The line shows a contrast between spiritual belief and practical reality. As a Buddhist, the doctor feels that, in the larger spiritual sense, life and death are part of a cycle and so the author’s death “wouldn’t really matter,” yet he honestly adds that it would be “bad for business,” meaning it would damage his reputation and practice, which makes the remark both ironic and mildly humorous.
\[ \text{Buddhist view}: \text{Life and death} \in \text{natural spiritual cycle} \] \[ \text{Worldly view}: \text{Patient’s death} \Rightarrow \text{Bad reputation} + \text{Loss of business} \] \[ \text{Remark} = \text{Spiritual detachment} + \text{Practical self‑interest} \]
Thus, the sentence highlights the doctor’s candid mix of religious philosophy with down‑to‑earth concern for his medical business.