Heart Disease and Triple Bypass
An old, very dedicated student was diagnosed with serious heart disease and was advised to have a triple bypass operation. She wrote to Rinpoche asking for advice. His advice and her response, two months later, are reproduced below.
My most dear one,
According to my divination, these are some things you should try to get done:
1) Zang cho chi lu (Zang cho is the King of Prayers and Chi Lu is a puja called Betraying Death). The latter needs to be done by a geshe. It is the Betraying Death puja based on the King of Prayers.
2) Liberate animals: The number should be according to how old you are, but it would be beneficial if you can do more than that. Liberate them according to my method: reciting mantras and taking them around holy objects.
3) It is very important to do Medicine Buddha puja three times.
4) Mamo trü kang puja: three times. I will do this puja.
5) Mitukpa practice: Four malas a day.
After having done these pujas, then it would be good to have the triple bypass operation.
It is very good to do Mitukpa practice – four malas a day – for strong purification. While you recite the mantra, think that you are purifying all sickness and spirit harm. It is most important to focus on feeling that all negative karma, delusions, and obscurations are purified.
Anyway, even if this treatment is successful, still there are other conditions causing death. We have very little time to live anyway, so we must practice Dharma, lamrim, and the heart practice – bodhicitta.
It is very good if you can take the eight Mahayana precepts as many times as possible. This is very important for having a good rebirth in a pure land, for meeting the Dharma, to practice Dharma, etc.
There is not much time to live one’s life. Because of distractions, one’s life can become meaningless.
Thank you very much sweetheart.
With big love and prayers,
Lama Zopa
Student (two months later): After my initial catastrophic heart test results, my angiogram last week only established "very minor problems" for which I can continue to take medication. There is no longer any need for any operations. In fact, I don't need to see my cardiologist until next year. This is a complete surprise and no one can quite explain it.