeat for long time EEG no brain activity the brain was not working and he was just in a meditation I told the story elsewhere so I won't elaborate on it after giving him defibrillators and many electric shocks nothing worked but eventually he came out of his meditation he just decided I've had enough now I come out just like you do and as soon as he came out of meditation both machines worked perfectly ECG and EEG started beeping in the proper way and he felt fine he just wondered what the hell he was doing in hospital he was in his bedroom and gave him a quick uh uh sort of check over the doctor nothing wrong with the guy so he actually went home he walked home and obviously didn't live that far away from s charar g Hospital in Netherlands he walked back home he was that fit but during that whole time he was perfectly alert perfectly conscious but not of his uh body or his surroundings he was deep inside so he's having a wonderful time one of the best experiences of his life
- The monk who laughed at his cancer diagnosisStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Dr K. Sri Dhammananda, the 'chief priest of Malaysia' and author of 'How to Live Without Fear and Worry', was, his doctor said, the only patient he ever met who burst out…
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One of the monks who has been here before, but he died maybe about a year ago. He was the - we used to call him the chief priest of Malaysia, Dr K. Sri Dhammananda. He has got a few books in our library, like How to Live Without Fear and Worry is one of his famous ones. It's easier to write a book, isn't it? But can you do it? When he was diagnosed with cancer, terminal cancer, his doctor said he's the only person he ever met who, when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, burst out laughing. Now, that's a monk!
- The penguin funeral (“Freeze a jolly good fellow”)Joke · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Penguins grieve a dead friend, bury him in the ice and sing at the ceremony: “Freeze a jolly good fellow.”
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even Penguins they have this beautiful sense of social cohesion and they have their own ceremonies when one of their members dies and apparently what happened is this penguin died and as soon as it died all its friends came around it to grieve but then after grieving for a little while they actually dug a hole in the snow in the ice and they put the dead penguin in the snow in the ice and they covered him over with the freezing ice and then afterwards they did a little ceremony for for the dead penguin their friend they sang a song free the jolly good fellow
- The two mangoesAnalogy · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Simile for rebirth: you eat a mango, plant its seed, tend the sapling, and years later the tree gives a new mango. The two are connected by cause and effect, yet share no…
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the best simile which I have manag to concoct is the SYM of the the two mangoes so imagine a mango when you eat it today don't about you but I like mangoes we use many mangoes in simes in Buddhism I don't know why maybe it says something about my cravings and desires but nevertheless imagine a mango and you eat it and enjoy it and you take the seed and you put it in your garden and you water that mango and after a while the mango germinates and a sh comes out and you look after that little sapling and it grow go into a nice tree and eventually the tree flowers and you have another mango now we know that those two mangoes the one you ate years ago and its descendant on the tree from which it grew they are connected there they're connected but it's also totally different from the first mango to the second mango if you compare those two mangoes the one you ate and the the new one from the seed there's probably not even the the same DNA in there there's always mutations you know from from time to time certainly there's no of even molecules which are in the new mango that were there in the old mango so it's a totally different mango but nevertheless you can see a connection a cause and effect process so in other words at any moment in time you can find the link between where say that sapling came from and you know where that sapling is going to and you have this whole chain this connected chain of links from the first mango and the seed inside of it to the new mango and the new tree and this actually this chain of events this cause and effect process is how even the Buddha described this life and also that that incredible time where we go over the horizon from this life into what's beyond into a new life but first of all just working on that simile of the mango you can see if the mango which you ate before was very sweet and juicy it's very likely the new mango will be juicy if the mango you ate was Sour it's very likely the new mango will be sour there has been some tender Tendencies which have gone across from one manga to its descendants and it's that tendency what we call the inclinations this is actually what we always say goes across from life to life the thing in itself there's no connection there's no there's no sameness there but there is this connection this cause and effect process which carries with it the Tendencies the character traits our inclinations which we bu up in this life
- The villages without griefStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Living nine years at a Thai cremation-ground monastery, Ajahn Brahm saw villagers bring their dead without grieving, which contradicted everything he had learned about loss.
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the monastery I was staying most of the time was a cremation ground. So all the villagers in the local area used that place for the funerals. So we'd do the funeral, we'd see all the villagers, they'd come, bring their dead, we'd do all the chanting and the services, we'd see them that afternoon, that evening, the next day. And there was something very strange, there was no grief, they just didn't cry, not just cry, they weren't even sad when somebody died. This was not suppressing their grief because you saw them every day, they just, wasn't there, it was a culture in which grief was absent and that really shocked me, and I was there nine years so this was no just, short visit, and I thought that was impossible because my learning had said that when you lose someone you love you have to have grief. The truth of the matter, there was no grief there.
- The woman who refused to go backStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A woman who dies on the operating table meets a spirit telling her it isn't her time; she refuses — she's having too good a time — until the spirit throws her back into her…
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there's this one lady who died on the operating table and so she left her body looking at her body over there just a mess so off she went but apparently that she described it as meeting some Spirit and the spirit saying you know it's it's not your time you know you got to go back and she said no way I'm having too good a time I don't want to go back sorry and the spirit said but you have to go back I don't care about that I'm not going you know like people are pretty independent these days and you know you don't actually do what you're told by your parents or by the government or by God or anybody so Spirits you know go and get lost I'm having a good time so that degree of Independence know she didn't want to sort of go anywhere until eventually having this argument you you got to go back no way apparently she described because obviously she did go back that's why she could tell this story this Spirit sort of got hold of her and threw her back into her body and it just had all this aches and pains and heaviness again and she was really pissed off of that spirit I mean really big time so when she gave this interview said now when I die next time of course I would die eventually I'm going to find that guy and I you do know what I'm going to do to that guy what he did to me that's how you described it