Today, my talk is especially addressed to the sick and old
persons. The reason for this talk is that there was a Buddhist layperson who
came and asked if I could give a small Dharma talk to his parents who were old
and dying – and because he wanted his parents to be alert, clear-minded when
the time came. I sympathized with him and also in order to help the sick, old
persons during this critical time, we are giving you today’s talk.
First of all, death is not frightening. Everybody thinks that
birth is happiness, death is suffering; birth is happy and death is scary. As
for all of you here – Are you afraid of dying ? Actually, dying is not
frightening at all. Old age and sickness are two out of four kinds of suffering
which the Buddha had mentioned, namely, “Birth, Old age, Sickness, and Death”.
Old age and illness are suffering. If one is no longer concerned with old age
and illness, then one is free. In brief, if one dies, one leaves old age and
sickness behind – that means one should be happy for one is finally free from
them. Therefore, we say death is not frightening at all.
Secondly, as Buddha always says ” where there is life, there is
death”. Life and Death are natural phenomena, no one can escape them. Like the
Buddha, He lived and died when He was eighty years old. Some called themselves
‘ immortals’, like the ‘Eight Fairies’ in Chinese legend, but the truth is that
they did actually live longer than so-called mortals.
Nevertheless, there were ‘Eight Fairies’ but now you cannot even
find one who still survives. As we see, the Buddha who attained enlightenment;
however, when His body deteriorated, He had to let it go. Therefore, death is
natural and it happens to us all, with no exception. To be frightened of the
inevitable is not wise. To be worried of the unavoidable is useless. Death will
come to us all, and we all have to accept it matter-of-factly. It is a natural
process, there is no need to be scared.
Thirdly, as Buddhist laypersons practising the five precepts or
even the ten precepts diligently, they know for sure that they will come back
as human beings with all good opportunities. As one practices the five precepts
which are :
abstaining from killing, one can enjoy longevity.
abstaining from stealing, one can enjoy prosperity.
abstaining from adultery, one can be beautiful and respectful.
abstaining from falsehood, one obtains melodious voice, is trusted by people.
abstaining from alcoholic drinks and drugs, one can be
intelligent and wise.
Being reborn as a human being with all these good qualities,
suitable conditions and lacks nothing is the result of practicing the five
precepts.
As one leaves one’s ‘rotten’ body, one obtains a ‘better’ body
in one’s next life, so there is no need to worry. If one practices the ten
precepts diligently and correctly, one will be reborn in heaven with better
conditions than in human realm.
We always say that dying is like exchanging an old car for a new
one. If we know that once we leave this body, we will have a new better one,
then we do not need to be sad or worried. Death is not frightening, the
frightening fact is that we did not practice the precepts properly.
Hereby, I want to remind all of you who are presently sick /
dying, think about what I have to say and try to change or go on diligently
with your practice. The Buddha had spoken of ‘Death-Proximate Karma’. This kind
of karma is really powerful. It could lead us to a better or worse realm after
we die. If the Death-Proximate Karma is good if will lead a dying person to a
good realm and vice versa.
For we see that in a human or animal realm, there are some
people or animals who live and die in a short period of time, and the reason
for which they came and stayed shortly was conditioned by the Death-Proximate
Karma.
After this lifetime, they were led to other realms according to
their Habitual Karma (Accina). To remind all of you even when you have good
Habitual Karma, you had better keep your mind calm and alert, think of only
good deeds during dying moment; so that you can go on with a better life. If at
the moment of dying, you get angry or become attached to people or things,
these reactions will have a negative effect on your next rebirth despite your
good Habitual Karma.
On the contrary, if you think of wholesome or good things at the
moment of dying, you could benefit a good rebirth in spite of your bad Habitual
Karma. Nevertheless, the Death-Proximate Karma only plays an important role for
a short time; after that the Habitual Karma is the crucial one which will give
you a good rebirth for a long period of time.
Therefore, at the dying moment, make sure that we stay alert,
calm, clear-minded and especially do not let impure thoughts arise. The sutra
tells us the story of Devadatta, who committed all possible cruelties should be
condemned to hell. However, at the moment of dying, Devadatta repented and
asked the Buddha for forgiveness.
Later, Buddha told Ananda that even Devadatta was condemned to
hell for his bad deeds; but because of his repentance before dying, he will
then come back as a human being and work out his bad deeds and finally will
become a Buddha in the future.
Devadatta committed lots of cruelties during his lifetime, but
before his death, he had repented. Thus, after having paid all his debts, he
would come back as a human being and work his way through Buddhahood. The
Death-Proximate Karma can help to shorten our bad rebirth.
Another story told us about a Deity who foresaw his next
rebirths. This Deity saw that when he died, he would reincarnate as a son of a
rich Brahmin in the human realm, and after this rebirth, he would go straight
to hell. Stricken by this knowledge, he cried out for help.
A Deva then came and told him the only one who could help him is
the Buddha who now stayed at the Bamboo’s Grove. The Deity then kneeled down and
headed his prayer to Buddha.
He stated thrice his name and vowed to take refuge in Buddha,
Dharma, and the Sangha, then he died. He did reincarnate as a son of the
Brahmin. One day, he saw the Buddha taking his alms, as soon as he saw the
Buddha, he decided to become a monk.
Later, in accordance with the Buddha’s teaching, he worked
diligently and became an Arhat, free from birth and death. Thus, his
condemnation to hell was annihilated. Throughout this story, we understand that
the Death-Proximate Karma is quite important, it could lead us to a better
rebirth and could give us a second chance to walk on the right path.
Thereupon, we, as Buddhists, should remember and comprehend well
the working of the Death-Proximate Karma, without forgetting that the Habitual
Karma is also important because it is the lifetime Karma that we depend on for
our next rebirth which is created by accumulating our good / bad deeds.
Here are some instructions for the dying :
Do not get angry- pay attention to the dying moment, take care
of your death. Do not get angry- at this critical moment, if you are angry,
mad, you will be reborn in a lower realm.
Forgive and forget – do not think of your enemies or vengeance,
because you will reincarnate and take vengeance at each other endlessly. When
this occurs, you accumulate more negative deeds and cannot go on with the right
practice.
Do not become attached to loved ones or wealth, etc. This attachment will lead
you to lower realm (e.g. animal realm’s).
In the history book of the thirty-three Zen masters, there is a
story about one of the Zen master who went out for alms, passing by a rich
man’s house. The rich man was out, but inside came running out a dog that
barked at him loudly. The Zen master looked at it and reproved ,
” How dare you barking at me, because of the attachment of
wealth that you came back as a dog, shame on you!” After having heard the
master’s reprimand, the dog became sad and refused to eat. Lately, the rich man
came back and realized that his beloved dog refused to eat, he asked his
servants the reason.
The servants told him that in the morning, there was a Zen
master who passed by and said something to the dog and afterwards it refused to
eat. The rich man was so upset that he went out to look for the Zen master.
He queried , ” What did you say to my dog this morning that has
made him sad and refused to eat ?” The master replied ,” Please do not get
angry at me. The dog is your father.” The rich man got even angrier and asked ,
” Why is that dog my father ?” The master said , ” If you do not believe me, go
home and see if the dog is lying under your father’s bed.
Right where the dog is lying, you dig up and will find a bowl of
gold. When your father passed away, he did not get a chance to tell you the
secret; so he came back as your dog to guard it. Just go home and dig up then
you will understand.”
The rich man immediately went back home, dug up under his
father’s bed and found the bowl of gold. Afterwards, he ran back to the master
and asked the master to help his father. The master convinced the rich man to
use that gold for charity work. The rich man obeyed the master and few days
later the dog died.
Likewise, because of wealth attachment that the man came back as
a dog to guard his property. This is apprehensive. Here I have mentioned the
three don’ts at the dying moment, as a Buddhist, please remember and do not let
them happen. I repeat, firstly- do not get angry; secondly – do not think of
vengeance; thirdly – do not become attached. Remember, do not have these three
thoughts, otherwise, they will take you to lower realms.
On the contrary, at the dying moment, think of good deeds.
Firstly- think of helping poor people the best you can. Secondly – as a
Buddhist, think of offering to the Three Jewels ( Buddha, Dharma, Sangha); or
as non-Buddhist, think of taking refuge to the Three Jewels in order to
cultivate a true spiritual path. Thirdly- think of freeing all captured
animals, and saved them from being killed.
Giving alms, helping the sangha, and freeing all captured
animals are good deeds. By practicing good deeds, we gradually walk on the
right path, and these are good thoughts that we should have at dying moment.
The Buddhist who practices correctly, should know how to apply
the Dharma at this crucial moment. Firstly, for Buddhist who recites Amitabha
Buddha’s name, when confined in bed because of illness, please remember to
recite Buddha’s name continually, neither thinking of beloved ones nor
property. Following this practice properly, one will surely go to the Buddha’s
realm.
Secondly, for people who do not recite Buddha’s name, but are
used to reading sutras, should at least remember a stanza .
Thirdly, for people who meditate, remember to stay with ‘your
awareness’, do not run after your thoughts. Remember that in the deterioration
of the body, there is something else which is never deteriorated. Thinking like
that, you will not be frightened, but stay with your ‘ Buddha’s nature, your
pure awareness’. The body is not real, you have it and then you lose it. The
‘Buddha’s nature’ is the only thing which is timeless and deathless, and that
is the good thought you should keep in mind at the dying moment.
For the three different situations mentioned above, people who
recite Buddha’s name should only think of Buddha’s name, forget everything
else. People who are used to reading sutras, should remember a stanza. People
who meditate, stay with your ‘pure awareness’, do not be afraid, do not be
worried; just letting go .
These are some of the reminders for that crucial moment.
Now, I am talking about the funeral. Lots of people tell their
families to do this, to do that. It is not important. Why ? Because the body is
composed of the four elements (earth, fire, water, wind); when we are alive, we
drink water to maintain the water element, we eat to maintain the earth
element, we breath to maintain the wind element, etc… Thus, in order to keep
the four elements together and have them work properly, we must borrow similar
elements from the outside.
When we die, we stop borrowing, then the four existing elements
will automatically dissolve by themselves. In foreign countries as well as in
our motherland, the four elements are alike. The body is dust so let it return
to dust. Do not think that leaving your body in a foreign country is a loss.
Dying without being alert, calm and clear-minded is the real loss.
Let family members decide among themselves to perform the
funeral properly according to their means. That is if there is a crematory
nearby, then cremation will be performed. If there is a patch of land, then let
them perform the inhumation. The important role is our pure thoughts and good
deeds which will lead us to happiness. The funeral ceremony plays second role,
so do not overestimate it.
These are my reminders to you all, and hope that when we get old
and pass away, we will not be a problem for family members.
I only mentioned some of the most important things to do at
dying moment. You have the free will to choose your own direction, just do not
let bad, uncontrolled thoughts overcome your pure mind. This is important.
I wish that after having listened to this Dharma talk, all of
you will go home and practice diligently and correctly. The practice will help
you to save yourself and this is also the Buddha’s teaching which will help us
walk on the right path and eventually Buddha’s teaching will get us out of this
suffering world.
(This Article was taken by Sokia ky’s facebook wall)
