Someone who does not want to donate his organs and admits that does not seem to be an egoist. But organ donation is not self-evident for everyone and has a much greater meaning for many people. Organ donation is not self-evident, especially for Buddhists, Hindus and others who believe in reincarnation. There are also people who, without any religious ideas, believe that you should leave someone who has died alone. Here are the pros and cons of Buddhists when it comes to organ donation.
Buddhism and organ donation
In Buddhism, organ donation is a difficult issue. The vision of life is based on the fact that the human body and mind together form a unity. This means that if an organ is donated after death, it is no longer a whole. The fact that organ donation assumes brain death also goes against this idea. Organ removal would also dishonor the body. The point, however, is that Buddhism also primarily stands for compassion and compassion. Within those two details, donor donation would be allowed again.
Disruption of the dying process during organ donation
Organ donation can be seen by Buddhists as a disruption of the dying process. This is because there is very little time between physical death and the removal of the organs. Buddhists believe that the spirit needs time to leave the body. If the organs are removed quickly, it is not certain whether consciousness has already left the body. In Buddhism, dying is not only a physical process, but above all a spiritual process that must take place in peace. This cannot be the case with organ donation. Moreover, things like compassion and kindness, which are so important in Buddhism, are missing. As a result, consciousness can be distracted and rebirth, which Buddhism also assumes, can be negatively influenced.
Rapid death in which consciousness may quickly leave the body
Some Buddhist scholars indicate that it depends on a person’s death whether or not organ donation could proceed. For example, according to some, in the event of a quick, unexpected death, consciousness might immediately leave the body. In that case it would be easier to donate an organ as a Buddhist.
More developed person
Some Buddhists have taken the view that the more spiritually developed the deceased was and the more insight he had acquired, the less disruption will be caused by organ donation. However, it is also noted that there are few people who have reached such a high level that their mind is not disturbed if their body is cut. This is an important reason for many Buddhists not to choose organ donation. By the way, there are also teachings that say that highly developed Buddhist teachings who die upright and are in deep contemplation should not be touched at all, while many less developed people notice much less of touching or cutting.
Organ donation disrupts the dying process and makes letting go much more difficult
Other schools of thought indicate that the dying process is disrupted too much by organ donation. This is because a person has a tendency to be attached to all kinds of things, but also to their own organs. Removing an organ would greatly hinder the process of letting go. Because the person in question is very attached to his organ, he cannot end life properly and this means that he cannot grow further and reach a higher level of consciousness. But that would not only be bad for the person who donates the organs, but also not for the person who receives the organs. This would mean that there would still be a connection with the donor.