What is the Buddhist attitude towards suicide?
According to the Buddhist doctrine, a man cannot avoid suffering by taking his own life, nor can he escape from samsara (cycles of death and rebirth) by so doing. The destruction of the physical body merely transfers the entity to another body or sphere of existence, and an unfavorable rebirth usually follows. Physical life is considered of great importance, as it is only here that the way of liberation can be followed and enlightenment attained. Taking one’s own life, therefore, is not only a waste of opportunity, but also an offense of killing that creates more unwholesome karma. As life was given to us by our parents to whom we should be grateful, the taking of one’s life is an extremely disrespectful and disloyal act. Voluntary sacrifice of one’s life for the welfare of others is considered meritorious, the motive being altruistic. People are bound to face a lot of difficulties and stress in life. A way to reduce stress is to talk to people who can render help and give advice. In B
