How to die properly – What we can learn from the monks! Fathers and Grandfathers show us how to die!
An old story from the zen monastery on how to die properly. A monk who suffered severely from tuberculosis prepared his back sack to leave today. Although he wasn't well enough to practice meditation, he practiced hard anyway. He began coughing up blood yesterday. He had to leave.
He tried very hard to smile even when he was coughing blood. This was admirable. He was a forty-something zen monk who entered a monastery as a child. Had no place to support him. Although he said that he didn't know where to go, he didn't appear discouraged or concerned. He just showed quiet acceptance.
How to die properly? Encouraged
A fundraising effort was suggested by the head monk. Despite the dire circumstances of zen monks, every monk dug into their pockets and bags and offered the little they had. Didn't have enough money to enter a hospital or a tuberculosis sanatorium, only enough for first-aid treatment.
He put on his back sack, thanking us for our generosity. He said he was very sorry to distract the zen practice, and begged for forgiveness. Coughing, he left alone the narrow mountain trail in the snow. The trail was like the course of time. It's a way of no return and probably a path to the other world.
Where does life come from? Where does life go? There is no guarantee that I won't be in the same situation as the sick monk.
