I am not afraid of death. Though not yet totally clear, but I can feel my destiny. Death is just the end of my physical existence, the destruction of my body form. Even if I die now, I will come back to earth, stronger than before, in another incarnation, and continue my journey, till my destiny is realized. What happens afterward, I don't know.
That's why I never collect stuff. I minimize my worldly belongings. For me, collecting is a bad hobby. It makes you hang onto things too much. You long for what you don't have, and you become too protective of what you own. Possessiveness makes people blind.
I need mobility and efficiency. I must be able to pack my bag within one hour and be ready to leave. Even my body will perish, why should I accumulate other stuff? They are merely burdens that you have to drag with you.
Therefore, I never spend money on souvenirs, and I never save gift cards. If people give me presents, it should better be things I can eat or use. I do collect one thing: experience. Experiences will not add to the weight of your luggages. Instead, it strengthens your wisdom.
Not being afraid of death does not mean taking life lightly. I take life very seriously because I know how difficult and lucky it is for a person to get to this point.
Be a nomad. Move on. Death is merely one point in the cycle.
2 comments:
So you agree with Buddhism that our humans are caught up in the cycly of life ? ...
Hmm, though I also prefer minimum belongings, still feel you are so indifferent and even harsh the moment you said that you didn't collect presents given by others ... Hope you will find the stuff or the thought that you cannot give up easily one day though I am not sure if you currently expect such things to happen...
Zilong.... I appreciate your thoughts on it. Being a buddhist I am familliar with such view points but now let me express some of the points which I think is important in trying to analyze the acceptance of death and possession.
The act of not collecting stuff in itself is not enough to validate the fact that one does accept the reality of death. nor does the act of doing so prove that you donot accept death. Collecting memories and collecting materialistic things will not necessarily led to disillusionment of the reality of death. In fact it might help you regain meaningful memories of your life which you have been blessed with which in turn might give you strength to face death.
Otherwise if you look at the other side of not collecting memories, humans have the tendency of forgetting the most meaningful moments in life. A picture can tell you so much of what you have in life. A picture of one's dad or family gives so much of pain and joy that enables you to either feel the shittest in life or the strength to go on in life. The option to feel the emotions, experience it has to be there.
It is not in the acts such as not collecting memories or soveneuirs that one should accept the reality of death and disapearance of one's worldly possession. It is in one's spirit that one should keenly hold onto that reality while still being appreciative of what one has and will not have in life. That is the beauty of holding onto possessions and memories. It is because we have so little time to have it that its meaning expandsss..
Be a nomad ! yes that is true but while going through the cycle never be afraid to appreciate the beautiful things you have in life in fear of losing them. Because as you have indicated nothing is permanent. You might as well enjoy it, live it and love it while you can because at the end it is not an option: it all dissappears. :D
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