Buddhist philosophy on self injurious behavior and suicide.

[Jishin]

What are the Buddhist views on (a) Self injurious behavior (such as mutilation) to distract self from mental pain and (b) suicide?

Gassho,

JC

[Jundo]

Hi John,

As to self injurious behavior, such as "cutting" ... it would be seen as as manifestation of the poor person's inner self-anger, self-loathing, frustration and other Dukkha suffering. As with any destructive behavior ... to self or others ... the medicine would be to treat that anger and other Dukkha. The behavior itself would be seen as very unfortunate and tragic.

The same for suicide brought about by some hopelessness or depression of the small self. If that hopelessness and depression can be removed, it should be. The ONLY possibility where suicide might be countenanced that I know** would be perhaps (because it is ethically debated in Buddhism as in other religions) cases of suicide as euthanasia or "assisted suicide" in the face of a painful, incurable terminal illness or the like where the person was facing great pain that cannot be relieved. Here are some articles on the debate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/euthanasiasuicide.shtml

http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/perrett.htm

Gassho, Jundo

** There are also some other cases, such as the Tibetan and Vietnamese monks who set themselves on fire as political protest. The most well known is Ven.Thich Quang Duc, who set himself on fire on a busy Saigon street in 1963 to protest the persecution of Buddhists by the then South Vietnamese government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thich_Quang_Duc

On a trip to Vietnam a couple of years ago, I found that some there and elsewhere consider him a great hero. Other (most, I feel) Buddhists around the world think that such form of suicide, especially merely to make a political statement, is not in keeping with the Precept on Life (which we are looking at during our "Precepts Study" for the Jukai).

Was he a hero, or merely our own form of "suicide bomber" ... although perhaps not acting out of anger or hate, and not taking any other people with him? Anyway, I do not want to debate this here ... we can save it for our "Precepts Study" class.

Through the centuries, some other folks would sometimes commit suicide for religious reasons, such as "getting to the Pure Land" faster! Generally, that also is not widely accepted by the rest of the Buddhist community.

[Jishin]

Jundo,

Thank you for your input.

Humbly,

JC

[Seiryu]

In a sense, people who wish to commit suicide do so, because they are essentially trying to make their situation better.

Yet, they confuse their problems and feel the cause of it all, is the outside world, and the body. Since they identify themselves as the body, they think; get rid of body, get rid of suffering.

In a way, we all too better our situation, yet instead of blaming everything out there, we go directly to the source. Our attachments, thinking patterns, and sense of "I"

thoughts......

[Jishin]

In a sense, people who wish to commit suicide do so, because they are essentially trying to make their situation better.

Yet, they confuse their problems and feel the cause of it all, is the outside world, and the body. Since they identify themselves as the body, they think; get rid of body, get rid of suffering.

In a way, we all too better our situation, yet instead of blaming everything out there, we go directly to the source. Our attachments, thinking patterns, and sense of "I"

thoughts......

Thank you for your imput,

JC

[Risho]

Suicide is complicated. Sometimes people do it because they are no longer mentally stable, not producing the appropriate chemicals to keep the brain in balance. Deep depression is a result of this; it's hard to "see" clearly when the brain isn't functioning properly. It's like being diabetic; if you can't produce insulin, you need to seek medical treatment. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should absolutely seek therapy.

[Saijun]

Suicide is complicated. Sometimes people do it because they are no longer mentally stable, not producing the appropriate chemicals to keep the brain in balance. Deep depression is a result of this; it's hard to "see" clearly when the brain isn't functioning properly. It's like being diabetic; if you can't produce insulin, you need to seek medical treatment. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should absolutely seek therapy.

This. Over and over again.

[Jishin]

Suicide is complicated. Sometimes people do it because they are no longer mentally stable, not producing the appropriate chemicals to keep the brain in balance. Deep depression is a result of this; it's hard to "see" clearly when the brain isn't functioning properly. It's like being diabetic; if you can't produce insulin, you need to seek medical treatment. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should absolutely seek therapy.

Thank you for your imput,

JC

[Taigu]

Very sensitive question. Extremely difficult, indeed. Threapy, counselling. Are good options. Keep all the channels of communication open. Killing oneself is a tragedy for other people and a dead end for the victim for it does not solve anything and does not dissolve the prison. The greatest non jdugemental compassion should be experienced and cultivated for the victims, parents, friends and the deceased.

Never forget this please: judging is nothing but another subtle form of killing.


Gassho


Taigu

[Jishin]

Taigu,

Thank you for your input.

Gassho,

JC


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hans]

Hello,

I can only agree with most what has been said already. This is indeed a very serious topic and we all should tread lightly with our advice and judgement.
What comes to my mind (and I did lose a friend to suicide once) is also the need to distinguish a form of suicide ultimately caused by severe depression with either physiological and/or psychological root causes....and on the other hand an individual's right to choose when to die.

If a young person kills him/herself because of too much heartbreak etc. it's in a different ethical ballpark for me than for example a 75 year old who consciously chooses his/her own death instead of having to endure certain stages of a terrible illness.

Yet the word "suicide" could be applied to both scenarios.

Traditionally religions have often glorified suffering in a way that I don't think is completely compatible with our current medical reality.

Just my two cents....and yes, anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should absolutely seek professional help.


Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Jiken]

Being in a line of work where I have seen over a hundred suicides and suicide attempts (speaking not of euthanasia) I can say with sincere compassion that suicide due to hopelessness and depression is a completely selfish act that creates more problems than it could ever solve. Mostly this is due to our relationships or interdependence with all people but especially those closest to us. the effects of this act can be devastating and catastrophic. There are alternatives, good ones that were mentioned above.

Deep Gassho,

Daido

[Jishin]

Hans and Daido,

Thank you for your input,

JC

[Jinyo]

I feel judging individuals who have taken their own life displays a lack of empathy and compassion.

Jundo's, Taigu's and Han's comments come closest to how I feel.

I would add that we are in danger of copping out of acknowledging the dire circumstances that some people find themselves in that are not of their own making.

Attaching too fervently to Buddhist doctrine of dukkha coming from attachment can harden people's hearts not soften them.


Suicide is often tragic, but what is more tragic is that we live in a world where so many people feel desperate and alone because they are in mental or physical pain - or both - IMHO.

Gassho

Willow

[Jishin]

Thank you for your thoughts Willow,

JC