I'm writing this post because of the current issues in our
media concerning the recent suicides of Mrs. Spade and Anthony Bourdain. I'd
also like to point out my frustration and note that at the present time an
average of 22 veterans a day are committing suicide in our nation, yet it takes the suicide of the rich and
famous to bring any attention to the subject in our country. Probably one of
the saddest events in my Sangha occurred a few years ago when one of our
members who was a veteran committed suicide. Being a veteran and having several
issues with depression myself I had only wished that she had reached out to us
but she did not.
Having
taken a cursory survey of the things on the Internet concerning Buddhism and
suicide I once again found that what was available extremely lacking in both
healthfulness and humanity. I will not recount the tragedies that led myself to
the brink here. You can read about those
in earlier posts. I'm just going to say
that this is an issue with which I have had personal experience and would
reference you to my post " Zen,
Grief ,Death and Buddhism".I suppose that concerning the title I should give some information about what Buddha himself has said on the subject. Strangely enough the events recounted in the Vinaya may even seem very relevant to things that happened today. It seems there was a group of monks who had not had proper guidance and teaching that were meditating on the problems created by the human body. Two monks had fallen in love with each other and this created a profound depression in them. As the physical manifestations of this love are forbidden by the rules of monasticism. And during these meditations on the effects of the body on the struggle toward awakening and the obstacles it created they fell into despair and committed suicide in the hopes that they could be together in eternity.
When told about these events the Buddha commented that these actions were based on desire and ignorance. In Buddhism in general whether it be Theravada or Mahayana the taking of a life is a violation of the very first precept. Even the taking of one's own life would be considered an action motivated by obstructive mental states such as loathing, fear, anger and desire. In the case of suicide the despair created by depression and anxiety in all likelihood have the same obstructive emotions at their base.
There is of course a history in the Mahayana tradition of monks committing suicide. This is generally been done I would say without due consideration to the actual teachings of the Buddha. There are some text that actually seemed to praise certain acts of suicide as some kind of religious sacrifice and I think all of these teachings are misguided. The fundamental concept of Buddhism itself is the minding of mind and the observation of mind. Buddhism is fundamentally a tool to accomplish what I call awakening to what others I think due to an error in translation call enlightenment. In any case it is easy to get lost in almost 3000 years of teachings. The taking of life especially one's own is a breach of the fundamental basis of the teachings of Buddha. Of course modern Zen in the West has wandered from many of the basic teachings of the Buddha but I will not address that here.
I am writing this to say that there are events in life that can overcome our perspective and the teachings. A darkness can fall upon the mind that leaves a person into utter despair. Modern science would have us believe that perhaps this is the result of biochemical problems in the brain. I myself believe that Samsara can inflict such suffering on us and a feeling of hopelessness that we feel alone and without hope. So regardless of whether this is simply the nature of our existence or some scientifically explainable biochemical imbalance in our brain it is a reality that many of us must face.
There are two things that you must hold in your mind beyond all others. The first is that there is always someone who can help and the second is that there is always someone you can help. Even if everything the demons that are saying to you are true. Even if you can see no hope for the future if you have taken refuge in the Buddha the Dharma and the Sangha then you must always cling to the fact that you have taken a vow to help others. As long as you can take a breath there other sentient beings that you can help. And as long as you can take a breath there are bodhisattvas out there that can help you.
Reach out.
