Practices When Close to Death

Dear one,
I hope this is not too late. The very best is if you can give some idea of the subtle mind at the time of death, according to tantra, in the context of the evolution of the death process.

Generally, the best advice is to practice the good heart in life, ie bodhicitta. This purifies so much negative karma, even the very heavy ones, and stops us creating more negative karma. It is this negative karma that makes us fearful of death and makes the mind experience it in that way, especially the immeasurable suffering that arises later from that. It stops the suffering rebirths that arise from these negative actions.

The second thing is practicing living in morality, with precepts, taking the precepts from a spiritual master or in front of a holy object.

The essence is to accumulate merit and practice purification in everyday life in our relationships with sentient beings, serving others with a sincere heart, loving kindness, and compassion, doing hard work to benefit them, then making offerings to the Guru and Triple Gem.

In the lamrim it explains the four ways to accumulate powerful, extensive merit. It is good to attempt these in everyday life, while doing all the normal activities: eating, sleeping, walking, etc, rather than the actions being performed out of worldly desire (samsaric attachment).

It is very important to learn the five powers and to integrate them into our life. Also, it is important to learn the five powers to be practiced at death. [Find links to Practicing the Five Powers Near the Time of Death booklet in the FPMT Catalogue.] These are very special practices to achieve enlightenment quickly. They involve powa, the transference of consciousness at the time of death into the pure land. In the pure land one receives teachings on the Mahayana and Vajrayana, which enable one to achieve enlightenment in one lifetime. How effective the powa is depends on how well one practices the five powers at death. This depends on how well one does the general practices during one’s life.

If one becomes accomplished in powa and receives the signs of accomplishment, then this can be the best public service—liberating others and helping them at the time of death.

I am just trying to give you the essence, and some clarity. I have tried to condense it all.

Much love...