- 期刊
- OpenAccess
The Theoretical Construction and Necessity of Taoism's Dying Blessing
摘要
Since the hospice palliative medicine was introduced into Taiwan, the patients with terminal cancer can have different choices in face of their own deathbed. In the past, the only choice in the face of cancer was to be cured until death. If this is not done, then either terminal cancer patients will be criticized for not cherishing their lives, or their families will be criticized for being unfilial. However, since the introduction of hospice palliative medicine to Taiwan, terminal cancer patients can choose hospice and palliative care, so that they have the possibility of a good death. In order to meet this need for a good end, spiritual care becomes a necessary act. However, due to the lack of end-of-life care in Taoism in the past, it is very difficult for terminal cancer patients who believe in Taoism to meet their needs in spiritual care. As far as Catholicism is concerned, there is the function of end-of-life care with the anointing ceremony. As far as Buddhism is concerned, there is the function of end-of-life care with Buddhist chanting assistance in dying. Therefore, they can all achieve a good end with the satisfaction of their dying needs. However, due to the lack of end-of-life care in Taoism, the terminal cancer patients who believe in Taoism lose the opportunity for a good end. Up to now, some people have finally developed the dying prayer assistance from Taoism, indicating that Taoism is not incapable of performing end-of-life care, but the social conditions in the past were immature, so the importance of end-of-life care has been ignored. However, now in the face of cancer, Taoism has finally developed the dying prayer assistance. However, whether this development is reasonable and whether it meet the needs of Taoism doctrines, it needs to be confirmed by the way of theoretical construction. In order to meet the need of this confirmation, this thesis takes "the theoretical construction of Taoist dying prayer assistance" as the research theme. Hereupon, this thesis is divided into seven chapters to explore. In addition to the introduction of the first chapter and the conclusion of the seventh chapter, this paper explores the issues of emergence of end-of-life care in the second chapter, the new cognitive issues of end-of-life care in the third chapter, the issues of moral and religious end-of-life actions in the fourth chapter, the theoretical basis for the proposal of dying prayer assistance in the fifth chapter, and the theoretical construction of dying prayer assistance in the sixth chapter. After the discussion in the above chapters, this thesis finds that Taoism can play a role in end-of-life care. The reason why there was no such thing in the past was mainly due to the impact of dichotomy between dying and death, and they did not think that there was a need for end-of-life care. Now, under the influence of the high mortality rate of cancer and the prevalence of Buddhist chanting assistance in dying, Taoism must develop its own dying prayer assistance. In order for this act to be valid, this paper reconsiders the issue of dying cognition, shifting from the dichotomous cognition of dying and death to the integral cognition of dying and death. After critically reflecting on this dying cognition, this thesis further reflects on the moral and religious act related to dying, and propose that Taoism can also have the possibility of dying prayer assistance. Finally, further exploration is conducted on the related issues of dying prayer assistance, indicating that dying prayer assistance is indeed possible, and sufficient to meet the needs of spiritual care for terminal cancer patients who believe in Taoism, so that they have the opportunity to have a good end.