The Fantasy of Dying

The human fascination with, or fear of, death is as old as humanity itself. From the mantras, shlokas, and texts of Shrutis revealed to ancient sages and recorded in the Vedas, Upanishads, Mahakavyas, Puranas, Darshan Shastras; from rituals performed to appease tribal, ancient, and other gods and passed down from generation to generation; from the earliest cave paintings depicting scenes of life, death, and the afterlife; from written texts on papyrus, clay, or stone tablets; from intellectual discourses in the philosophical treatises of great philosophers, theologians, statesmen, and literary giants; to the scientific analyses of modern times, our species has consistently engaged in a dialogue with mortality.

In the search for immortality, in the light of day or the shade of night, in actions judged right or wrong more often by the mind than by intellect, in the seducing and tempting stupor of worldliness or the sacrament of penance, humanity has repeatedly stumbled upon the inevitability of mortality.

“Analysis of death is not for the sake of becoming fearful, but to appreciate this precious lifetime.” These words of the Dalai Lama answer our often unfounded fear of death and render this deeply engaging topic even more meaningful and fascinating.

The Sutras mention Abhinivesha, a Sanskrit word meaning “will to live,” indirectly referring to the fear of death and the clinging to life. Thus, the fear of death is essentially the fear of losing that attachment, the fear of losing that desire itself. All religions and philosophical commentaries state that life is filled with misery if one has not understood the truth