In Singapore, except for Muslims, it is the norm for a person’s organs to be removed and harvested for possible donation after death.

While some religions do not condone organ donation, in Buddhism, it is highly lauded and viewed as a noble act of compassion, for after all, the donor would be improving someone else’s life or maybe even saving it.

In fact, it is said that the Buddha himself had, in a past life, donated his very own body parts - namely his eyes - to a blind man. What is also interesting to note is that this was apparently done in an era during which organ donation had not yet been conceived, much less performed.

In reality, the possibility and virtue of donating one’s organs for the benefit of others had been considered as long ago as 2000 years before organ donation was finally realised.

Sure makes you wonder why more scientists aren’t Buddhists?!