Under the light of death

Rich Fields, a poet, writer and disciple of venerable Chogyạm Trungpa Rinpoche and many famous masters of Tibet, he was noted for lung cancer in 1995. Currently he holds the position of editor of Yoga Journal and Deputy Editor Tricyle Buddhist monthly (published in the United States). He resided in Fairfax, California with the care that Ms. Marcia Cohen. He is the author of several books on Buddhism is "how the Swans came to the Lake, the history of Buddhism in the United States ...". This interview on moral owner Helen Tworkov (Editor Tricyle) implemented in May 1997 to find out about his death.
Tricycle: For the first time when his cancer, he did what?
Fields: on the same evening, a Lama for me a Buddha's teachings Apothecary (Medicine Buddha) and I feel comforted. I see the terminally ill are a good chance for me to pay. That's one of the bodhisattva is happy that you have to practice. This view is very different from the West's point of view. Viewpoint of Bodhisattva made upside down everything around it. This is a practice of traditions of Vajrayana, accept any all difficult circumstances and to take it into the path of cultivation, not for the good situation is that whatever the situation would also make it the means to cultivate. You can expect that "it helps me bring out the disease of all beings, taken off the pain of sentient beings, to give them from disease and pain". In this way, you attacked the "falling of self mercy retrieved" and many other fundamental problem arises when we are sick, we wondered, "Why me?".
Tricycle : The master of what he has to say?
Fields: Their first sentence is always: "everyone must die. Death is a true ". Or "we can treat the disease and the will of resignation". Or "the drive, the wait for something? Have all the beings there must be death. " And then one other comments "Your lucky because it was a good opportunity for the cultivation of human beings".
Tricycle: Luckily, because he is a practitioners cultivate?
Fields: Luckily since there is no time to prepare everything, whether you are an author or not. Generally in the West as "the drive, luck is because they died during sleep or die of heart attack or sudden death". However, cancer is especially good for you, because you have enough time to first whether everything and solve it. About the practice, according to the teachings of master Trungpa Rinpoche: "death is the truth, it came without notice. This body will become an corpses ". Death is just a part of our lives. The culture of the West help us ignore with death, but the East, they must look straight at the death, from a perspective, a disease in the very last stages can be useful for spiritual practice.
Tricycle: The comments "it's good for you" that bother him?
Fields: in the center of the tu study that is often viewed as jokes. For someone who hasn't experienced it so troublesome, they immediately protested, surrender or acceptance. Also for me it is not.
Tricycle: He is interested in predicting the development of the disease?
Fields: No, my point is "I will live until death", a work that everyone can do. I do not understand the value of the saying that people often say: "He did four months to live". And I don't want to create any burden for anyone. I was never interested in the words good luck.
Tricycle: He will choose between accepting death and try to treat the illness in the last paragraph?
Fields: We have the right to choose? In the end we all must die. Death is the truth, it came without warning, and this body will become one. Buddhism has always been steadfast on the issue. The doctor first told me that the number of lung cancer statistics like I have no chances of cure. I once said to the doctor, I'm not interested in listening to them. I would live until I die though, four or five years. The cult also like, they also lived until his death. He knows when I am dead but he did not know when to turn. If I am against the death, may be I will die sooner.
Tricycle : When he's against cancer, it has become is something disconnection between it and he does not?
Fields: First of all, I felt like something had hit me. Of course, the cells I've protected me. My first response is to identify yourself as a powerful Warrior. I have to fight. Then there was a cure with chemotherapy, I used Your paying attention and contemplation than outrage to kill cancer cells during chemotherapy.
Tricycle: The elaborately his practice had changed when he was diagnosed?
Fields : My practice work become more positive. I find the results more clearly in a short time compared to the achievements of meditation that I have spent in a long time.
Tricycle: He began to devote more time to the morning?
Fields: Yes, I'm still looks like every day. I feel no matter how long I sat there, or is, linked to a seat. The issue of me hasn't changed.
Tricycle: It may affect his manners?
Fields: Can. However I still have the usual routine. I still work every day, keeping the relationship, still writing and I am still alive. Sometimes I think I should join a camp cultivate and I practice efforts to elect leader before dying (laughs). But at the same time I love to wait every minute second, peace and fight to live fully, and that's what I choose.
Tricycle: He has self pity?
Fields: I think self-pity he is going along with the ego. When this happened the first time, it looks forward to all the career to pass right on my nose, looking straight into my eyes, glanced at me and I started a quick preview of it back. It is the face of a warrior. After that, I was diagnosed. Allen Ginsberg called and asked for me to remember the words of the teacher Trungpa Rinpoche told Billy Burroughs, a person living off the new liver prostheses. Rinpoche said that "The will to live or to die, both the ones that are good at all". I don't want my death as a confrontation. Death is not an enemy. Death is a part of our lives. Cancer can look like the enemy. But the main death itself to and to at any time, it is not an enemy. That is what has come to be accepted and that is the Warrior's stand. For a warrior, death is not the enemy. When the officers of Japan's suicide forces out of battle, they often receive bonuses. If you step into the scene with the courage not to fear and that death is likely to occur, then you will fight better and you will win! Many traditions of Buddhist practice is generally targeted at eliminating the fear of death, fear of the birth or fear about our lives.
Tricycle: He was diagnosed with cancer are also I don't. There are differences between us? Is he dying before me? His situation has to be aware of the death while I was still within illusion that I'll live forever?
Fields: Not that you would live forever. The calculation time is slightly different. I was told that I am in the endangered. The selection of the correct time is a problem. But I spoke to a doctor at Stanford for a second opinion, I said "everyone say this is sick cannot cure", and he said "There must be someone told him" incurable "at the end?". And I answered: "no one mentions it at all". There are many diseases incurable or chronic, but can manoeuvre and salvage in the final period. I'm living with frequently changing period. Currently I am in a State of remission. Cancer is like a rhino (Rhi-noceros) of it looked very ugly, small eyes, skin texture, bu flies around, looks like a Unicorn aggressive; and that's the Rhinoceros, are chewed grass in swamps, not paying attention to you, you feel relieved and healthy. But someday, the rhinos looked around, run like crazy to you ... The difference here is that I always have a rhino in the surroundings.
Tricycle: He believes what happens after death?
Fields: I do not know. I think I feel comfortable with the person under agnostic, has happened or not happened, too. And I think that I agree with what the homeless musician Stephen Batchelor told the people there after work to have a good rebirth, that is not my experience. I cultivate spirituality in order to have a better life, happily over ... And if the results help me in this life, then I'm sure it helped me at my death, because death is part of life.
Tricycle: He'd buried his body like?
Fields: I would like to hear your comments.
Tricycle: I would like to follow the method "no funeral" (sky burial) in Nova Scotia. Latest corpse on the St. Lawrence to do the food for eagles, crows, coyotes and insects. Of course this is illegal, but that is my preference.
Fields: I also like "funeral", however cremated (cremation) it seemed to be a better choice. But to be cremated in the style of the Indians, the most recent of bodies up piles of firewood to the stake. My opinion was influenced by the teachings of master Trungpa Rinpoche is not moving to another place body in 3 days early, because of the need to have sufficient time to give the God consciousness leaves the body. Ideally located the body of the Chief Justice and power up the blanket up, let the people see, enjoy the experience or to visualizations, and then have a special ceremony is performed. If there is someone to do allow moved spiritually it is amazing. I think it is good to know how to have a party on that day. In General, once again, I love the outdoor cremation according to the type of the Indians.
Tricycle: He can suggest something for people who have the same circumstances as him?
Fields : I is the central character of this talk, people can find useful things for myself about the choice of treatments by traditional medicine. In some spiritual traditions, there is a view that all things come from the mind, so all the disease must also be cured from the mind or by practicing spirituality, positive thinking or a believer. Someone said that both the body and mind have the affect each other. But a number of others that are just interested in treatment with medicine, my experience is that Western medicine treatment, by means of radiation and chemotherapy, if treated the right way at the right time then there will be good results, maybe even some poison treatment. In General, in my opinion the patient is monitored and checked his disease and treatment options. I see some people have died because of turmoil between the treatment.
Tricycle: The role of the patient care?
Fields: I find the more trouble the care of people with cancer. Their stamina and more sick people. I am fortunate to have Marcia hunt squirrels. She said prayer helped me during this treatment. She and I go to the doctor, take notes, check and prepare everything for the complex surgery. Help a person against cancer is truly a hard thing challenging.
Tricycle: He is interested in the diagnosis of the disease?
Fields: Back to this issue again. Excess is not good. One hundred percent that I will die. But I would live until I die. One thing I want to say here is that the Dhamma of Buddhism was so great at the beginning, the middle and the end, the people should demand study and practice before it is too late.

END=VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY THICH CHAN TANH.MHDT.WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUNS=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.13/4/2013.NAM MO SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).