<p>Correct. Other than teaching, generally there would be no reason to continue living (although there could be other compassionate reasons, such as looking after parents). </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T03:48:58.610Z
2018-02-05T03:48:58.610Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>No, the will to live does not cease after enlightenment. </p>

<p>Firstly, we have to define what it means to have a will-to-live. Arthur Schopenhauer, he been the first who coined this term, defines the will to live as a drive or conscious reason to live this life (not future life), the will to live this life not the will of becoming after death which the Arhat extinguished. So, someone who doesn't possess the will to live will stop eating or even breathing as Zeno did and depart from life, but it's not so with an enlightenment person they have a reason to maintain this life.</p>

<p>As you pointed out an enlightened person will maintain his/ her life to teach others or if they can't teach they will remain in the world to ease the suffering of others by helping them to avoid the picks of pain and pleasure which are the worst enemy to a man seeking liberation.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T05:38:25.607Z
2018-02-05T05:38:25.607Z
user12915
<p>Attaining enlightenment is like running out of gas while driving. The car does not stop immediately and the driver has no desire to hit the breaks to forcefully stop it. Just  like how the car stops when the momentum runs out, enlightened beings expire when their life runs out naturally.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T04:33:22.720Z
2018-02-05T09:38:14.427Z
2018-02-05T09:38:14.427Z
Sankha Kulathantille
<p>"Ceasing the will to live" sounds depressingly suicidal. That's not a good description.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.15.budd.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dhammapada 203-204</a> describes Nirvana as the highest bliss.</p>

<p>You could say that the craving to enjoy life and, the craving to do or become something in life ceases.</p>

<p>When you look at your remaining years of life, and think that "in the next years or decades, I can travel to many countries, spend more time with my family, enjoy different types of food, build a career, become successful, raise my children to be successful etc." - well, that kind of thinking and emotions cease after enlightenment and is replaced with the peaceful bliss of the moment.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T05:25:58.987Z
2018-02-05T05:44:43.763Z
2018-02-05T05:44:43.763Z
ruben2020
<p>Does will cease? No, it is the opposite, the will is all that remains. As my teacher said, once you "see" the emptiness, you have no <em>reason</em> to live, no reason to die, all you have from that moment on is your <em>will</em>, made strong through years of practice. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T12:17:21.540Z
2018-02-05T14:38:36.967Z
2018-02-05T14:38:36.967Z
Andriy Volkov
<p>After Nirvana, that is the real enjoyable life, a state of supreme knowledge. A connection with cosmic consciousness and a cheerful acceptance of people and situations comes once we transcend in our practice and experience the inner world which is beyond the experience of senses and emotions. True bliss is in the company of such evolved souls. That serves the to the purpose of life. It's an enjoyable journey. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-12T23:02:14.473Z
2018-05-15T16:45:04.273Z
2018-05-15T16:45:04.273Z
Bharat
<p>What would motivate an enlightened person to continue living? It seems like once somebody attains enlightenment, other than teaching, there would be no reason to continue living.</p>

<enlightenment><nihilism>
Does the will to live cease after enlightenment?
# Does the will to live cease after enlightenment?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-02-05)

What would motivate an enlightened person to continue living? It seems like once somebody attains enlightenment, other than teaching, there would be no reason to continue living.

**Tags:** enlightenment, nihilism


---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-02-05. Score: 2

Correct. Other than teaching, generally there would be no reason to continue living (although there could be other compassionate reasons, such as looking after parents).


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-02-05. Score: 2

No, the will to live does not cease after enlightenment.

Firstly, we have to define what it means to have a will-to-live. Arthur Schopenhauer, he been the first who coined this term, defines the will to live as a drive or conscious reason to live this life (not future life), the will to live this life not the will of becoming after death which the Arhat extinguished. So, someone who doesn't possess the will to live will stop eating or even breathing as Zeno did and depart from life, but it's not so with an enlightenment person they have a reason to maintain this life.

As you pointed out an enlightened person will maintain his/ her life to teach others or if they can't teach they will remain in the world to ease the suffering of others by helping them to avoid the picks of pain and pleasure which are the worst enemy to a man seeking liberation.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-02-05. Score: 2

Attaining enlightenment is like running out of gas while driving. The car does not stop immediately and the driver has no desire to hit the breaks to forcefully stop it. Just like how the car stops when the momentum runs out, enlightened beings expire when their life runs out naturally.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-02-05. Score: 2

"Ceasing the will to live" sounds depressingly suicidal. That's not a good description.

[Dhammapada 203-204](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.15.budd.html) describes Nirvana as the highest bliss.

You could say that the craving to enjoy life and, the craving to do or become something in life ceases.

When you look at your remaining years of life, and think that "in the next years or decades, I can travel to many countries, spend more time with my family, enjoy different types of food, build a career, become successful, raise my children to be successful etc." - well, that kind of thinking and emotions cease after enlightenment and is replaced with the peaceful bliss of the moment.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-02-05. Score: 1

Does will cease? No, it is the opposite, the will is all that remains. As my teacher said, once you "see" the emptiness, you have no *reason* to live, no reason to die, all you have from that moment on is your *will*, made strong through years of practice.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-05-12. Score: 0

After Nirvana, that is the real enjoyable life, a state of supreme knowledge. A connection with cosmic consciousness and a cheerful acceptance of people and situations comes once we transcend in our practice and experience the inner world which is beyond the experience of senses and emotions. True bliss is in the company of such evolved souls. That serves the to the purpose of life. It's an enjoyable journey.


---

