Due to ignorance and attachment sentient beings constantly engage in self-centered activities. Consequently, by the force of such activities, called karma, they are helplessly engulfed in transmigration within the six realms of suffering. These six realms are: heavens, asuras, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hells. Through understanding the Buddhist teaching and realizing their significance by devoted practice, one may achieve transcendence from this cycle of transmigration.

The transcendental states are classified as Sravakas, Pratyeka-buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. One may achieve transcendental states in this or some future life. Human life is concurrent and inseparable from two factors: consciousness and warmth. Dying is a gradual process thereby the consciousness completely separates from the body. Death occurs when the body completely loses its awareness and temperature. People who have achieved transcendental states in life are no longer subject to transmigration. However, they may choose to take rebirth in order to further their training on the Buddhist path or to help sentient beings advance on the path. People who have not achieved such transcendence may still obtain rebirth in a Buddha's Pureland through the blessing of Buddha.

Upon death, most people?s consciousness will be in a limbo state for an indefinite period of no more than forty-nine days. In this state the consciousness experiences a floating sequence of scenes without the power to choose. Every seven days during this period the consciousness will experience a dying process. This period ends when the consciousness is drawn by its karma and takes rebirth in one of the six realms. According to this view, death may be considered as a gate through which the consciousness departs from one life and begins the journey to a new life.

Life is impermanent with suffering lurking, and the suffering of transmigrating in the cycle of life and death is beyond comprehension. Buddha achieved liberation from this vicious cycle and then pointed out the path toward such liberation for all sentient beings. Buddha teaches that our self-centered way of life can be unlearned, and that the root of suffering, a sense of self, can be eradicated by the wisdom insight of the conditional nature of all phenomena. Buddha teaches practices that will eventually restore one’s original purity. Some of these practices aim at gaining rebirth in a Buddha’s Pureland at the time of death, while others aim at achieving Enlightenment within this lifetime or in some future life. Buddhist liberation is not only transcendence beyond transmigration in the six realms of suffering, but also a perfect union of fully developed wisdom and compassion.

To a Buddhist, death is a reminder of impermanence, of the preciousness of life, of the need to be diligent in Buddhist practice; it is also a teacher of complete renunciation, of no attachment, of appreciation and gratitude, and of purity beyond worldly concerns and considerations. Death is the ultimate test of one’s lifelong training in Buddhist practices.

The basic principle underlying the rituals and activities related to death is twofold purification of bad karmas and accumulation of merits. Bad karmas may drag one down to undesirable realms, while lack of merits will prevent one from getting a good rebirth or attaining transcendence from transmigration.

According to the Law of Cause and Effect worldly activities will yield only worldly results; hence, only merits imbued with the spirit of Buddhism will lead to transcendental consequences. In other words, charity done with selfish motivation may help one go to heavenly realms after death, but cannot pull one out of transmigration. Only services rendered in a selfless and compassionate way will add to the merits credited for liberation.

In general, the activities related to death may be classified into rituals of elevation and acts of merits. The merits thus generated are dedicated first to the Enlightenment of all sentient beings, and then to the well being of the deceased. A ritual of elevation usually consists of chanting, with the accompaniment of ritual musical instruments, of sutras, mantras and holy names of Buddhas, prostrations, offering of candles, flowers, incense and all sorts of food and drink. A prayer of repentance on behalf of the deceased is also an essential part of these rituals. For this kind of occasions, the most commonly recited sutras are Amitabha Sutra, the Heart Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, and the Earth Treasure Sutra.

To Buddhists who are keenly aware of impermanence, living is concurrent with dying. Hence, as preparation for transcendence from transmigration, they would try to accumulate as much merits as possible in daily life. Some would even renounce worldly activities completely and devote their time and energies exclusively to Buddhist practice and compassionate service. Besides the meritorious activities mentioned above, some Buddhists would pay special attention to helping people who encounter death of loved ones. They would offer to help out, especially by chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha near the dying person. In so doing they not only invokes the blessing of Buddha, provide support and serenity to the situation, but also learn for them how to face death in tranquillity.

The state of mind of a dying person is considered most crucial to his transcendence or rebirth. Hence, it is emphasized in Chinese Buddhist culture that one’s final thoughts should be free from worldly attachments and be directed toward Buddha, Pureland, Bodhicitta and Enlightenment. Buddhists would try to arrange for the dying person to stay in a peaceful and comfortable environment, preferably accompanied by the chanting of Amitabha which may be sung by people.

Nowadays, one is pronounced dead by a physician when the pulse and brain waves are gone. From the Buddhist point of view, even then the person is still dying; the consciousness is still in the process of separating from the body. During this process it would be very painful if movement of the body or abrupt environmental changes disturbs the process. Hence, it is taught that the body should not be disturbed in anyway for at least eight additional hours, preferably until it is cold all over. During this dying process the accompanying chanting should continue.

Accompanying chanting, it can still be done at a distance because the spiritual help can reach out in full strength over any physical distance. This is not a dogmatic assertion but a truism born out by experiences of practitioners. Some would object to this practice due to the misunderstanding that chanting Amitabha at this time amounts to hurrying good-bye before actual departure. In fact, the blessing of Amitabha Buddha is not limited to welcoming sentient beings to his Pureland; his blessing can also help recovery from illness when dying is not irreversible. When one’s death is imminent, all worldly endeavours to keep one alive become either futile or disturbances. During those hours the only sources of comfort and stability are one’s peace of mind born from meritorious deeds, and spiritual support from others who are performing acts of merits on one’s behalf. Therefore, we should begin the chanting practice or other meritorious activities for dying persons as soon as possible. All chanting are fundamentally the outpour of great compassion from the Dharmakaya.

Tag: Crossing the Gate of Death in Pureland Tradition