Cancer continues to be the number one cause of death in Taiwan. Fortunately, thanks to medical progress in recent years, cancer has been on the trend of "chronic disease". However, due to the uncertainty and uncontrollability of recurrence and metastasis, the sense of powerlessness that cannot be cured, and the close connection with death inevitability, it is impossible to be ignored. Religion can provide spiritual comfort and strength when people face unchangeable suffering, and many people also believe in religion because of their trauma. However, for Buddhists who have already converted, how will they respond after being diagnosed with cancer? How to deal with the terminal illness in this century? What are their reflection and transformation? Did they more cherish their life, have more confidence in the Three Jewels and the way of practice? Or are there other possibilities? Based on the research and interpretation of narrative texts from sixteen Buddhists diagnosed with cancer, the author finds that contemporary Buddhists exhibit different tendencies in life and transformation after cancer, and identifies five common mental states: shock and questioning (emotionally turbulent state), self-reflection and introspection (experiences of self-exploration), diligent practice and pray (actions to strengthen life), equanimity (or balanced awareness) and comfortable (cultivation of meaningful existence), and gratitude and growth (transcendent practice of altruism and mutual flourishing). The five are not linear stages of development, and may overlap, interlace, or swing. Most Buddhists with cancer experienced two or three of these. Moreover, the proportion of conscious benefit and post-traumatic growth that regard cancer as the advantage from disadvantage is quite high. The characteristics of Buddhism based on awareness and understanding are also highlighted.
