Recently a very close friend called to talk about his father. At 95, it seems that he is fading away. As the result of our conversation, I offered to write down briefly the teachings on dying that I have been given over the years and supplemented from some source books that I have on the matter.

Tibetans in general and Nyingma Buddhist of Tibet in particular have extensive teachings on what we call dying and death. Tibetans begin with an understanding from a young age that we are not just this life. We are not this body. Death and dying do not have the same connotations as we in the West think. The term used in Tibet for dying is more accurately translated as “moving forward.”

This present life is one in a long continuum of births and deaths. The transition from this life into our eventual rebirth is a critical juncture and is regarded as both sacred and extremely important. Attending to the dying is focused on the person rather than focusing on our self-directed sadness. During the dying process, one is commonly visited by family, neighbors, friend and spiritual guides.

Leading up to and even beyond the point where we take our last in-breath can be called the dying process. This process of separation of our thinking mind from the current life and bodies can be swift or can be extended.

All Nyingma Masters emphasize that during the dying process and after death, we must be very courteous with what we say. Sensitivity increases even though outside responses may seem to fade. We should not only speak kind, loving and compassionate words, but also we should say these words in gentle and loving voices. No harsh language or disturbing voices.

The dying process, I think, would be better described as the dissolution process: Initially we go through the dissolution of outer senses and the elements of this world and this life. Following the outer dissolution, the individual will begin what has been called the inner dissolutions.

The dissolution of the outer elements commonly follow a pattern of (a) earth dissolving into water; (b) water dissolving into fire; (c) fire dissolving into air; and finally (d) air dissolving into space.

It is important to know that leading up to the final dissolution process, all elements begin to weaken. There are interim periods of being hot to being cold; from feeling thirsty to feeling wet, from feeling confused/dull to feeling extremely sensitive to all outside stimuli; and from having a hard time breathing to feeling extremely airy.

Earth dissolves into Water

The first stage of final dissolution is the dissolution of the earth element. The teachings say that the dissolution of each element starts with an initial intensification of the element before it full dissolves. After the initial feelings of heaviness and weightiness, the earth element dissolves into water. During this time one’s solidity begins to fade. One begins to feel very liquid-like – our firm and solid feelings disappear. The sense of visual and mental clarity begin to dull. Our bodies may lose some of its brightness and glow.

Water dissolves into Fire

Initially one will feel saturated with water. one will then experience dryness of skin, dryness of the mouth, eyes, and nasal passages. Blood and lymph circulation will slow. One will feel very thirsty. The Feelings to react to external stimuli will begin to fade. It might appear that the person is unable to respond to things going on around them. Senses will become dull and we may become indifferent to many things going on around us.

Fire dissolves into Air

Initially we may feel extremely hot, as if one is going to burn up in a fire. This is followed by the fire element dissolving and the feeling of being cold. No matter how warm it is and how many covers one has; the person will still feel cold. At this time it is common for the sense of smell to deteriorate. The person will begin to be unable to distinguish and differentiate outside information coming through their senses. We are beginning to full separate from our body senses.

Air Dissolves into Space

While air dissolve into space, the traditional teachings say that “air dissolves into consciousness and consciousness dissolves into space.” So actually there is this interim step of consciousness.

One initially feels that there are strong winds or breezes in the room. Subsequently, one begins to have lightness in breathing. In-breaths shorten. Out breaths are slow and extend. The dying person loses motivation and sense of being within this world. What we think of as the life-force is very light. Breathing becomes very slow and delayed. It is likely that the person will lose the desire to eat. The sense of taste has dissolved. Dissolution of air into consciousness is likened to a candle which is almost out. The flame is very small and faint. It has very little energy left burning.

Upon the final dissolution of air into consciousness and then to space, one stops breathing. In our modern medical world, we regard this as the moment of death. However, “inner respiration” continues for another 20 minutes. It is after the cessation of inner respiration that the dying person can no longer return to this life.

Full separation of our thinking mind from our physical bodies is completed after completion of the inner dissolution. The teachings on this process are quite comprehensive. However, they are typically noticeable to a trained Master.

As an attendant to the dying, we are advised to support the person. Provide comfort and understanding. We want to aid them in their transition with immeasurable compassion and love.

Many Dharma Blessings

Geoff

My root teacher just came through Salt Lake City. It seems like years since I had the opportunity to really talk to him one-on-one in the ways that I had in some years past.

Khenpo Choga Rinpoche has begun to build his legacy which he has unrelently followed.

Khenpo Choga Rinpoche really and truly wants ALL sentient beings to be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. He wants ALL sentient beings to have happiness and the causes of happiness.

When you have this as ones objective and not just some nice slogan to repeat within prayers, you have amazing power. When everything you do fits within the context of your mission, you cannot stop and you become the living advertisement for your plan.

So this is one of the greatest lessons I took away from Khenpo Choga Rinpoche’s short visit to Salt Lake City: Set your true plan and follow it. Realize that there will be unexpected obstacles and unexpected successes. But no matter what, one stays the course. Never surrender to obstacles. Never abandon your plan no matter what may arise.

I have seen the future unfolding and I rejoice.

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
(author unknown)

All actions begin with a thought. This thought when investigated has power behind it. This power or energy could be looked at as either positive, neutral, or negative. Clearly this is a simplification but it works for the purpose of discussion.

The power of each thought leaves an imprint within our mind and future. We could say that we all recognize that a thought when repeated often becomes eventually a habit. However, each thought, on its own, has momentum of its own. This propelling power exist well before such a thought becomes a habit.

How do we know if a thought (and eventually words and actions which follow) have positive, neutral, or negative karma? I want to give the best sacred advice I have been given:

If a thought, word, or action is done for our own benefit, then it is harmful (negative).
If a thought, word, or action is done for others benefit, then it is beneficial (positive).

All of our suffering, without exception,
Is the result from our wish to please ourselves.
The thoughts and actions that benefit others
Give birth to Supreme Enlightenment.
Give up our selfish desires and shameful neglect of our suffering kin,
Replace thoughts of self with concern for others.
This is the way of the Bodhisattva.

Many Dharma Blessings,

Geoff

I had earlier written about karma and rebirth. These concepts in Vajrayana Buddhism are very much connected. In my opinion, we cannot understand, no less accept, karma without understanding rebirth.

Karma is cause and effect. Nothing mysterious or strange. It is just simply the word used in Sanskrit to explain the direct connection between the what we do, say, and think to the results. Helpful actions result in creating positive karma. Harmful actions result in creating negative karma

Rebirth is critical because karma with us to future lives. Its not over when we die. Whatever we have done, said and thought not only has an impact on this lifetime but also our future lifetimes.

When we are born, we carry the karma from past lives. So even if we live a pure life from this birth, we can still have unfortunate circumstances arise. These are the result of karmic seeds planted from past lives.

So the question always comes up. Do we have any choice? Will we ultimately suffer the consequences of every harmful act, word, and thought we have ever had from this life as well as all past lives? Fortunately, the answer we can delete negative karma before it sprouts. Yes we do have a choice.

We can purify negative karma. Either karma is purified or it will come to fruition. The same is true when it comes to positive karma as well. Good deeds always have positive results.

Khenpo Choga Rinpoche teaches that the best way to purify negative karma is through our positive thinking, positive words, and positive actions. He is always emphasizing the positive thinking as the start. “Positive thinking” is a tricky matter because there has been so much overuse of the concept by many self-help gurus. When we say it, it has a little different meaning.

First, we need to explain what is meant by thinking. In any situation, we can choose how we think. This moment to moment thinking is to which Khenpo Choga speaks. He says every fraction of a second, we have new thought. We cannot have two thoughts at the same moment. Only one. So in each moment the choice is to maintain positive/beneficial thinking.

Positive thinking from a Buddhist perspective can be summarize into 5 kinds:

Renunciation – Renouncing our self directed, self-focused desires and aversions to the material world.
Compassion – Wish for all sentient being to be free from suffering
Faith – Faith in teachings that lead to awakening
Love – Wish for all sentient beings to be happy.
Wisdom – Awareness with egoless effort to beneficial activity in every situation.

All starts with our thinking and our intentions. The focus of Buddha’s teachings are always place on our intentions and what we are thinking.

Traditionally, a formal way to delete negative karma is with purification practices such as that of Vajrasattva. Simply stated there are 4 “powers” to be applied. First, we call on the power of support from deity or deities manifesting positive attributes. Second, we use the power of regret – regret of the negative actions, words, and thinking we have done in the past. Third, we apply the power of promise – promise to never do such again. Finally, we apply the power of practice – The practice of positive, helpful and beneficial deeds with our body, our speech, and our minds (thinking).

Khenpo Choga Rinpoche’s teachings on deleting negative karma (with positive thinking) goes to the heart of even a purification practice. We can sit down and follow steps 1,2, and 3, however, the real work comes when we get off our seat and set into the world of unpredictable situations. Can we really keep our promise to never do negative actions and have negative thinking? Can we maintain the intention to help all sentient beings be free from suffering and have happiness?

It all comes back to positive thinking…in any situation…in every situation….in every moment.

Many Dharma Blessings,

Geoff

Within Vajrayana Buddhism, there are many interim steps to gaining confidence, knowledge and wisdom. They have been constructed by great masters and great centers of Buddhist learning in order to aid us in the development of the Ultimate View.

From what I have been told, it is within the Nyingma – Dzogchen Lineage that the masters provide a glimpse of this ultimate view. Not that we are prepared or capable of maintaining the view, but we are given a glimpse of the result.

Part of this View is to see everything as Perfect – to see the natural purity and perfection of all appearances. Within the Buddha Path Practice we find this View expounded in many places. Within the Concluding Practices, under the Thirteen Sign of a True Practicitioner we recite:

I will think of all situations positively
I will perceive all appearances purely
I will live my daily life joyfully

Rather than beating ourselves up for falling from this View, I try to recall these words often during the day. Combined with a one-minute meditation of letting everything be exactly how it is, I try to return to the spacious and open thinking mind.

Sometimes it remains for a while. Sometimes is vanishes with the next daily challenge. I still work to bring my mind back to this spacious mind and relaxed, pure, clear, and free.

Many Dharma Blessings,

Geoff