The Zen of Living and Dying: A Practical and Spiritual Guide

I did not pick this book up and decided to read it. The book drew me to it when I most needed it. I was troubled by the illness and possible death of a loved one, and this book demanded my attention and in return offered the best answers, the most thought-provoking arguments, and the most soothing advice for my death-troubled mind. You don't have to be a buddhist to enjoy this book, or even to gain insight from its arguments. Philip Kapleau makes a great job in offering a complete perspective on Death, Dying, and Bereavement. This book is divided into four parts. Part one deals with Death, and it includes, among other things, anecdotes about the death of famous historical figures (Gautama the Buddha, Socrates, Sri Ramana Maharshi, etc.), an analysis on why we fear death, and an interesting, albeit brief, look at the Day of the Dead in Mexico. Part two deals with dying, and it is a compassionate explanation of how our views of death affect the way we will undergo the inevitable process of dying. It shows how this process is only as painful or liberating as we make it, through our views, our beliefs, and our hopes and fears. Part three explains karma. Like I said, you don't have to be buddhist (or of any particular religion, at that), and if there's anything about this book that is outstanding, it is this part. Rational, logical, well-argued, and convincing, it wraps up the discussion on "Existential Aspects of Death" from part one, and leaves the reader with a strange assuredness about the nature of change and renewal inherent to life. Part four looks at rebirth. the last two parts of the book require an open mind if you do not belive/are not familiar with eastern beliefs, but if that is the case, I know of no better place to start learning about this subject than here. Philip Kapleau writes compassionately, from the heart, such way that the reader is never challenged in his beliefs, yet at the same time he drives his point home with unerring accuracy, like a Zen Archer. This book changed my life and the way I look at death and what lies beyond, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Content:

 

Editor’s Note

Acknowlegments

Introduction

A Note on the Drawings

 

Part One: Death (Translate into Vietnamese: Senior Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang)

1.         Existential Aspects of Death (page: 3)

- What is Life, What Is Death

- The Master’s Reactions to Death

- What is “ Birth and Death” ?

- The Force of the Universe

- Why do we fear Death ?

- Ego

- Facing Death Fearlessly

 

2.         Meditations on Death (page: 33)

- Reflections on Death: Eight Points of View

- Meditating on the Word Death

- Meditating on a Death Koan

- A Meditating on Death Using Beads

- The Day of the Dead in Mexico

- Matters of Worldly Anxieties

 

3.         Facing Death (page: 44)

- Socrates

- Duncan Phyfe

- Leah

- Seng-chao

- Sri Ramana Maharshi

- Gautama the Buddha

 

 

Part Two: DYING (Translate into Vietnamese: Senior Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang)

 

4.         The Dying Person and Death (page: 63)

- The Process of Dying

- Daily Dying

- We Die as We Have Lived

- Survival and the Inner Voice

- Should One Struggle Against Death ?

- Dying Well

- Two Different Ways of Dying

 

5.         The Dilemma of Pain (page: 78)

- Exitential Pain

- Physical Pain

 

6.         Suicide and Euthanasia (page: 90)

- Suicide

- Euthanasia

 

7.         To the Terminally Ill (page: 98)

- The Value of Repentance

- Keeping Your Mind Clear

- Breathing to Dispel Anxiety

- The Mind at the Moment od Death

- Reflections on Death

- Meditations for the Dying Person

 

8.         To the Family and Friends of the Dying (page: 108)

- Dying in the Hospital or at Home ?

- The Last Hours of the Dying

 

9.         Cremation or Burial ? (page: 113)

- Six Options for Taking Care of the Body

- Prepaying Your Funeral

- Are Funeral Directiors Necessary ?
- Wakes and Vigils

- The Body;s Presence at the Funeral

- Waiting Until the Life Force Leaves the Body

- Religious Aspects of Cremation

 

10.       Creating the Funeral Service (page: 122)

- The Service

- The Value of Chanting

- Funerals for Newborn Babies

 

Part Three: KARMA  (Translate into Vietnamese: Most Venerable Thich Nhu Dien)

 

11.       Understanding Karma (page: 139)

- Life’s Seeming Injustices

- The Wheel of Life and Death

- Why Believe in Karma ?

- Karma and Causation

- Karma and Intention

- Karma is not Fate

- Primary and Secondary Causes

 

12.       Changing your Karma (page: 146)

- Can “Bad” Karma be Prevented ?

- Simultaneous and Progressive Cause and Effect

- Variable and “Constant” Karma

- Transcending Karma

- Collective Karma

- Lightening the Karmic Burden

- When Others Are Wrong I am Wrong

 

13.       The Interconnectedness of All Life (page: 159)

- We are Our Brothers

- Karma and Suicide

- Karma and Abortion

- Karma and Euthanasia

- Karma and Retribution

- Karma Realized Now and In the Future

- Karma and the Intention to Learn

- Karma and Compassion

- Karma and Change

- Creating Good Karma

 

Part Four: REBIRTH (Translate into Vietnamese: Most Venerable Thich Nhu Dien)

 

14.       The Case for Rebirth (page: 175)

- What lies Beyond ?

- Belief in Afterlife

- The Intermediate Realm

- Rebirth Distinguished from Reincarnation

- What passes Over ?

- The Power of Will

- Can Fear Be Carried from Life to Life ?

- Remembering Past Lives

 

15.       Futher Implications of Rebirth (page: 196)

- The Moral Effects

- Heredity, Environment or karma

- Parents, Children and Rebirth

- Rebirth and Special Affinities and Aptitudes

- Near Death Experiences

 

APPENDIXES (page: 209)

Appendix A: Living

-          Living with Teachnology

-          The Rise of Patient Autonomy

-          Advance Direction

-          Physician Assistance for the Dying

 

Appendix B: Hospice Care

 

Appendix C: What to Do upon Someone’s Death: A Checklist

 

Appendix D: Consoling the Bereaved: Do’s and Don’t

 

Appendix E: Meditation (page:  227)

-          What is Meditaion ?

-          Meditation at Rest and in Motion

 

Notes (page:  233)

Glossary

Bibliography

Index