Death Is a Gain?
“Another part of having a positive attitude is putting things in perspective. We all feel that our lives are very precious. How could there be a bigger loss than the loss of this life? But if we see this transition as loss and loss only, that will only intensify our clinging, to the point where it will make us feel devastated. Furthermore, this is a nihilistic view. It is not how someone who truly understands cause and effect sees things.
Yes, death is a loss, but it is also a gain. The end of a life is like the end of a year or the end of a day. Today has been a great day, precious and productive. But tomorrow may well be a better day. As we keep opening our heart further and further, we accumulate merit and attract good conditions for our well-being and growth. In our next life, we are likely to find ourselves with even more supportive circumstances for continuing to develop our tsewa. For someone who has embarked on the bodhisattva path, another life is another chance to make progress. It is something to look forward to rather than something to fear. At the end of this life, we do have to part from our loved ones, but this is also not a final loss. From the Buddhist teachings’ point of view, in past lives, we have all been each other’s parents and children, sisters and brothers, lovers and friends. We have all met many times in the past and will continue to meet in the future, until we are all free from the suffering of samsara. Death is not a final parting.”
Excerpt From
Dzigar Kongtrul