Buddhist Views on Suicide (By : Bhikkhu Guṇasīlo)

 Buddhist Views on Suicide


Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa Paṇḍupalāso va dani 'si, ca ta m yamapurisāpi upaṭṭhitā Uyyogamukhe tiṭṭhasi ca, ca te na pātheyyam'pi vijjati.
Right now you like a dry and withered leaves, the king's messengers of death (Yama) have been waiting for you. You have stood in the doorway of departure, but you do not have provisions for the journey.

(Dhammapada 235)
These days we often hear about the deaths from suicide. Suicides occurred in the country not only Indonesia, but also in other countries also occur, as has been reported in the newspapers. In Seoul, South Korea, the more people who choose suicide. Case bubuh yourself reaching record highs throughout history, have come about due to depression because of the difficult economic conditions and drastic changes in society. In Korea, the suicide rate in 2005 was a national record as well as being the highest among the member organizations of economic cooperation and development according to the official Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS).
BPS data show, the total number of deaths reached 245,511 in 2005 was, 12,047 of them die due to suicide. Suicide is usually done by elderly people. Local media says: because of economic difficulties and diseases often encourage elderly people to choose suicide.
According to the minister of health and welfare of South Korea's suicide rate jumped dramatically in the country than members of the organization of economic cooperation and development (OECD) in the last 10 years. Health Statistics (OECD) in 2002 showed that 18.1% of 100,000 Koreans committed suicide. The amount is included suicide ranked fourth among 29 countries.Hungary ranked first, second Mexico, Japan's third, and fourth Korea.
While in 2005, Korea achieved a rating of unity suicide with a total of 26.1% of 100,000 people committed suicide.
Suicide is one of the most difficult social problems sought solution.Since ancient times till now, humans have known the ways of suicide to end his life. In ancient times, people commit suicide because of failure in carrying out duties or losing the war, and so forth. It is also a result of economic pressures and alienation of an increasingly powerful that people increasingly easy to feel lonely in a crowd. Consequently, for those who are suicidal depression becomes a way out.
As for the characteristics of people who want to commit suicide in general is as follows:
- Threatening to commit suicide - Never make a suicide attempt - Giving a statement to die - Changes in behavior suddenly - Do not want to undergo treatment according to doctor's instructions - Easy to anger - Depression by crying - Unable to sleep - Decreased appetite
There are many theories about suicidal people. Suicide is the case if the relationship between the individual and society have been completely cut. Generally, suicide is caused by stress factors or pressures of life and economic pressures. In Indonesia, cases of suicide due to the chaotic conditions of the country so that the common people getting poorer and shackled by poverty no end. In this situation, suicide is the norm of society demands that mengaggap this as honorable deeds. Suicides usually occur at all stages of age, with different cases. In adolescents, such as a breakup, the difficulties facing the environment, and the association. In older people, due to severe illness or lonely because they do not get attention.
In the view of Buddhism, in Kodhana Sutta, Avyakata vaggas, VII Anguttara Nikaya, the Buddha identifies trends in the causes of suicide is an imbalance of mind. There are some people in the community as well as other things to make them into low self-esteem, easily frustrated, and desperate. Usually people who commit suicide do not understand the teachings of the Buddha about suffering.
In Buddhist Pancasila explained that suicide, including violations of the first precepts of murder. So, in the Buddhist Pancasila, targeted killings that living things other than other living creatures including ourselves. Therefore suicide include violations of the first precepts, in which the perpetrators will be reborn in a low as it is written in the Jataka atthakatha: 'beings who committed suicide with guns, drinking poison, hanging neck, plunging into the cliff with the underlying anger, will be born in the nature of hell and other low natural. "From these quotations can be concluded that kamma is determined by the intention. People who commit suicide generally because of hatred and not stand in the face of suffering. This will make a return he was born in the wild is low.
Surely every person has a tendency to commit suicide, depending on how big a person who possesses the mental personality. Rigid personality people who commit suicide is easier if there were changes unpleasant happened to him, compared with people who flexible personality.
Personality can be taught since childhood. Children are taught to solve problems on their own, independent of the parent or other person, and do not always meet the wishes of children. This is for children accustomed to accept failure and to find a way out of the problem.
Improvement of community life such as economics, security, security improvements, social services, directly or indirectly is the prevention of suicide.
However, of all these ways, the most accurate and effective is as good citizens need to run a sensitivity to the difficulties of those around us, that greeted the people who are sad, listening to their complaints, conscious himself that difficulties that arise from thinking the wrong way. Therefore, by improving ways of thinking and trying to find lessons for all of all the difficulties being faced, it is usually suicide can be prevented because people will rise up the spirit to improve the quality itself.
The Buddha said: 'it is difficult to be born as human beings, human life really difficult, really difficult to listen to true doctrine, as well, really difficult emergence of a Buddha.' (Dhammapada 182). So, really sad if this precious life ruined by a stupid way.
Therefore, should we as good Buddhists, from now bekalilah ourselves with strong beliefs in accordance with the teachings that have been taught by the Buddha, so we do not fall within the suffering.
Source: Dhammapada & Anguttara Nikaya VII
  (02 March 2008)

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