Is Dying from Illness Due to Lack of Will to Live Considered Suicide?

The essential components constituting suicide are, first, the intention to die, and second, a specific act of suicide. This act may be self-inflicted, carried out by another on one's behalf, or result from inaction—neither attempting self-rescue nor allowing others to provide life-saving intervention.

A person without the will to live, who does not employ any means of suicide nor intentionally seeks death, but merely becomes disheartened, leading to a swift end of life without any suicidal action or behavior, does not commit suicide and thus bears no guilt. Not wishing to live, having no hope for life, may hasten death, but this does not constitute suicide.

If a person suffers from a severe illness, unwilling to endure the suffering, and single-mindedly seeks death, ultimately dying from the illness—does this count as suicide? If this person abandons treatment, denying themselves the opportunity to continue living, it constitutes suicide. If they deliberately refuse food, it constitutes suicide. If a patient, prior to dying from illness, could have pressed a call button to summon medical rescue but ultimately chose not to do so, resulting in death—does this count as suicide? Such deliberate failure to save oneself, denying oneself the chance to live and causing one's own death, constitutes suicide. However, it is not a crime. Whether killing another or oneself, not only must there be subjective intent, but also the necessary means. For killing another to constitute the crime of murder, all six conditions must be met. Failing to save oneself is analogous to failing to save another in peril. Failing to save another is not illegal; it merely violates conventional moral standards. Failing to save oneself is even less illegal.

During the Buddha's time, after bhikkhus attained the first to the fourth fruition stages, having no hope for their own lives and no interest in the world of the five aggregates, they undertook acts of suicide or sought others' assistance to end their lives. These acts constituted suicide, yet they bore no guilt. Because the destiny of one's own life is determined by oneself, as long as no harm is done to the interests of others, it is not a crime. However, bodhisattvas absolutely never commit suicide, because within their hearts lies a higher aspiration. Their minds are dedicated to the Buddha's teachings and sentient beings, and they possess great vows. Therefore, they deeply cherish life and time.