Suffering Before and After Death

^{Floor 2, Gallery 36, Japan from 1850}

Unknown artists, Figure of the Bodhisattva, Jizō, polychromed wood, 16th century

Some traditions see suffering as meaningful, even redemptive, others see it as something to be minimised at all costs. In Buddhist thought, Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who devote their lives to freeing others from suffering. Bodhisattvas are not worshipped but inspire others to reach enlightenment. 

What do we expect from medical professionals when agreeing on end-of-life care?

How can doctors negotiate competing values around death and the preparation for death? Are they part of the process of release from suffering or part of the suffering itself?

Is it still possible for medical professionals to fulfil the role of ‘Healer’ when no healing is possible, or is that a pastoral role for others to undertake?

^{Floor G, Gallery 12, India to AD600}

Unknown Artist, The Death of the Buddha, or Mahaparinirvana, grey schist, c.200 CE

In some cultures, grief must be openly expressed, in others it is dignified silence that shows strength. The last words of the Buddha to his disciples before attaining final nirvana were: ‘All composite things must pass away. Be therefore mindful and vigilant!’ In this image, though, the Buddha’s followers are nonetheless depicted expressing their grief with extreme physicality.

Is it possible or necessary for members of a medical team to share the grief of the bereaved, or is it better for them to demonstrate unemotional stoicism?

Do the conditions of a ‘medical’ death in hospital demand that people grieve in a particular way? How might this “right” way to grieve clash with families’ own traditions?

Supported by the Ashmolean Museum and Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences