It is a matter of life and death

It is a matter of life and death. This is what we often hear people say in times of urgency. Have you wondered whether life and death matter to us?

The study of religion often brings in life and death. In Buddhism, for example, the whole teaching is about birth and death with karma being its essence. If we really understand the teachings of Buddhism we will not be afraid of death because we are prepared for it.

In Mahayanist Buddhism, there is a short-cut whereby a follower of Buddha can chant the name of Amitabha Buddha sincerely, believe in the existence of the Realm of Eastern Bliss, and vow to go there after death. Once he or she is there, he or she is in a very conducive environment to continue his practice until Buddhahood is realised. Of course one has to do good and abstain from evil all the time before death to fulfill the requirement to have a place in the Realm of Eastern Bliss.