Mother's last wish: EMBRACE CHRIST!

[WisdomBeing]

Perhaps embracing Christ is a bit difficult to relate for Buddhists. How about something closer to home. What if your mother, on her death bed, asked you to give up Shugden practice because she believes it’s wrong and the Dalai lama says so? Would you say ‘yes’ just to appease her at the time? I have spoken to a couple of monks online who shared about swearing at their monasteries that they do not do DS practice. Their points of view were the same – they refused to swear on a lie. Perhaps you may think that promising your mother is not as ‘serious’ as swearing in front of the monastery but a promise is still a promise, isn’t it?

[hope rainbow]

Yes, I would do it, I would convert if it eases my mother's mind in her last hours.
I would convert to Christianity, even if she wants to witness it in front of a priest.
I would convert, and after she has passed away I'd take refuge in Buddhism once more.
My motivation was clean.

Though this is unlikely to happen, my mother is more likely to ask me to renounce any type of religious binding on her death-bed, she would do that because she is worried about me, thus out of compassion, and thus also for her to have a "peace of mind", knowing that I'll be "ok" after she's gone...
Go figure...

So my vote is YES.
I am actually surprised to see the "NO" is winning, as yontenjamyang stated, bodhisattva vows call for intelligence and skills when dealing with our actions, well, that is under the bodhisattva's vows.

[Big Uncle]

Perhaps embracing Christ is a bit difficult to relate for Buddhists. How about something closer to home. What if your mother, on her death bed, asked you to give up Shugden practice because she believes it’s wrong and the Dalai lama says so? Would you say ‘yes’ just to appease her at the time? I have spoken to a couple of monks online who shared about swearing at their monasteries that they do not do DS practice. Their points of view were the same – they refused to swear on a lie. Perhaps you may think that promising your mother is not as ‘serious’ as swearing in front of the monastery but a promise is still a promise, isn’t it?

At my mum's deathbed, I have only one thing which I will do, I will distract her by saying I will do it but at a later time. I agree with the monks that we shouldn't take swears so lightly by going back and forth with the wearing against such a powerful practice. I would also do the same with the conversion of religion to Christianity.

I have nothing agains't Christianity but I can never see myself to be ever a practicing Christian. The belief in God is too simplistic and lacking in evidence of the true nature of our minds. On top of that, the last minute convertion would never be able to wipe a whole lifetime of selfishness, negative actions and negative speech.                                                                           

[brian]

Luckily for me my late mum did not have any such request.  I would say YES to let her take her last breath in peace if that would ensure that she goes away with a mind of peace but that does not mean that I will convert to another religion after she has gone.

I would say do whatever we can so that her mind is not disturbed at time of death.  That little white lie of telling her your acceptance of another religion may just be the last thing she wanted to hear before she went away.

I agree with you Jessie, I will just say yes to anything that pleases my mother so she can pass away peacefully and that is the best that i can do to make sure her mind not disturbed. I came to aware of that it is very important that one has a peace of mind especially when they are undergoing dying process for this will take a major role in determining how they leave the body. How they leave the body will determine where they also end up in.

For me, if i can't be a filial son when she's still alive, i should abide in whatever her ideas so that i can please her mind and at the same time i do not have to really break my commitment. with this pure motivation, i think it is only safe for me to say yes i did lied, but its a white lie and my mom deserves a better place to be in.

[diablo1974]

I will "embrace" christ if she can leave and let go peacefully because of this. I can visualise the triple gems even if i uttered christ or lord. To me, tats just temporary, most importanly is for the person who is dying to let go and not hold on to any attachment. I think thats one gift the dying person needed most 'to let go'. They might not understand but its very logical to think that detachment is one of the medicine they will need when they gone to the state of bardo.