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- On Organs Donation
- Translated by Janny Chow from True Buddha
News.
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During his Saturday talk at the Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple on September
13th, 1998, His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng discussed some
questions that many people have found intriguing: will the consciousness
of a donor, at the time of organ harvesting, suffer any pain and
will the spirit be able to remain serene and composed enough to
move on a better rebirth?
According to Buddhist teachings, although many physiological functions
such as respiration and heartbeats have disappeared in a person
who has just died, the consciousness still remains. At this time,
if the body is disturbed or transferred to a refrigerated morgue,
the consciousness will experience pain. Therefore, for about three
days afterwards, the body should not be moved.
And family and friends should refrain from crying and wailing so
as not to cause any emotional suffering in the deceased. It would
be best if they can chant sutras and mantras and speak to the deceased
to remind him to recognize and focus on the pure light of the Buddhas
and not to fall into the lower paths.
But many people in the world now are suffering from severe chronic
illnesses, and they urgently need organ transplant for recovery
or extension of their lives. If someone sprouts a bodhicitta at
the end of his life and wants to make an offering of his cornea,
heart, bone marrow, liver, and kidneys to help other people, then
will such a person's consciousness experience great pain and fear
while those organs are being harvested?
Speaking in a firm tone, Grand Master told the congregation,"
According to instructions from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, if
someone sprouts such a mind to help others, then at the time this
person dies, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will manifest and shine
light to bless this person, mitigating the pain resulted from organ
harvesting, and also guide him or her to be reborn to the pure lands
of the Buddhas." When the congregation heard this, they couldn't
help applauding enthusiastically.
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