Buddhist Spiritual Practices for Dying

[Tohatchi NM]

I'll preface this by saying I'm not an expert, and I'm taking most of this stuff from "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche (not to be confused with "The Tibetan Book of the Dead").

When I went to Reno for a Khonvention, Bill mentioned that he had already had his funeral (yes, while he was still alive). He showed me a picture where he was represented amongst a lineage of Buddhas - to me it looked sort of like an ornate, pictographic family tree. So he was well prepared.

I'm posting the very basics I gleaned from the book, so people who are so inclined can honor his memory in a way that is coherent with his beliefs. I'm sure any good thoughts from people of any religious belief (or abstention) would be appreciated, though, and many have already been posted for Bill and Yangdu.

Experts on the forum, please feel free to correct me. Also, I will be consulting with the resident monk and Buddhist chaplain as soon as possible, hopefully tomorrow. I'll post anything else I learn.

First, the belief is that upon death, the soul enters an intermediate state which lasts up to seven weeks. During this period, the soul has to adjust to the shock of being detached from the body and move on to the next stage. During this period, the thoughts of the living can ease or aggravate the transition. Good thoughts help guide the soul toward better rebirth or higher spiritual states.

The book describes "phowa" practice (pronounced po-wa) which is pretty simple and adaptable. (quoting from the book)

"1. In the sky in front of you, invoke the embodiment of whatever truth you believe in, in the form of radiant light. Choose whichever divine being or saint you feel close to. If you are a Buddhist, invoke a buddha with whom you feel an intimate connection. If you are a practicing Christian, feel with all your heart the vivid, immediate presence of God, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, or the Virgin Mary. If you don't feel linked with any particular spiritual figure, simply imagine a form of pure, golden light in the sky before you. The important point is that you consider the being you are visualizing or whose presence you feel is the embodiment of the truth, wisdom, and compassion of all the buddhas, masters, saints, and enlightened beings. Don't worry if you cannot visualize them very clearly, just fill your heart with their presence and trust that they are there."

2."...visualize the Buddha or spiritual presence above the head of the person: Imagine that the rays of light pour down onto the person, purifying his or her whole being, aandd then he or she dissolves into light and merges with the spiritual presence."

(all errors are my own)

The book also suggests that rituals are particularly important on every seventh day after death, with extra emphasis on the 4th week (the amount of time most souls stay in the intermediate state) and 7th week (longest stay).


YMMV

 

[Spectre]

Thanks.

Fudo Myo might work for me (notice his sword, btw).

(Also look here.)

John

 

[munk]

I'm needing to know what expressions of condolences are appropriate for the Buddhist family.




munk

 

[Howard Wallace]

I'm needing to know what expressions of condolences are appropriate for the Buddhist family.

Can't answer that, but I do note that we are all here together in the human condition. Sincere expressions to friends are seldom wrong, whatever religion they profess.

 

[munk]

That's pretty much where I am, Howard.


Do Buddhists celebrate passage, or mourn?



munk

 

[Tohatchi NM]

I get the sense that it's a little of both. Change is the only constant, and death is a natural change that leads to rebirth and hopefully a higher rung on the karmic ladder. Or at least a chance to learn more. The fluidness of death is very powerful - your mindset, circumstances of death, and how friends and relatives deal with it can have profound effects on the soul. Positive thoughts help the soul relax and move into the next incarnation. Negative thoughts - family squabbles, insincere mourning, and such - can distract the soul and have bad consequences.

I think there is also some sadness for the people left behind. IMHO, much of what happens after death is for the living. We need to learn to accept the change and newness in our life, and not get trapped in grief. So we have various rituals and rites that assure us the dead person is "in a better place" and give us a chance to say goodbye so we don't get stuck on the unknown vacuum that is death.

I'm particularly fond of remembrances - anecdotes and stories about the person who passed on. They remind us why the person was special and help us continue their wisdom. Thanks to everyone on the forum who is remembering and helping me to remember the great things about Uncle.