Practices for the End of Life
A student whose husband was near death asked what to do both before and after his passing. She said that he was unresponsive, with cold feet and warm hands. Rinpoche explained that sign shows he was dying with virtuous mind, whereas a cold head and warm feet at the time of death indicates a nonvirtuous mind. Rinpoche advised these mantras and other practices.
Recite these mantras:
1. The Buddha Rinchen Tsugtor name mantra:
CHOM DÄN DÄ DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG PAR DZOG PÄI SANG GYÄ RIN CHHEN TSUG TOR CHÄN LA CHHAG TSHÄL LO
To the endowed transcendent destroyer, the one gone beyond, the foe destroyer, the completely perfected, fully awakened being, having a Jewel Ushnisha, I prostrate.
Recite this loudly ten or twenty times, or any number of times. The particular benefit of this mantra is not being reborn in the lower realms.
2. Chenrezig mantra:
OM MANI PADME HUM
3. Lotus Pinnacle of Amoghapasha mantra:
OṂ PADMO UṢHṆĪṢHA VIMALE HŪṂ PHAṬ
4. Maitreya Buddha mantra: It is very important to recite this mantra in his ear when he can still hear. By hearing Maitreya Buddha mantra, he will never be reborn in the lower realms.
6. If you have lamrim texts, such as Lama Tsongkhapa’s lamrim (Great or Middle-Length Lamrim) this can be put on his pillow so it’s gently touching his head.
7. Namgyalma protection: You can put this on his body right now.
Maybe only FPMT has these holy instructions on what to organize to help the person who is dying, so you should know that. It is so important to know how to help people at the time of death. That is the most important thing. It’s so important to help them, first so they are not reborn in lower realms and then so they are reborn in the pure lands or higher realms.
8. You should totally rely on Amitabha Buddha, thinking that Amitabha Buddha is on his head, and request Amitabha Buddha to please guide him to the pure land. Take refuge many times in Amitabha. You may ring the bell and recite the Amitabha prayer for him to be led to the pure land right now.
9. After he has passed away, when the body has to be moved or to touched, it’s very important to first touch the crown and pull the hair on the crown a few times.
10. If you have a powa pill you can put on his crown. To do that you can stick it down with a little bit of butter or honey.
11. If you have Kalachakra sand blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, you can mix that with butter or honey and stick it on his crown. If you have that, it is very important to use it on the crown at death time. Remember this in the future as well, for yourself and also for others who are dying, including animals.
After the husband had passed away, the student asked Rinpoche what she could do to help him during the forty-nine days of the bardo state. Rinpoche replied:
At this time, it is assumed he is still in the bardo. The length of life of bardo is one week and if he doesn't find rebirth in that time, then he would be reborn in the bardo again. The longest time in the bardo is forty-nine days. That is maybe according to Lama Tsongkhapa. According to the other sects, I think it may even be up to one year.
You should recite Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri (Jamphel Tsenjö); this came out best to recite for your husband for the forty-nine days, in case he is still in the bardo. Chanting the Names of Noble Manjushri contains the whole entire tantra subjects. It is a most powerfull text and has so much benefit.