Three Important Matters at the Time of Death
By Master Yinguang
First, be skilful in guiding and comforting to help the patient give rise to the right faith;
Secondly, take turns to Nianfo to assist the person in having pure mindfulness (of Amituofo);
Thirdly, avoid moving the body and crying to prevent mishaps.
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There is nothing more tragic in life than death, but no one in the world can escape it. Therefore, those who want to benefit themselves and others must consider this matter sooner rather than later. In fact, the word “death” is just a provisional name. It is merely the end of this current retribution body (life) – which is the product of the actions of past lives – when one discards this physical form and takes on another. Those who do not know the Dharma have no idea what to do about this and can only drift along according to their karma.
Now that we have heard the Pure Land Dharma-gate, by which the Tathagata universally saves sentient beings, we should give rise to faith, vow to attain rebirth, recite the Buddha's name (Amituofo/Amitabha Buddha), and prepare the provisions for our rebirth, in order to free ourselves from the illusory suffering of life and death, and realise the true bliss of abiding in Nirvana. If you have parents, brothers, and relatives who are seriously ill and unable to recover, it is advisable to express filial piety and compassion by advising them to recite the Buddha’s name (Amituofo) and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land, and also helping them through assisted Nianfo, so that when the patient dies, he can attain rebirth in the Pure Land. The benefits obtained from this are inexhaustible.
Here, I shall list three important principles to serve as the basis for helping the dying achieve rebirth. Although the language is simple and unadorned, the meaning is drawn from Buddhist scriptures. I hope that those who read or hear this will, when encountering such a situation, act accordingly. The three things are:
First, be skilful in guiding and comforting to help the patient give rise to the right faith;
Secondly, take turns to Nianfo to assist the person in having pure mindfulness (of Amituofo);
Thirdly, avoid moving the body and crying to prevent mishaps.
If these three methods are followed, it is guaranteed that the patient will eliminate past karma, increase their pure causes, be guided by Amitabha Buddha, and be reborn in the Western Pure Land. Once reborn, he will transcend the ordinary and become a sage, breaking free from the cycle of reincarnation. Then, by continuing to advance further in his cultivation, he will ultimately realise Buddhahood. The attainment of such benefits relies entirely on the power of assisted Nianfo. To do this is to show true filial piety to parents; to brothers and sisters, it is to be a true brother or sister; to children, it is true loving-kindness; to friends and other people, it is true compassion and benevolence. If, by using these methods, we can cultivate our own pure causes and inspire faith in others, this can gradually become a widespread practice!
Now, I will explain each principle individually, so one will know what to do when the time comes.
The First Principle
First, be skilful in guiding and comforting to help the patient give rise to the right faith.
Urge the patient to let go of everything and Nianfo wholeheartedly. If there are matters that need to be settled, settle them immediately. Once settled, leave them aside and do not think about them. One (the patient) should think: “I shall now follow Amitabha Buddha to be born in the Buddha-land. All the wealth, happiness, family members, and various illusory situations in the world are obstacles that will cause harm. Therefore, I should not give rise to a single thought of attachment.”
One should understand that one’s True Nature is originally without death (our Buddha-nature has no birth and no death). What we call “death” is only giving up this body and swapping it for another. If one does not Nianfo, one will follow the force of one’s good and evil karma and be reborn in the corresponding good or evil path (the good paths are the heavenly realm and the human realm; the evil paths are the animal, hungry ghost, hell, and asura realms. The asura realm can be called a good or an evil path, because the karmic causes and resulting fruits the beings have generated are a mix of good and evil). If, at the time of death, one wholeheartedly recites “Namo Amituofo” (Namo Amitabha Buddha), with this sincere heart, one will definitely move Amitabha Buddha to show great compassion, and the Buddha will personally come to receive one and guide one to attain rebirth.
Do not have doubts, thinking, “I am a karmic mortal (an ordinary being bound and driven by karmic forces), how can I Nianfo in such a short time and be able to exit the cycle of reincarnation and attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land?” One should know that the great compassion of Amitabha Buddha is such that, even for those who have committed the ten evil deeds and five gravest offences, if, at the time of death, when the hell realm appears before them, a good advisor appears and teaches them to Nianfo, after just ten recitations, or even just one recitation, they can be received by Amitabha Buddha and be reborn in the Western Pure Land. If such people can attain rebirth with only a few recitations, how can one think that one cannot attain rebirth due to heavy karma or few recitations?
One should know that our original True Nature is no different from the Buddhas'. It is just that we ordinary beings, due to our illusions and heavy karmic obstacles, cannot enjoy it (experience and abide in the bliss of our True Nature) like the Buddhas. Now, since we have taken refuge in the Buddha, like a son relying on his father, we are only restoring what we originally have (our Buddha-nature), not obtaining it externally.
Also, Amitabha Buddha once made the vow: “If there are beings who, upon hearing my Name, believe in it deeply and earnestly vow to be born in my Land – if, after even as few as ten recitations, they cannot be born there, may I not realise Buddhahood.” Because of this, all sentient beings who, at the time of death, Nianfo and vow to be born in the Western Pure Land will be received (by Amitabha Buddha). One must not doubt this! To doubt is to obstruct oneself, and this causes the worst harm! Furthermore, to be liberated from this world of suffering is the happiest thing. One should give rise to a heart of joy and must not be afraid of death. Even if one is afraid of death, one will still die and will moreover not be able to attain rebirth (in the Pure Land). Because one’s mind goes against the Buddha’s mind, although the Buddha has great compassion, He cannot help those who are not receptive to guidance.
"Amitabha Buddha," a great Name cultivated and built up from the accumulation of millions of merits, is like a great furnace, and our evil karma from countless lives is like a small snowflake in the sky. Ordinary karmic beings, by chanting the Name of Amitabha Buddha, eliminate their karma the way a snowflake approaching a furnace immediately disappears, not to mention that after the evil karma is eliminated, all good roots will naturally grow and become enriched. So, how can we think that we will not be reborn and that the Buddha will not come to receive us? Through receiving the thoughtful guidance and tactful comforting words presented above, patients can naturally give rise to the right faith. This should be the main content of persuading the patient.
As for those who are children, they must do their best to be filial and sincere, and they must not follow the conventional custom of seeking gods and relying on doctors (Editor’s Note: this is assuming that the patient is on the verge of death and past the point of being healed by medicine). If you turn your mind towards these useless things, your sincerity will be scattered, and you will not be able to resonate with the Buddha through Nianfo. Many people, when their parents are dying, spare no expense in inviting many doctors to see them. This is called "buying filial piety," and they want people to praise them for being filial to their parents. Little do they know that heaven, earth, ghosts, and gods have already seen through their hypocritical hearts! Therefore, those who are extravagant and wasteful about the burial of their parents will incur, if not natural disasters, then definitely man-made ones! As children, you should focus on making sure your parents' consciousnesses go to a good place. Those things worldly people praise are not worth being smiled at by discerning people, let alone being pursued vigorously, resulting in the great crime of filial impiety.
The Second Principle
Secondly, take turns to Nianfo to assist the patient in having pure mindfulness (of Amituofo).
The patient has been guided before, so he has already developed the right faith. But the patient’s heart (mental strength) is weak, and it is not easy to Nianfo continuously, without interruption. Even those who regularly Nianfo will need to rely on the power of others’ assisted Nianfo at this time, let alone those who do not usually Nianfo. Therefore, family members should show filial piety and compassion, providing assistance by chanting the Buddha’s Name for the patient. If the illness has not yet reached the final stage, one can take turns in different groups. It is advisable to divide into three groups. There should be a fixed number of people in each group. When the first group begins to Nianfo out loud, the second and third groups can Nianfo in silence. If there are small things that need to be done, one can do it during silent recitation, but when one is on duty, one should not leave. When the second group finishes, the third group can continue, so that all groups take turns. Each group should recite for one hour and rest for two; in this way, even after carrying on for one day and one night, people will not feel too tired.
One should know that those who are willing to assist in Nianfo and help others attain rebirth will also receive the fruit of being assisted in Nianfo by others in the future. Not to mention that one ought to do this to fulfill one’s filial duty toward one’s parents; even reciting on behalf of ordinary people helps to cultivate one's own field of merit and increase one's good roots. In fact, this is a kind of self-benefit, not merely for the sake of others. To help a person achieve rebirth in the Pure Land is to help a sentient being become a Buddha. This kind of merit is truly inconceivable!
The three groups can take turns so that the chanting is continuous, and if the patient still has a bit of energy and can still chant, then he can follow along in a low voice. If he cannot chant, then he can use his ears to listen single-mindedly (recite in his mind) and have no other thoughts. In this way, he will naturally resonate with the Buddha. The sound of the chanting should not be too loud, as this can hurt the Qi (energy) and is difficult to maintain. It should also not be too low, or the patient will not be able to hear it clearly. It should not be too fast or too slow. If it is too fast, the patient will not be able to keep up; if it is too slow, the patient will not be able to catch his breath and thus will not receive much benefit. If the chanting is neither too loud nor too low, neither too fast nor too slow, and the words are distinct and clear, so that each recitation enters into the ears and passes through the mind (of the patient), only then can he be benefited!
The only instrument that should be used during Nianfo is the chime (yinqing); nothing else should be used. The sound of the chime is clear, so hearing it can help the person be in a pure state of mind; the sound of the wooden fish is turbid, so it is not suitable to be used during assisted Nianfo for the dying. (Editor’s Note: Don’t worry about the instrument here. One can just Nianfo without an instrument). Also, it is suitable to recite the four-character Buddha Name (Amituofo). In the beginning, do a few six-character Namo Amituofo recitations (Namo Amitabha Buddha), and then focus on reciting the four-character "Amituofo," dropping the "Namo," because if the words are few, it is easy to recite, and whether the patient follows along aloud or listens carefully (reciting in the mind), this saves effort. The relatives at home should recite it like this, and the friends invited from outside should also recite it like this. No matter how many people there are, they should recite like this. Do not just recite for a while, rest, and then recite again, as this can interrupt the patient's Nianfo. As for eating, people should take turns to eat; the sound of Nianfo should not stop.
If the patient is about to stop breathing, all three groups should recite together until the patient stops breathing. After that, they should divide into groups and recite for three hours (Editor's Note: In many of his teachings, Master Yinguang advocates reciting for twelve hours: this is because he was concerned that family members may not have the patience to recite for longer than that. Of course, the Master hopes that we can recite for as long as possible – at least one day and one night.) After that, take a break to manage and arrange future affairs. When chanting Amituofo, do not allow relatives and friends to come to the bed and say comforting words. They should join the others in reciting the Buddha’s name (Amituofo) for a certain period of time, which is what will truly benefit the patient. If we use worldly emotions, it will be like pushing the person into the sea (of Samsara). Although it is understandable from an emotional perspective, it is truly heartbreaking from a rational perspective. This matter depends entirely on whether the host can understand reason and arrange for people to persuade relatives and friends in advance, so as not to create obstacles arising from considerations of social ties or fear of embarrassment and cause the patient to be emotionally affected, leading him to come to harm, become distracted, and not attain rebirth!
The Third Principle
Thirdly, avoid moving the body and crying to prevent mishaps.
When the patient is about to die, this is precisely the moment when it is determined whether he will become an ordinary being or a sage, a human or a ghost. It is very crucial! At this time, you can only use the Buddha's name to enlighten his spiritual consciousness. Under no circumstances should you bathe the patient, change his clothes, or move him from his resting place. No matter how he is sitting or lying down, he should only stay in his original position and should not be moved even a little bit, and neither should you show sadness or even cry for him. For at this time, the body can no longer control itself, and if you move it, he will suffer from twisting pain in the limbs and feet. From the pain, anger will arise, causing his Nianfo to stop, and his consciousness will follow the anger, most likely leading him to be reborn among poisonous snakes or beasts, which is horrifying to the extreme. If a dying person sees sadness and crying, he will generate affection and cease to Nianfo, and the consciousness will be carried away with the affection, resulting in an inextricable bondage from lifetime to lifetime. At this time, the most beneficial thing that can be done is to recite the Buddha's name wholeheartedly; the most harmful thing is to move the dying person and cry for him carelessly. If moving or crying would make him feel hatred or love (attachment), then how could he still be reborn in the Western Pure Land? Even a ten-thousandth of hope would be gone!
Also, when a person is dying, if his body warmth rises from the bottom to the top, it is a sign of superbirth (rebirth in a higher realm); if it sinks from top to bottom, it is a sign of degeneration (rebirth in the lower realms). Therefore, there is a saying: "From the crown, sagehood; from the eyes, heaven; from the heart, the human realm; from the belly, hungry ghosts; from the knees, animals; from the soles, hell" (顶圣眼生天，人心, 饿鬼腹，畜生膝盖离，地狱脚板出). But as long as everyone sincerely assists in Nianfo, the dying will naturally be reborn in the West immediately. Do not under any circumstances repeatedly touch the dying person. If the spiritual consciousness has not yet departed, the stimulation may cause afflictions and pain to arise in his heart, thereby preventing his rebirth. This kind of offence is really immeasurable and boundless. I hope that relatives and friends can each sincerely recite the Buddha's name and not feel his heat to see which part of him is the last to become cold. As for the children of the patient, paying attention to this matter is true filial piety. If we act according to all kinds of worldly human feelings and customs, then it is like we are pushing our parents into the sea of misery so as to get ordinary ignorant people to praise us for our filial piety. This kind of "filial piety" is the same as the "love" of a Rakshasa. The Buddhist scriptures say: "The Rakshasa woman eats humans and says: 'I love you, so I eat you.'" The actions of those ignorant people make their parents lose their great happiness and suffer extremely – isn't this the same as the love of the Rakshasa woman? I say this not to be unreasonable, but in hopes that people will be practical and make sure that the dead can attain rebirth and the living are blessed, thereby fulfilling the sincere hearts of filial sons and daughters who love their parents. Perhaps what I am saying may seem a bit intense, but people who truly love their relatives will surely understand.
Sayings such as "from the crown, sagehood; from the eyes, heaven” mean that after a person has stopped breathing and the whole body has become cold, if the crown of the head is the last place to remain warm, then that person has certainly transcended the ordinary and entered sagehood, ended birth and death, and been reborn in the Western Pure Land; if the eyes and forehead alone remain warm, that indicates rebirth in the heavenly realms; if the heart (chest) alone remains warm, that indicates return to the human realm; if the lower belly remains warm, rebirth as a hungry ghost; if the knees remain warm, rebirth as an animal; if the soles of the feet remain warm, the person has fallen into the hells.
These are real situations that are manifestations, in this moment, of the two forces of good and evil that the person created during his life; they cannot be fabricated by any other means. At this time, if the patient can sincerely recite the Buddha’s name (Amituofo), coupled with the added support of his family members and friends’ assisted Nianfo, he can definitely be reborn with his karma, become a sage, and attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Do not frequently touch and test the body, for it will cause trouble. I especially emphasise and earnestly pray for this!
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