What to Do at the Moment of Death

What to Do at the Moment of Death

Date Posted:
September 2006

Rinpoche wrote this letter to a student who was nearing death.

My most dear, kindest brother,
Please look at this mantra quite often. Especially look at this mantra when you are leaving this old body. Dear one, please don’t cling to anything, and let yourself be completely free. This is the most important moment of your life.

You don’t need to be afraid at all of being born in the lower realms. I give all my merits of the past, present, and future to you, for you to have a happy journey and a happy wonderful sun-shining future, and I give big love to you. All the buddhas and bodhisattvas love you, and you are under their care.

May anyone who sees this mantra immediately be reborn in a pure land where they can become enlightened. Or may they receive a perfect human body by quickly actualizing the causal vehicle (the three principles of the path) and the result vehicle (the secret mantra Vajrayana), based on correctly devoting to and only pleasing their own holy guru.

You can also pray this way: “May I take rebirth in whatever place is most beneficial for sentient beings, no matter where it is.” To think this thought again and again is extremely good.

The other choice is to think: “May I be born in Amitabha’s blissful field, to quickly benefit all sentient beings.”

Here is Buddha’s name mantra – Protecting from the Three Lower Realms:

CHOM DÄN DÄ DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG PAR DZOG PÄI SAN GYÄ RINCHHEN TSUG TOR CHEN LA CHHAG TSHÄL LO

By hearing this mantra, one will never be reborn in the lower realms, and one will be liberated and will be able to enlighten all sentient beings from the oceans of samsara.

Thank you.
With much love and prayers...