Introducing the Religion and Ethics paper, a comprehensive exploration of the ethical debates surrounding euthanasia, framed within a Buddhist context. This paper delves into the controversial practice of euthanasia, or "mercy killing," analyzing it from the Buddhist perspective while addressing th...
The concept of euthanasia has spiked many ethical debates from different people globally
over the ages. According to Nobis, euthanasia refers to voluntarily terminating the life of an
individual who is terminally ill or who has a debilitating chronic illness with the intention of
relieving them from their pain and suffering (Nobis, 2019, p.1). The practice is also known as
"mercy killing," It is an example of an ethical situation that raises ethical concerns regarding the
role of health professionals in protecting patients right to live and their roles in preserving and
saving lives while safeguarding patients' autonomy. Euthanasia has raised religious debates
where many religious denominations have proposed their views regarding its practice. These
religions have provided their religious perspectives grounded on moral principles and values
reinforced by the faith. An example of a doctrine is Buddhism which teaches its believers to
remain compassionate with one another and eliminate any forms of violence. This essay
describes the Buddhist view on euthanasia from a traditional and religious viewpoint. Moreover,
the paper will evaluate whether the Buddhist's views on euthanasia are sound and provide
drawbacks to their perspective. It is important to note that the Buddhist religion is diversified;
hence, there is no single intractable view on "mercy killing." The different opinions will provide
valuable insights into the moral dynamics of euthanasia in the religion, which can be used to
stimulate future medical ethics discussions on decisions on end-of-life care.
Buddhist View on Euthanasia
According to Devapriya, Buddhism originated in India in the fifth century BCE
(Devapriya, n.d.). Van attested that the faith is atheistic and follows the sermons by Siddhartha
Gautama, commonly referred to as Buddha (Van, 2020, p.6228). The Buddhists believe in the
principle tenets of the Four Noble Truths, which guide their relations. According to Anālayo, the
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