Chapter 2 continues the story of the Buddha’s quest for enlightenment. It covers his ‘discovery’ of the path between the excesses of luxury and extreme asceticism, his battles with the demon Māra, and his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. It then outlines the teachings of the Buddha after his enlightenment: the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Jewels of Buddhism (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha), along with the Three Marks (suffering, impermanence, and non-self). It gives an account of the development of the Sangha, his lay following, and the role of women in Buddhism. It ends with an account of his death drawn primarily from the Mahāparinibbāna Suttanta.

We discuss music as a reflection of our deepest and most important existential concerns. Indeed, music connects us with the transcendent and is used to express our spirituality. The term “requiem” refers to music that honors those who have died.In this chapter we discuss death and dying, and our approach to living that gives us comfort, hope, and a sense of finality. We posit spirituality as a key thread in the various social theories of aging, and recognize music as a vehicle to and key aspect of the sacred moment. We also explore Buddhist thought (e.g., right view, right livelihood) as a metaphor and method to apply to our attitude toward music and music as a profession. This chapter recognizes how music may be involved in spiritual expressions and in the celebration of the End-of-Life.