Buddhists reflect on life and death

Most of the self-immolators were around the age of 20. Some have never left their hometowns.

"Paying respect to life is a must for an individual living in modern society," Dadrak said.

Xue Cheng, a high monk from Southeast China's Fujian province, said he feels "heartbroken" every time he hears about another self-immolation incident.

"The victims are innocent and ignorant," he said.

Xue has influenced many with his attitude toward life, both in the real world and the virtual one. His account on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, has more than 140,000 followers.

"Netizens, religious and non-religious alike, ask me all kinds of questions," Xue said.

"If you want to have enough courage to face whatever happens in your life, you should go to more places, see more things, and bear more people in your mind," Xue wrote on Sina Weibo following Wednesday's seminar session.

Huba Longzhuangmeng, a high monk of the Theravada school of Buddhism, said it is important to have a healthy attitude toward death.

"According to Buddhist teachings, suicide is forbidden. Praising and aiding suicide is forbidden as well," said Huba.

"Only with the human body can we study Buddhist doctrine, repay our parents for their care and pursue life's true meaning," he said.

Related:

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Buddhist doctrine opposes self-immolation

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Police apprehend 7 suspected of inciting self-immolation

Self-immolation against Buddhist values, say monk

Inciting self-immolation is extreme crime