Buddhist Council of Western Australia Inc.

The Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation will be introduced to State Parliament next month and the Management Committee of the Buddhist Council of WA agrees in principle the proposed Voluntary Assisted Dying Legislation. Information about this can be obtained by following this link of the Department of Health.

The Committee supports the following statement made by the Buddhist Council of Victoria:

View on Assisted Dying Framework

In​ ​the​ ​teaching​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Buddha,​ ​human​ ​life​ ​is​ ​seen​ ​as​ ​both​ ​precious​ ​and​ ​rare.  Upon​ ​being​ ​born​ ​as​ ​human,​ ​due​ ​to​ ​causes​ ​and​ ​conditions,​ ​the​ ​teaching  encourages​ ​taking​ ​responsibility​ ​for​ ​one’s​ ​own​ ​actions.    

To​ ​a​ ​great​ ​extent​ ​our​ ​actions​ ​in​ ​this​ ​very​ ​life​ ​are​ ​within​ ​our​ ​own​ ​control​ ​and  yet​ ​the​ ​life​ ​conditions​ ​encountered​ ​by​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​may​ ​not​ ​necessarily​ ​be  favourable​ ​or​ ​desirable.​ ​Grave​ ​illness​ ​and​ ​unbearable​ ​pain​ ​are​ ​such​ ​human  conditions,​ ​unique​ ​to​ ​each​ ​individual​ ​situation​ ​which​ ​effect​ ​human​ ​dignity  and​ ​life​ ​choices.      

In​ ​addressing​ ​the​ ​question​ ​of​ ​an​ ​individual’s​ ​right​ ​to​ ​make​ ​a​ ​personal​ ​choice  to​ ​end​ ​life​ ​in​ ​such​ ​extreme​ ​situations,​ ​Buddhist​ ​teachings​ ​ideally​ ​point​ ​to  non​ ​violence,​ ​both​ ​towards​ ​one’s​ ​self​ ​and​ ​others.    

Yet​ ​compassion​ ​is​ ​an​ ​essential​ ​theme​ ​in​ ​Buddhist​ ​philosophy.​ ​That​ ​leads​ ​us  to​ ​the​ ​question,​ ​“Is​ ​it​ ​an​ ​act​ ​of​ ​compassion​ ​to​ ​deny​ ​an​ ​individual​ ​the​ ​choice  to​ ​end​ ​life​ ​prompted​ ​by​ ​unbearable​ ​pain?”    

The​ ​Buddhist​ ​view​ ​is​ ​sympathetic​ ​to​ ​the​ ​suffering​ ​of​ ​individuals​ ​yet​ ​holds  out​ ​the​ ​hope​ ​of​ ​a​ ​truth​ ​beyond​ ​suffering​ ​and​ ​calls​ ​for​ ​a​ ​greater  understanding​ ​of​ ​death.​ ​Such​ ​awareness​ ​of​ ​death​ ​may​ ​be​ ​brought​ ​about  through​ ​guidance​ ​and​ ​counselling.​ ​This​ ​process​ ​brings​ ​about​ ​peace​ ​with  surrounding​ ​conditions​ ​and​ ​impending​ ​death​ ​as​ ​opposed​ ​to​ ​facing​ ​an​ ​abrupt  end​ ​with​ ​confusion.    

The​ ​Buddhist​ ​Council​ ​of​ ​Victoria​ ​is​ ​available​ ​to​ ​offer​ ​such​ ​guidance​ ​and  counselling​ ​to​ ​any​ ​concerned​ ​individual​ ​or​ ​their​ ​families​ ​as​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​our  community​ ​services​ ​beyond​ ​religious​ ​boundaries.