S: Message to friend discussing about 2012: “We might die the next second! Between now and 2012 or beyond, many will definitely die of various karmic reasons, and there is no guarantee it might not be us. Amituofo!’ (‘To live fully in this moment, assume that death is possible in this moment.” – Stonepeace)
From http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2009/11/a-buddhist-perspective-of-2012 : “Though there is no Buddhist prophecy of any special upcoming event in 2012, I can no longer hide a universally true prophecy. Here is it… Due to impending death and the uncertainty of when it arrives, we might die any time before 2012. We might even pass away today, for life is uncertain, while death is certain. Whether you believe something ill will happen in 2012 or not, it always makes sense to live life fully with the Dharma – NOW. Since Buddhists believe in the phenomenon of rebirth, of both sentient lives and entire world systems, the physical ‘end of the world’ is to us, somewhat overhyped, while it is end of our spiritual life that is the most truly terrifying. As the Buddha exhorted in his last words, ‘Subject to change are all conditioned things. Strive on with diligence!’'”
H: There are days when this message rings out loud. There are other days when this does – ‘Don’t live every day as if it were your last. Live every day as if it were your first.’ Trying to practise the ‘Middle Way’…
S: If we live every day as if it’s our first, we might become attached to wanting more new experiences. If we live every day as if it’s our last, we learn to savour every experience as it is, while not being attached.
‘Because everything changes from moment to moment,
we should treasure everything in this moment.
Because everything changes from moment to moment,
we should not be attached to anything in this moment.’ – Stonepeace
This is the Middle Way.
J: I think of living every day as if it’s our first, similar to Zen mind, a beginner’s mind. That each day is a fresh new beginning, though at the same time, it may also be our very last. Not to fear, not to rejoice, not to cling, just to live, fully in every moment.
S: Yes! For Zen beginner’s mind, every moment (not just day) is new, but slipping away too.
X: Every next second is a potential 2012 even if this world is still in existence after 2012.
M: The world might not end in 2012. But it does not exclude the possibility of a major catastrophe. It is said that there will be survivors of this catastrophe, hence it is not the end of the world.
S: Hmmm… A catastrophe is major for us if it affects us as individuals. In Thailand, hundreds died from floods recently. It’s already catastrophic enough for them. It’s not the end of the world for us too, and we are already survivors. The possibility of such a major catastrophe is present every day. I think it’s not very healthy to cling to the belief that 20.12.2012 is a special day reserved for ‘us’, because 18.10.2011 could be just as ‘special’ a day for us as individuals karmically.
Related Articles:
HHDL on 2012
http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/12/01/36052167.html
Buddhist Review of Movie ’2012′
https://moonpointer.com/new/2009/11/a-buddhist-perspective-of-2012
A Buddhist Pre-Review of ’2012′
https://moonpointer.com/new/2008/12/2012-end-of-days
Would You Prefer to Know When You’ll Die?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thedailyenlightenment-realisation/message/349
Always Living in the End of Days
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thedailyenlightenment-realisation/message/348