Purple Lotus Publisher > Journal > Volumn NO. 12

On Organs Donation

Translated by Janny Chow from issue # of True Buddha News

During his Saturday talk at the Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple on September 13th, 1998, His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng discussed some questions that many people have found intriguing: will the consciousness of a donor, at the time of organ harvesting, suffer any pain and will the spirit be able to remain serene and composed enough to move on a better rebirth?

According to Buddhist teachings, although many physiological functions such as respiration and heartbeats have disappeared in a person who has just died, the consciousness still remains. At this time, if the body is disturbed or transferred to a refrigerated morgue, the consciousness will experience pain. Therefore, for about three days afterwards, the body should not be moved.

And family and friends should refrain from crying and wailing so as not to cause any emotional suffering in the deceased. It would be best if they can chant sutras and mantras and speak to the deceased to remind him to recognize and focus on the pure light of the Buddhas and not to fall into the lower paths.

But many people in the world now are suffering from severe chronic illnesses, and they urgently need organ transplant for recovery or extension of their lives. If someone sprouts a bodhicitta at the end of his life and wants to make an offering of his cornea, heart, bone marrow, liver, and kidneys to help other people, then will such a person's consciousness experience great pain and fear while those organs are being harvested?

Speaking in a firm tone, Grand Master told the congregation," According to instructions from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, if someone sprouts such a mind to help others, then at the time this person dies, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will manifest and shine light to bless this person, mitigating the pain resulted from organ harvesting, and also guide him or her to be reborn to the pure lands of the Buddhas." When the congregation heard this, they couldn't help applauding enthusiastically.