The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.
27 September 2024
Question: I am going to a remote monastery in Canada. It will be very cold and there will be no phone connection and the cabins are very secluded. I think it will be a good opportunity but I have a fear of death while being there because I’m used to being able to use my phone in case of emergency. How should I deal with this fear of death if I am faced with death while being there?
Than Ajahn: Well, that’s because you think you are safe here now, but in reality, you can also die here, at any time. Even with the phone, with the hospital nearby, and with all the help that you can get to help you, you can still die wherever you are. So, you have to think that death is always a possibility everywhere regardless of where you go because you cannot foresee the circumstances of your death. So, don’t worry about where you go. As long as you can keep breathing, you stay alive. Just keep watching your breath and keep breathing, then you will not die.
Should you stop breathing, then that’s when your body stops functioning. And you still don’t die, because you are a spiritual being. You will then leave this body and go to a new body if you still have cravings. If you no longer have any cravings, then you’ll go to nibbāna. So, there is no need to be afraid of death.
Death is just a transformation of your body, from one body to the next body. It’s like a transplant of the body, you change a new body; when the old body die, then you go look for a new body.
You are a spiritual being. You don’t die with the body. So, don’t worry about death because you can die right now, where you are, and nobody can help you, even when the hospital is nearby, or with the telephone next to you. Should you die, should your body stop functioning, nothing can help you—think like this, then you will not be afraid of being in a remote place. Because it’s the same, death can happen anywhere, in a remote place or in a place where there are plenty of supports, people still die.
“Dhamma in English, Oct 17, 2021.”
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Question: How does one get rid of fear?
Than Ajahn: Well, there are a couple ways to conquer fear. If you happen to be feeling fearful, you can use a mantra to stop your fear. When you keep reciting a mantra and don’t let your mind think about the things that make you fearful, then the fear will disappear. So, just keep reciting a mantra: Buddho, Buddho, Buddho. Or, you can chant, recite any chants you like.
Your fear arises from your thoughts. If you keep thinking about ghosts, then you’ll think that the ghosts are coming to you. If you stop thinking about ghosts, like right now then you will not be afraid. But if you happen to stay here alone at night, you will start thinking that there are ghosts around here and when you start thinking about ghosts, you’ll become afraid. When you become afraid, the Buddha said that you should chant or recite a mantra to stop your thoughts from creating the fear. When you are chanting, you are not thinking about the things that make you afraid, and the fear will disappear when your mind becomes calm: this is the first method.
The second method is to use the truth to conquer fear. What are you afraid of? The worst thing that can happen to you is death, right? But you cannot run away from death anyway, because sooner or later, you’re going to have to die. If you accept that this is the time for you to die, then you let it be. If you can accept death, you will not be afraid of anything. So, there are 2 methods that you can use to conquer fear.
“Dhamma in English, Jan 12, 2019.”
By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
YouTube: Dhamma in English.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g
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