I once went to visit a woman in hospital ... - Dhamma by Ajahn Jayasāro
I once went to visit a woman in hospital. She was suffering from cancer and had only a few days left to live. There was no flesh on her limbs but her abdomen was swollen as if she was heavily pregnant. None of the family members in the room could accept that a death was about to occur. The word ‘cancer’ had never been spoken. The woman herself said that when she recovered, she hoped to become a nun for some time.
I had not been invited to speak bluntly. But I also could not support this charade. I said to the dying woman that it was natural for every sick person to hope to recover. But the Buddha warned us against being complacent. The wise person does not let her mind dwell only on the outcome she desires. She prepares her mind to accept all possible outcomes: both the one she wishes for and the one she fears. A full recovery would be wonderful. But being wise means being ready for whatever happens. And to do that requires us to practise calming the mind with meditation.
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