Do Buddhists Fear Death More Than Others?

TL;DR

Research indicates that Buddhists, who adhere to the doctrine of no self, actually exhibit a greater fear of death and the destruction of the self compared to Americans and Indians. This paradox suggests that their focus on dismantling the self may lead to increased attachment rather than the intended reduction in selfishness and fear.

Transcript

around the era of that cognitive science was born there was a lot of debate in in the United States as Eastern traditions on their way in as to whether the self was fundamental or not whether we could deconstruct the self whether the self could even disappear which was for the aspiration within the least the folk psychology of many Eastern traditio... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥺 Buddhist doctrine teaches that the self is an illusion that can be dismantled, leading to less selfishness and fear of death.
• 🤳 Research conducted in Tibet shows that Tibetan Buddhists are paradoxically more afraid of death and the destruction of the self.
• 🛟 Tibetan Buddhists are less generous when it comes to sharing life-saving medicine compared to Americans and Indians.
• 🤳 The relentless focus on the destruction of the self may create fear and attachment to the self, contradicting the goal of Buddhist teachings.
• 🤨 The research raises questions about the effectiveness and desirability of completely dismantling the illusion of the self.
• 🤳 Fear of the destruction of the self may be a result of the continuous emphasis on the impermanence of the self in Buddhist teachings.
• 🤳 Attachment to the self may be a natural response to the fear of losing the self, even if it is an illusion.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Buddhist doctrine view the concept of self?

Buddhist doctrine teaches that the self is an illusion and there is no persisting self over time. The goal is to let go of this sense of self to become less selfish and less afraid of death.

Q: What were the findings of the research conducted in Tibet?

The research showed that Tibetan Buddhists are paradoxically more afraid of death and the destruction of the self. They are less generous in comparison to American and Indian subjects when it comes to sharing life-saving medicine.

Q: Why are Buddhists more afraid of the destruction of the self?

One possible explanation is that the relentless focus on the destruction of the self may actually create fear and attachment to the self. This contradicts the goal of dismantling the self and achieving a state of enlightenment.

Q: Should the goal of destroying the illusion of the self be reconsidered?

The research suggests that the goal of destroying the illusion of the self may not be as worthy as previously believed. While the self may be an illusion, focusing too much on its destruction may lead to fear and attachment.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Buddhist doctrine teaches that the self is an illusion and by dismantling it, one can become less selfish and less afraid of death.

• Research conducted in Tibet reveals that Buddhists are actually more afraid of the destruction of the self and are not as generous as compared to Americans and Indians.

• The relentless focus on the continuous destruction of the self may be causing fear and attachment to the self rather than achieving the desired goal.