Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
User156079
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Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by User156079 »

If one was to stop eating would that be considered suicide?
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bodom
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by bodom »

User156079 wrote:If one was to stop eating would that be considered suicide?
As always it depends on ones intention for doing so.

:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
User156079
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by User156079 »

bodom wrote: As always it depends on ones intention for doing so.
:
Intention is to die of course. I am not very motivated to keep at it, seems like a good option to stop eating.
Sumanā obtained the Second Fruit of the Path, but remained unmarried. Overwhelmed with disappointment because of her failure in finding a husband, she refused to eat and died and was reborn in Tusita (

Kind of like that but for different reasons.
I am guessing it is blameworthy but i am not sure if it is such a big deal. Perhaps if one was to stop eating it is somehow less blameworthy.
Last edited by User156079 on Tue Jun 20, 2017 7:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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bodom
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by bodom »

User156079 wrote:
bodom wrote: As always it depends on ones intention for doing so.
:
Intention is to die of course. I am not very motivated to keep at it, seems like a good option to stop eating.
Sumanā obtained the Second Fruit of the Path, but remained unmarried. Overwhelmed with disappointment because of her failure in finding a husband, she refused to eat and died and was reborn in Tusita (

Kind of like that but for different reasons.
Are you telling us that your contemplating suicide by starving yourself?

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
User156079
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by User156079 »

bodom wrote: Are you telling us that your contemplating suicide by starving yourself?

:anjali:
Yes i am. I am not inclined to do it as i think it is blameworthy but i am not sure if it is such a big deal and it might be a viable option in future. Perhaps if one was to stop eating it is somehow less blameworthy than other ways to suicide. inb4 get professional help:P
SarathW
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by SarathW »

Intention to suicide is the result of anger.
We should practice loving kindness.
Why do you want to kill something dying?
It will eventually die.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
User156079
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by User156079 »

SarathW wrote: Why do you want to kill something dying?
good point.
Guess i am just a bit overwhelmed today by curcumstances. Arahantship first then stop eating imo:)
Caodemarte
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by Caodemarte »

User156079 wrote:
SarathW wrote: Why do you want to kill something dying?
good point.
Guess i am just a bit overwhelmed today by curcumstances. Arahantship first then stop eating imo:)
The intent to die makes it suicide. If you have such a desire please, please contact a professional, even an anonymous suicide hot line in whatever country you live. That would be a Buddhist response.
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by DNS »

Caodemarte wrote:
User156079 wrote:
SarathW wrote: Why do you want to kill something dying?
good point.
Guess i am just a bit overwhelmed today by curcumstances. Arahantship first then stop eating imo:)
The intent to die makes it suicide. If you have such a desire please, please contact a professional, even an anonymous suicide hot line in whatever country you live. That would be a Buddhist response.
Yes, definitely seek professional help. If you need assistance locating one, contact me via PM or email.

The Jains have a practice of Sallekhanā where they starve to death, but even for them it is very rare and typically at the end of their life when they are terminal (physically), a sort of euthanasia. It sounds like it is just some emotional things going on now, which of course is very temporary.
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by Digity »

Want to share with us what's upsetting you? It might help to get it off your chest. If you don't wish to share I totally understand and don't blame you. I just thought it might help. I hope you don't go through with this plan...it would not be a wise thing to do.
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by User156079 »

Digity wrote:Want to share with us what's upsetting you? It might help to get it off your chest. If you don't wish to share I totally understand and don't blame you.
I don't think getting too much into details would be appropriate but there are several things that i don't like. I am disliking the [lay] state i am in and ordination just seems to be natural thing to do now but there are plenty issues with that. I am becoming weary of communicating in general and ordination seems like a "meh" thing to do rather than something i am excited about albeit it is also most natural to do because i don't really fit in very well but i probably wont fit it with most monastics either. I am really not much interested in talking to anybody, sensuality or even listening to Dhamma nowadays. I have become relatively extremely anti-social, it is great and i value the solitude but it is very weird for a lay person and people don't get it. I don't really fit it in at all but at the same time i am very fortunate to be where i am at. Best days of my life are the ones i spend meditating all day but those are also the most difficult ones. My life goal is Attaining Path but there are still things i want to do in particular making money to pay off debt and "buying freedom" one way or another, be it ordination or just a long term intensive retreat to finally crush it. It is just weird to work towards something that i don't ultimately value much but the alternative is to crush meditate in the lay state but then i die if Arahantship is attained anyway, however i cant do both things. Thinking along these lines is what made me think of suicide but i realize it is a stupid idea because a new birth does not ultimately solve anything and there is no shortcut and it is probably a huge detour and will lead back to the same obstacle eventually. I can't really talk to anybody about it anyway because there is just too much to explain and i cant be bothered really. It is just difficult to meditate and I am lazy nowadays i guess, for the most part i want to finish it and do the work but i am also lazy and want to keep postponing it.
I am just ranting really i am sure it will change.
Digity wrote: I hope you don't go through with this plan...it would not be a wise thing to do.
I am just casually thinking about it there is no plan to do it.
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by Digity »

Just make sure you're not using your solitude as a way to avoid life. I'm guilty of doing this myself in the past. If you feel like you don't fit in or feel misunderstood then it's possible that this could be part of what's motivating your desire for solitude. If so, it's not healthy. Not saying this is your issue, but it's at least something worth looking at.

If you have debt then I'd focus on taking care of it. It's probably best to have your house in order before ordaining. I've tried to exert myself in the past with meditation and it sort of backfired. I think it's good to exert yourself, to a degree. If you go too far though you risk running into problems. So, I'd be careful about trying to "crush" it. At the very least, you should have the guidance of a teacher you trust if you're going to try and push yourself that much.
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Circle5
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by Circle5 »

I would suggest this topic: https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=18275
Such things happen quite often with "meditation".

Rather than "meditating" in ways not taught by the Buddha (mahasi, goenka) I would suggest reading the dhamma (the 4 nikayas). It is by far the best thing I ever did as a buddhist. Monks of the past used to memorize them.

Buddha said wisdom is by far the most important quality, not calmness. Rather than developing calmness, try to develop wisdom. It is difficult to read and contemplate such long material but "meditating" is also difficult and takes time. And developing wisdom is actually more interesting and more motivating. This is what I strongly suggest doing. One who has wisdom will know how to fix any problems.

Without wisdom, problems can arise. I repeat, Buddha repeated many times that wisdom is by far the most important quality, not calmness, not compassion, not other things.
denise
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by denise »

a friend loaned me an e-book about "ACEDIA" a few weeks ago.....eye opening.... :thinking:
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TLCD96
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Re: Stopping eating considered a suicide?

Post by TLCD96 »

User156079 wrote:
Digity wrote:Want to share with us what's upsetting you? It might help to get it off your chest. If you don't wish to share I totally understand and don't blame you.
I don't think getting too much into details would be appropriate but there are several things that i don't like. I am disliking the [lay] state i am in and ordination just seems to be natural thing to do now but there are plenty issues with that. I am becoming weary of communicating in general and ordination seems like a "meh" thing to do rather than something i am excited about albeit it is also most natural to do because i don't really fit in very well but i probably wont fit it with most monastics either. I am really not much interested in talking to anybody, sensuality or even listening to Dhamma nowadays. I have become relatively extremely anti-social, it is great and i value the solitude but it is very weird for a lay person and people don't get it. I don't really fit it in at all but at the same time i am very fortunate to be where i am at. Best days of my life are the ones i spend meditating all day but those are also the most difficult ones. My life goal is Attaining Path but there are still things i want to do in particular making money to pay off debt and "buying freedom" one way or another, be it ordination or just a long term intensive retreat to finally crush it. It is just weird to work towards something that i don't ultimately value much but the alternative is to crush meditate in the lay state but then i die if Arahantship is attained anyway, however i cant do both things. Thinking along these lines is what made me think of suicide but i realize it is a stupid idea because a new birth does not ultimately solve anything and there is no shortcut and it is probably a huge detour and will lead back to the same obstacle eventually. I can't really talk to anybody about it anyway because there is just too much to explain and i cant be bothered really. It is just difficult to meditate and I am lazy nowadays i guess, for the most part i want to finish it and do the work but i am also lazy and want to keep postponing it.
I am just ranting really i am sure it will change.
Digity wrote: I hope you don't go through with this plan...it would not be a wise thing to do.
I am just casually thinking about it there is no plan to do it.
In some ways, I think my situation is comparable to yours: I'm not particularly fond of my living situation, I have trouble fitting in and incline to solitude, have had some suicidal thoughts, and can also go on about my "personal problems". I also have a great intention to ordain, which is not going to happen (right now) because - according to the abbot I talked with at a monastery - I'm too immature, even though I have a job and other things. Without a doubt, monasticism is a hard place to get to but certainly a very attractive one - it's hard to think of a better environment for personal practice. Having spent 7 months at a monastery, I'll say that it's far more fruitful than pure seclusion, at least at my stage in the practice.

And so I would say to get beyond the desire for solitude. Despite the impurity of modern society, despite the sense of security that can be found with being alone, despite the difficulties which (inherently) surround communication, and as much as we like to think we can practice without anyone to help... it's worth getting out there and learning how to be with people. "Spiritual friendship is the whole of the holy life," the Buddha has said. And you're bound to meet all sorts of inspiring and supporting people while also learning more about yourself.

The Buddha also said that for one with good spiritual friends, it can be expected that they'll attain the path. And I think getting out there (whether that means visiting a monastery or not) is a great way to begin to understand what it means to "cultivate the good and abandon the bad".
All of us are bound by birth, aging, and death.
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