Death And The Recollection Of Death

In Buddhism, there are different ways in which death is thought of. One of the ways death is pondered is in the “Recollection of Death” through inference. Buddhism teaches us about not thinking as much as where you’ll go but rather that everyone dies —no one is free from such a fate. Through the idea of death through inference, if someone famous such as a king, warrior, actor, singer, etc., dies, therefore, we all will die. Not even the greatest warrior can escape death. We are all bound to it and regardless of who we are, we all must face it. This is what “By Inference” tries to explain in Buddhism.

The idea of inference may be easy to grasp but perhaps not. We tend to idolize and put people who have become famous on this pedestal. We tend

Some may fear death, the unknown, and what is to come but what is the point of such worries as it is inevitable to all. Just as stated again in the “Recollection of Death” “…’They all fell down before the might of death. What is there need to speak of men like us?’ ” (175). This referring to kings, champions, and great people and while they were put up to this threshold: none could escape death. While death isn’t something that should be looked forward too, everyone to an extent fears death, and yet, it will happen and coming to terms with this is essential in Buddhism. Buddhism teaches the idea to end suffering, to do such one must realize what causes suffering and look to mend it. One of the ways that suffering can be mended is through overcoming the craving for life. Understanding we all are empty and no different from each other. Viewing that one should rid themselves of craving an attachment to life so that they may recognize that we are all empty and therefore rid themselves of suffering. Realizing that we all will die, that not even a king can avoid death, realize this and relinquish attachment to life as what this life is given and cannot be altered in such a