<p>Possible list of reasons for not condoning suicide:</p>

<ul>
<li>You are intentionally taking a life which is breaking Sila and Vinaya</li>
<li>It bring social problems like misery to loved ones and oftens dependents</li>
<li>The act is done with negative mental state hence does not lead to beneficial rebirth in the next life.</li>
<li>Based on the view of extinction or nihilism which is unskillful</li>
</ul>

<p>More on this see:</p>

<ul>
<li>Introduction to <a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.12-Channovada-S-m144-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chann’ovāda Sutta</a> by Piya Tan</li>
<li><a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.2-Death-An-early-Buddhist-perspective.-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Death: An early Buddhist perspective</a> by Piya Tan</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-30T06:01:50.793Z
Hi Suminda. My understanding is, taking your own life is not breaking the first precept. I agree with you but this Is how I made to understand in other forums. I can't support my claim with sutta. This is just hearsay information.
SarathW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-30T06:05:42.253Z
**Pārājika 3** forbids this for monks. It may be disputed for Sila. But Pārājika are the most offensive breaks of Vinaya hence I think this breaks Sila also.
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
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2017-06-30T05:54:17.843Z
2017-06-30T05:54:17.843Z
2018-08-14T22:06:13.773Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>Suicide is the result of hatred towards yourself, perhaps others or a thing (sickness). Hatred is an unwholesome mental state which will result in a birth in a lower realm. </p>

<p>This is a disputed subject in Buddhism. There is an extended discussion at this link: <a href="https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;t=27879&amp;hilit=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&amp;t=27879&amp;hilit=</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-30T21:38:48.383Z
I don't think it's necessarily hatred towards self. It could be hatred of the life conditions one finds oneself in.
Arturia
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-30T05:37:51.553Z
2017-06-30T05:52:18.913Z
2017-06-30T05:52:18.913Z
SarathW
<p>Generally, a calm &amp; happy person is not inclined to commit suicide. Generally, a person thinks about committing suicide because they are unhappy &amp; suffering from <em>emotional</em> pain. </p>

<p>In the Pali suttas, only enlightened beings are reported to have ended life. This occurred in at least two situations: </p>

<ol>
<li><p>Terminal illness with totally disabling pain (e.g. <a href="http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/286-channovda-sutta-advice-to-channa.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN 144</a>), which was unblameworthy.</p></li>
<li><p>Revulsion towards the meaningless of phenomena (e.g. <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 54.9</a>), which was both unpraiseworthy &amp; unnecessary. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>If a person commits suicide because of <em>emotional suffering</em>, in Buddhism, this is considered to be unpraiseworthy for at least three reasons: </p>

<ol>
<li><p>craving exists for a certain state of being;</p></li>
<li><p>faith has not been placed in the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha &amp; Noble Eightfold Path to overcome the emotional pain &amp; suffering, which can be overcome with right practise; and</p></li>
<li><p>it can result in suffering arising in other people, such as mother, father, family &amp; friends.</p></li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-30T05:14:57.017Z
2017-06-30T13:10:42.807Z
2017-06-30T13:10:42.807Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>I want to know how <em>suicide</em> is viewed in Buddhism. I know that it is not viewed positively, but I want to know why. Is it because it brings grief to others? Is that the only reason? Or there is something else..? 
I think that if you die happily in a calm state because you wish to, there is no negative energy within you.. so I don't understand why suicide is such a bad thing. <em>(the reasons I think are the grief that will bring to the family and that one's negative energy will linger)</em></p>

<p>Buddhism also varies among countries and cultures (I'm from the East Asia), but I believe it all began with the core teachings of Buddha and I just want to learn his teachings.</p>

<p>Thank you. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-30T09:01:48.010Z
There related topics with relevant answers, which are also [tagged with the 'suicide' tag](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/suicide).
ChrisW
<life><suicide><buddhist>
Buddhism on suicide
# Buddhism on suicide

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-06-30)

I want to know how *suicide* is viewed in Buddhism. I know that it is not viewed positively, but I want to know why. Is it because it brings grief to others? Is that the only reason? Or there is something else..?
I think that if you die happily in a calm state because you wish to, there is no negative energy within you.. so I don't understand why suicide is such a bad thing. *(the reasons I think are the grief that will bring to the family and that one's negative energy will linger)*

Buddhism also varies among countries and cultures (I'm from the East Asia), but I believe it all began with the core teachings of Buddha and I just want to learn his teachings.

Thank you.

**Tags:** life, suicide, buddhist

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: There related topics with relevant answers, which are also [tagged with the 'suicide' tag](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/suicide).  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-06-30. Score: 5

Generally, a calm & happy person is not inclined to commit suicide. Generally, a person thinks about committing suicide because they are unhappy & suffering from *emotional* pain.

In the Pali suttas, only enlightened beings are reported to have ended life. This occurred in at least two situations:

1. Terminal illness with totally disabling pain (e.g. [MN 144](http://www.yellowrobe.com/component/content/article/120-majjhima-nikaya/286-channovda-sutta-advice-to-channa.html)), which was unblameworthy.
2. Revulsion towards the meaningless of phenomena (e.g. [SN 54.9](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.009.than.html)), which was both unpraiseworthy & unnecessary.

If a person commits suicide because of *emotional suffering*, in Buddhism, this is considered to be unpraiseworthy for at least three reasons:

1. craving exists for a certain state of being;
2. faith has not been placed in the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha & Noble Eightfold Path to overcome the emotional pain & suffering, which can be overcome with right practise; and
3. it can result in suffering arising in other people, such as mother, father, family & friends.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-06-30. Score: 3

Possible list of reasons for not condoning suicide:

* You are intentionally taking a life which is breaking Sila and Vinaya
* It bring social problems like misery to loved ones and oftens dependents
* The act is done with negative mental state hence does not lead to beneficial rebirth in the next life.
* Based on the view of extinction or nihilism which is unskillful

More on this see:

* Introduction to [Chann’ovāda Sutta](http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/11.12-Channovada-S-m144-piya.pdf) by Piya Tan
* [Death: An early Buddhist perspective](http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/48.2-Death-An-early-Buddhist-perspective.-piya.pdf) by Piya Tan

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Hi Suminda. My understanding is, taking your own life is not breaking the first precept. I agree with you but this Is how I made to understand in other forums. I can't support my claim with sutta. This is just hearsay information.  
> **username_2**: **Pārājika 3** forbids this for monks. It may be disputed for Sila. But Pārājika are the most offensive breaks of Vinaya hence I think this breaks Sila also.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-06-30. Score: 1

Suicide is the result of hatred towards yourself, perhaps others or a thing (sickness). Hatred is an unwholesome mental state which will result in a birth in a lower realm.

This is a disputed subject in Buddhism. There is an extended discussion at this link: <https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=27879&hilit=>

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: I don't think it's necessarily hatred towards self. It could be hatred of the life conditions one finds oneself in.  

---

