Answer: Life is
already a fatal disease for every unenlightened human, whether vegetarian or
not, Buddhist or not. It has
never been the case that all Buddhists will not get sick or die. In fact, in the Buddha’s time, there were
only a few disciples who never got sick in their entire long lives. (One of
them was Ananda, the Buddha’s personal attendant.) This was due to their very
strong compassion and positive karma, as partially created in their lives then,
and partially accumulated from their previous lives. Being able to depart not
due to sickness (but of old age naturally) likewise requires much positive
karma. Also, although many in the Buddha’s time attained liberation from the
cycle of birth and death, many others who encountered the Buddha’s teachings
did not straightaway transcend death. This is so as they needed more time to
master the teachings taught.
We ought to remember that the First Noble Truth taught by the
Buddha includes the inevitability of birth, ageing, sickness and death for the
unenlightened. We also
have ripening negative karma from past lives to deal with. For instance, while some Buddhist
vegetarians’ lifespans might not seem particularly longer or healthier than
average, they could have lived less and in more sickly ways if they did not
turn vegetarian, which does create positive karma to dilute existing negative
karma’s effects. The severity of sicknesses and pains involved could be less
and better handled than others too. All in all, faith aside, it is
statistically true that vegetarians, or better yet, vegans, have longer average
lifespans with better health than others. (Note than vegetarians who still
consume dairy products still remain susceptible to bone-related diseases,
cancer and such.)
Although they are invaluable practices, being Buddhist is not merely about
praying to Buddha and not eating animals. Buddhist practice also
includes learning the more profound teachings well, for cultivating purer
conduct in thought, speech and action with greater compassion and wisdom. Those
who truly practise the Buddha’s teachings well can indeed lessen suffering of
ageing, sickness and death, even if not yet enlightened. They are able to age
more graciously with less physical and mental ailments, and depart peacefully,
or even blissfully, as in the case of proficient Pure Land practitioners, even
possibly skipping severe ageing, sickness and the usual dying process. Upon
reaching Amituofo’s (Amitabha Buddha) Pure Land for further training towards
guaranteed enlightenment, even before attaining liberation in terms of
enlightenment, they will already be liberated (or ‘cured’) from the suffering
of ageing, sickness and death.
Source : Posted by Shen Shi'an on March 9, 2016
The Daily Enlightenment.com
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