sentinel wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:42 am aging of a view (sounds awkward)
If you see the corpse of a stranger, such as on TV or in a video of a war, you do not suffer or you might feel some sympathy. You do not suffer very much because you only see a "corpse". But if you see the corpse of your mother, you suffer very much because of the idea or view or identity of "my mother". When you see the corpse of your mother, you do not see only a corpse, only aggregates, only elements (dhatu), only ayatana (sense object). You see the mental conception of "my mother". Because of this mental conception or self-identity of "my mother" you suffer sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief & despair.
Lord, how could there not be an aberration in my faculties? My dear & beloved little son, my only child, has died. Because of his death, I have no desire to work or to eat. I keep going to the cemetery and crying out, 'Where have you gone, my only little child? Where have you gone, my only little child?'
That's the way it is, householder. That's the way it is — for sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair are born from one who is dear, come springing from one who is dear.
MN 87
The tears you have shed over the death of a mother... — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — are greater than the water in the four great oceans. Long have you experienced the death of a father... the death of a brother... the death of a sister... the death of a son... the death of a daughter..
SN 15.3
And what may be said to be subject to death? Spouses & children are subject to death. Men & women slaves... goats & sheep... fowl & pigs... elephants, cattle, horses, & mares... gold & silver are subject to death. Subject to death are these acquisitions, and one who is tied to them, infatuated with them, who has totally fallen for them, being subject to death, seeks what is likewise subject to death.
MN 26
The many diverse kinds of suffering that arise in the world headed by aging-and-death: this suffering has acquisition as its source, acquisition as its origin; it is born and produced from acquisition. When there is acquisition, aging-and-death comes to be; when there is no acquisition, aging-and-death does not come to be.’
SN 12.66
If aging & death was biological, then I think SN 12.2 would say:
"Now what is aging and death? Whatever aging, decrepitude, brokenness, graying, wrinkling, decline of life-force, weakening of the faculties of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called aging. Whatever deceasing, passing away, breaking up, disappearance, dying, death, completion of time, break up of the aggregates, casting off of the body, interruption in the life faculty of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called death.
If aging & death was biological, then I think the suttas would say Arahants & Buddhas age & die. But the suttas appear to say Arahants & Buddhas do not age & die (marana).
Regards
