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Editorial


           Lessons from the death of



           Great Masters




           Four months into 2023, we lost two of the world’s   As practitioners of the Buddhadharma, what lessons
           great Buddhist masters. Master Hsing Yun of Fo Guang   can we learn from the passing of such great masters?
           Shan passed away on February 5, 2023 at the age of   First and foremost, I believe even though they have left
           96. On April 13, 2023, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche,   us physically, they left behind their teachings and core
           most widely known as the founder of the international   advice for us to live our lives with kindness, compassion,
           Buddhist community, Foundation for the Preservation   and wisdom.
           of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), died in Nepal. It
           is a sad occasion for the close students and disciples   So just as we reflect on the passing of great masters,
           of these two great Buddhist masters, as well as for   let us remember their key advice to us. Master Hsing
           thousands of others throughout the world who have   Yun constantly encouraged his students and disciples
           benefitted from the many religious and social welfare   to practice the Four Givings – [1]. Give others faith, for
           projects carried out by organizations established by   faith is the source of power. [2]. Give others hope, for
           both Masters to benefit sentient beings.           hope is a catalyst. [3]. Give others joy, for joy can be
                                                              infectious, and [4]. Give others convenience, so that
           In the Upajjaththana Sutta, AN 5.57, the Buddha advised   sentient beings may be guided towards a world that is
           all of us to contemplate wisely on a daily basis five   truthful, virtuous, and beautiful.
           things: “I am subject to aging; I am subject to illness;
           I am subject to death; I must be separated and parted   Likewise, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who is the embodiment
           from all that is dear and beloved to me; and I am the   of bodhicitta, has always stressed the importance of
           owner of my actions”. By reflecting on death, we can   remembering impermanence, and the need to put the
           appreciate that everything is always changing, and will   teachings into practice. My favorite teaching of Lama
           treat life in a more peaceful and balanced way.    Zopa Rinpoche is found in his book Transforming
                                                              Problems into Happiness which has been a source of
           Atul Gawande’s best-selling book Being Mortal has   great inspiration for my practice ever since Rinpoche
           shown us that we have done a great job of curing   presented it to me as a gift of Dharma when I first met
           illnesses, managing pain, and helping people to live   him in 1996 in Malaysia.
           longer, but we still haven’t figured out how to deal
           gracefully with death. That is why even though we know   Finally, let us always bear in mind the Buddha’s last
           that we will die, yet we spend much of our lives trying   words in the Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta, DN 16: All
           very hard not to think about it. But is it wise to ignore   conditioned things are subject to change, strive on with
           death? Could we live better if we spent more time   heedfulness!”
           thinking about our own mortality?
                                                              May all be well and happy!! EH
           Our daily practices of mindfulness and compassion will
           result in wholesome mental, emotional, and physical   Benny Liow
           qualities that will prepare us to meet the inevitable.   April 16, 2023
           When we understand life wisely, we will see death as
           the final stage of growth.
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