Meditation on death

S

Session

Registered Member
Just finished Yamamoto Tsunetomo's Hagakure and.....

"Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when one's body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of one's master. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead."

How does even begin to imagine being dead. The concept of being killed(ex. being struck) is achievable since its more of overcoming the fear of pain and the feelings of leaving everything behind in death, but how does one meditate and imagine one self dead. What does one use as a mantra, do you imagine just a black hole eating you up. What meditation techniques did the Samurais use? It just struck me as odd since the ultimate goal of meditation to me is reaching enlightenment which is when a living mind awakens to everything in this world(understanding all things) but meditating on death wouldnt that be the opposite, wouldnt reaching enlightenment of death be reaching a cold and despairing place.
 
How does even begin to imagine being dead. The concept of being killed(ex. being struck) is achievable since its more of overcoming the fear of pain and the feelings of leaving everything behind in death, but how does one meditate and imagine one self dead. What does one use as a mantra, do you imagine just a black hole eating you up. What meditation techniques did the Samurais use?
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I have no clue what meditation techniques the Samurais used, but I'm acquainted with the morbid fascinations of the Easterns.
The reflex is to turn away in disgust but that, when all is told, is just another way of sweeping it all under the rug like we Westerns do.

Do I think on my own death? Sure! All the time, religiously. The thinking itself is a mantra. I usually look down at my legs and torso and imagine the biting irony that one of these days, somewhere far far far RIDICULOUSLY far in the future I hope, the pretty skin I'm looking at will one day end up in the gut of a hungry maggot.
 
yoooo hoooooooooo............anybody up tonight?
C'mon folks step one two one two one two one two.........

Good ol' Porf's got an image to keep.
 
sure i'll bite. could you describe the legs/torso/pretty skin in more detail please? perhaps a pic to further understanding of this complex issue?

thanks
spook
 
Originally posted by spookz
sure i'll bite. could you describe the legs/torso/pretty skin in more detail please? perhaps a pic to further understanding of this complex issue?

thanks
spook
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I'll second that. I think this issue is quite the complicated one. They do say a picture is worth a thousand words, so perhaps a picture is just what is needed.
 
So the point of meditating on death is to remove the fear of death? That would be good since most are afraid of it, even though everyone's destiny has death in common.
 
The Way of the Samurai is found in death

"The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to either/or, there is only the quick choice of death. It is not particularly difficult. Be determined and advance. To say that dying without reaching one's aim is to die a dog's death is the frivolous way of sophisticates. When pressed with the choice of life or death, it is not necessary to gain one's aim.

We all want to live. And in large part we make our logic according to what we like. But not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous line. To die without gaming one's aim is a dog's death and fanaticism. But there is no shame in this. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he pains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling."

Source: Hagakure: The Book Of The Samurai
 
Originally posted by VitalOne
So the point of meditating on death is to remove the fear of death? That would be good since most are afraid of it, even though everyone's destiny has death in common.
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As I understand it the idea is not to remove fear of death, although this is a side-effect. The idea is to achieve readiness for being dead, the end of your current sense of self, an understanding of how to progress towards a better existence next time around, or even how to ensure that there needn't be a next time.

By training in this way, getting used to being non-physically- existent, one is able to cope better when you get there. It's the same principle as combat training. There's no point in training with a load of weaponry you're not going to have when you get there.

Therefore this self-training consists of understanding a state of consciousness by going and looking at it, not just imaging yourself not-existing at all, and not just getting used to the idea of dying.

I'm not exactly a Buddhist but this seems to be the general idea.
 
I take the matter of death a bit lightly, I guess. I know I will die but that is not the end of me. It is kind of saddening that I will lose my body to some yucky maggots, especially my legs. anyway i find it more productive to meditate upon compassion that death, but that's just me.
 
not to mention that if you are fully prepared to die, then every day that you live, you will do your best to tie up all loose ends, to work as hard as possible, to fit in as much as you can. but also, you will learn to be carefull not to over-do it, in case tomorrow, not today is your last day. Preparing for death as an eventuality as opposed to a possibility can seriously help your attitude towards daily chores, IME.
 
paradox

Most of us live our lives in fear of dying, but it is irrational to be afraid of it. The reason that I say this is because death is a normal part of the life cycle. Furthermore, if you believe the scientists that say consciousness is only a part of our brains and will die with us, then even if this is true, we will be completely unaware of death when it 'gets' us. We live our lives in fear of something that we will never actually 'experience.' Forget about all the insects chewing on your flesh; you will never experience that no matter how much you might desire it!

Something that I think about every once in a while is 'before' I was born. Does anyone remember what it was like before their earthly existence? Regardless of whether you can or can't, it is the reflection upon it that is important. We are, were and always will be just a part of the cosmos. We are at its' mercy. Here we are, but one day we will be gone, and everything we ever experienced, learned, and felt will be washed away as if we were never here in the first place.


do you ever think about what it means to be alive?
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Says spooks:
sure i'll bite. could you describe the legs/torso/pretty skin in more detail please? perhaps a pic to further understanding of this complex issue?
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Says Mephurio:

I'll second that. I think this issue is quite the complicated one. They do say a picture is worth a thousand words, so perhaps a picture is just what is needed.
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Suuurre....what'll it be boys?a butt shot? legs? breast or thigh?

c'mon, you've got me sounding like fried chicken here.
 
Originally posted by Session

but meditating on death wouldnt that be the opposite, wouldnt reaching enlightenment of death be reaching a cold and despairing place.
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To the true Samurai death meant more then life it's self. How a Samurai would die was more important then how he lived. They spent their lifes preparing for that day.

One story I remember in Hagakure is an old Samurai sitting on his death bed wishes to fight one last time and die in battle rather then by old age.

If you want to know more about Samurai stories try 'Legends of the Samurai'. Takes a bit to get around the ever changing Samurai names but worth the read.
 
Originally posted by Session

How does even begin to imagine being dead. The concept of being killed(ex. being struck) is achievable since its more of overcoming the fear of pain and the feelings of leaving everything behind in death, but how does one meditate and imagine one self dead.
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One could only imagine.....ofcourse that one being of a undiscplined manner *hint - westerners*.....*hint - me*

What does one use as a mantra, do you imagine just a black hole eating you up. What meditation techniques did the Samurais use? It just struck me as odd since the ultimate goal of meditation to me is reaching enlightenment which is when a living mind awakens to everything in this world(understanding all things) but meditating on death wouldnt that be the opposite, wouldnt reaching enlightenment of death be reaching a cold and despairing place. [/B]
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The experience of being dead doesn't have to be one of a cliched dreamed up sci-fi hogwash. How do you know they don't reach ultimate enlightenment after they achieve death?. All the secrets of the pandora's box and the universe revealed to the naked eye under such meditation.


It doesn't have to be a experience of pain and fear...it could be a mind bending, lucid trip of nirvana because all harshness and strings of life are detached. Or it could be what you described.


Bloody good thread though...kudos.
 
Death Today

Tibetan Geshe, Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, says its not enough just to accept that death will come to us eventually. We need to undermind our deluded view of life by thinking ' I may die today '. And concentrate on the special feeling which arises in our mind as a result.
For years I didn't get this, and avoided this mere repetition of thought. However I have recently been using this method. ' I may die today, I may die today'. This method does result at first in a very quick glimcing change of heart. The more I try to 'stay' with this change of heart (fractions of a second at first), the more I feel I an gaining an insight into the true nature of this life.
It is also helpful to have an open mind about rebirth and karma. I recomened any of Geshe Kelsang's Books, Particularly Joyful Path of Good Fortune. The section on death and impermanence is priceless. For the future of this life is uncertain, whilst death at any time is certain. PS Loved all previous postings.
 
elduderimo said:
Tibetan Geshe, Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, says its not enough just to accept that death will come to us eventually. We need to undermind our deluded view of life by thinking ' I may die today '. And concentrate on the special feeling which arises in our mind as a result.
For years I didn't get this, and avoided this mere repetition of thought. However I have recently been using this method. ' I may die today, I may die today'. This method does result at first in a very quick glimcing change of heart. The more I try to 'stay' with this change of heart (fractions of a second at first), the more I feel I an gaining an insight into the true nature of this life.
It is also helpful to have an open mind about rebirth and karma. I recomened any of Geshe Kelsang's Books, Particularly Joyful Path of Good Fortune. The section on death and impermanence is priceless. For the future of this life is uncertain, whilst death at any time is certain. PS Loved all previous postings.
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Very cool perspective, I also recommend the teachings of Osho, I have "Book of Secrets", and is very awesome, it explains all meditation practices.
 
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