How to Use Remaining Time

How to Use Remaining Time

Date Posted:
June 2013

A student with cancer had received chemotherapy and radiation treatment for several years, but the cancer had spread again and was quite serious, so she possibly only had two years left. She requested advice on how to use that time.

My dear one,
You’re reciting the Diamond Cutter Sutra every day. That is excellent. If the recitation is done with bodhicitta motivation, that is the best thing for you to do, now and in the future. Also, study what I have written on Practicing the Five Powers Near the Time of Death. [Find links to this booklet in the "Teachings, Advice and Commentaries" subsection of the FPMT Catalogue.]

Try to do more than 200,000 mantras of Vajrasattva, as much as you can.

Then do or arrange for Amitabha tsa tsas (16x) to be done. You can do these or someone can do them for you. Dedicate to achieving all the path and enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. If there is a bigger Amitabha tsa tsa somewhere, then in addition you can have a few of these made, if you can find them. I’m not sure where, so just do this if you can find them.

These practices you can do as you feel, depending on your condition. It’s not necessary to be in retreat style; the main thing is that they are done.

With much love and prayer...

PS: As I mentioned, try to do more than 200,000 Vajrasattva mantras, so then it is better to be in retreat.