This chapter is considered the most important and you may ask why? I believe because it deals with life and death issues.There can be no more important question in life then that. Most of our suffering comes from the knowledge that we and our loved ones must die. The Buddha knew this was the root of all suffering and it was the reason he left the gates of his kingdom to solve the dilemma. He saw the four sufferings of humanity, old age, sickness, death and illness. It all came down to the fact that we must die and this causes fear and suffering to people eventually.
What does the life span teach then? When the Buddha expounds that he had lived and was enlightened aeons and aeons of time ago, the Buddha immediately teaches that we should not look at our present life as the only one. We, like the Buddha had lived aeons of times past and also will exist into the future and that life is eternal. This can immediately change one aspect of suffering which could be fear of death. However some people would see that as wishful thinking for those who can not except their demise but an easy way to face the horrors of what we feel would be extinction. It could work the other way that life is eternal then there is no cop out because the Buddha also explained in this chapter that we experience what we have laid down in previous lives. Also what we do in this life will have an effect on our lives to come. The Buddha rarely tells us directly but usually in a graphic way by an example in his life. Everyone present listening to his teachings thought he had gained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree 40 years or so before but he said no he had gained enlightenment aeons and aeons times before. This also can tell us we must have made certain causes to even hear his teachings. This will also give us hope when we realise we will gain enlightenment and Buddhahood in the future. This was later impressed on those present when he made predictions that they would achieve Buddhahood in the future. The Buddha uses positive examples but we can also adapt this concept and realise if we are in difficult circumstances we have also made the cause to be so. But really we should concentrate on the most important teachings that we have heard the Lotus Sutra and able to read the chapter which eventually promises us Buddhahood.. Even those who can not understand or believe still have hope because they have formed a poison drum connection( a reverse connection) due to having experienced the suffering that will occur if they do not believe. Take death of a loved one although there is sorrow when the person departs due to death one can also rejoice that there is a probability that you will meet again if you wish to do so. Also the fear of death that can in itself make someone frightened of life because of the possibility it could come to end any time. Younger people do not think that it is something they should consider but they can also die at any time as people have different spans of life. Other important factor is that we may not value life if we think it is the end and think what does it matter, let us eat drink and be merry as we will all have to die anyway,we just live the once. This is how a lot of people live these days because they see things in a narrow way. The Life Span chapter broadens your vision and shows that life is eternal and what you do now is the sum total off what you have done before and what you will likely do in the future. This is why the Buddha taught this important chapter because he wanted you to see your life and how you should treat it with respect because of this continues flow. Everything can be seen in this perspective which is a most profound one. Take fears usually they boil down to fear of death, fear of being alone, fear of not having enough money. If you do not have money you will starve or if you are alone you will not to be protected. When you are ill, your illness could lead to death .Greed can come from fear , people think if they had enough money they can live longer but there is no security there. In fact it can work the other way and make you a target of desperate thieves who may kill you for your wealth. There are endless examples of the suffering you will have to endue. Take drinking alcohol this can give a temporary feeling of courage .They even say he has a "lot of bottle" which means this courage comes from taking the alcohol as it disinhibits. But eventually due to the bad effects of alcohol ones health suffers and quickens ones demise in many cases when taken in excess . So eventually all ways of escape will lead to the eventually realisation that we need to put our faith and trust in what the Buddha taught, it is the only way. Another aspect to look at in this chapter is that the Buddha said that he dies in order for people to really value his teachings and his example. This is also a very profound aspect of death. We as humans can be complacent with people and not really value them until they have gone .The Buddha said he uses his death in order to make people realise it is rare to see a Buddha and not to take him and his teachings for granted . This could be another lesson to learn perhaps with those around us that we need to value people as if they could die tomorrow. Imagine how you would treat someone if it was the last time you would be able to see them. Also people who have nearly died had realised they should value life because they also could die any time. The life span chapter also teaches just because we know life is eternal we should value every moment because it continues from that point always and has a strong influence on the moment of death .
I had an experience of my father dying a number of years ago. When I visited him in the hospice he looked very agitated and his face was dark and etched with deep pain and anguish. The medical staff could not understand why he was so bad as they had a regime that gave strong drugs that kill pain and that were given regularly. I had come to visit knowing he was dying of cancer but I wanted to chant by his death bed and I bought along my two young daughters. We all started to chant by his bedside and slowly he became more restful and peaceful also his face became smooth and golden in colour.I shall never forget it. Also the lady who had opened the hospice a Dame Cecily Saunders was well known for her work and pioneering methods for those who were dying, asked to see me .I was surprised at the time but she wanted to let me know she admired my approach to my father dying and that I had brought in two young children to visit and not hidden them away from the situation. Looking back I think she was probably affected by the chanting and what it had done for my father as he died soon after peacefully. However she was probably unable to do so being a confirmed Christian.
Not long after I read Nichiren's Gosho and he explained that if someone died in a Hell state they would stay in that state for a certain amount of time. One of the ways you could tell if someone had died in this state was the dark colour of the body at the time of their death. I believe this proved that my father had changed something very deep just before he died and my family was privileged to help him do so.
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