Buddhist Ethics and End-of-Life Care Decisions

Abstract

Buddhism has grown in the United States in the past 50 years. Immigrants come following long traditions. American converts are more eclectic. The first Buddhist precept prohibiting harm to living things, the virtue of compassion, and the goal of a peaceful death provide guidance for ethical decision making regarding organ donation, withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, voluntary cessation of eating, physician aid in dying, and euthanasia. Concepts and views from three Buddhist traditions and views of master practitioners are presented. Case examples illustrate some of the differences within Buddhism. Suggestions for social workers are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• bioethics
• Buddhism
• ethical decision making
• end-of-life care
• medical social work

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to reviewers for their suggestions for improving this article and to Cam-Tu Vo, MSW and Alan Hess for their Buddhist perspectives when they reviewed an earlier version of the manuscript.