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that must be a terrible way to go.
by make3 5y ago
that must be a terrible way to go.
- hackernewds 5y agoit should be. and then you watch these monks with absolute mental control just sitting in the fire meditating until they're ash
- sixQuarks 5y agoThis is one of the most fascinating things. It is close to a real life miracle in my opinion. To not even move when you’re experiencing that level of pain, it’s awe inspiring
- suifbwish 5y agoThey have the ability to turn off their pain entirely so it’s less of a miracle than if they were experiencing it.
- justinpowers 5y agoThey don’t “turn off” pain. Likely, they either objectify it (i.e. dispassionately observe the experience of pain) or ignore it (i.e. focus on a separate sensation) or dilute it (i.e. focus on “nothing” or alternatively, the all-encompassing sensation of “being”, the “now”, so that the experience of the pain is not the sole focus of their attention).
- emptysongglass 5y agoIf the sense door of anatta [1] I walked through almost a decade ago now is any indication it's the former. The pain is still pain and as vivid but because not-you there's no clinging therefore no suffering. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anattā https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anattā
- joeberon 5y ago
- bena 5y agoThey are experiencing it. Just because you aren't letting the pain dictate your actions, it doesn't mean you aren't experiencing it. It's about not letting your reflexes override your control.
- treeman79 5y agoIt’s absolutely shocking how much pain you can be in before losing control if your willpower is strong enough.
- emptysongglass 5y agoThere's no control to lose. There's no one suffering. The willpower to arrive at the experience is shocking but there's no sustaining of will once arrived at.
- pvaldes 5y ago> It’s shocking how much pain you can be in if your willpower is strong enough. Or you are drugged with something strong enough. A much simpler explanation that doesn't require to believe in guys developing supernatural superpowers.
- treeman79 5y agoI was speaking from personal experience. Including having my insides burned away for multiple minutes without numbing agent. Stupid doctor. Really bad kidney stone comes somewhat close to that. Or severe nerve damage that causes every waking moment to be a nightmare. That one isn’t Not as bad acute as kidney pain. But it lasts a long time and doctors always think your faking. One can build up a lot of tolerance.
- pvaldes 5y agoI'm sorry for your experience. Colon cancer treatment, I guess?. Hope you are better now.
- pvaldes 5y ago
- Aunche 5y agoAm I the only one who is deeply uncomfortable with the glorification of self-immolation in Tibet? These are nearly always young men, often times teenagers. One must question what sort of upbringing they must of had to sacrifice their life in that way for the sake of their religion.
- cycrutchfield 5y agoFor the sake of their religion? Or for the sake of their freedom?
- exolymph 5y agoIn a religious value system, to die for one's faith is the utmost privilege, a combined ordeal and honor to which most of us are not equal. Martyrs demonstrate absolute devotion and dedication — and they demonstrate the true cost of principles, which most of us refuse to pay. They shame and inspire us.
- maronato 5y ago> In the Buddhist belief, life is not confined to a period of 60 or 80 or 100 years: life is eternal. Life is not confined to this body: life is universal. To express will by burning oneself, therefore, is not to commit an act of destruction but to perform an act of construction, i.e., to suffer and to die for the sake of one’s people. https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters/in-search-of-the-enemy-of-man/ https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters/in-sea...
- collyw 5y agoGot to remember that Buddhists believe they they will be reborn.
- BuildTheRobots 5y agoMy understanding is that it's pretty much the worst way to go, and only really gets used by people trying to make a (usually political) statement. It also has form in this region - see Thích Quảng Đức. A desperate last stand to try and make a statement about censorship and repression, which ironically seems to have had all evidence censored and repressed. Truly awful.
- yumraj 5y agothat in itself should tell what the alternate was that the person chose to end his life like this over living like that.