Preparing for Death

Ven Roger:
Dear friends,
Lama Zopa Rinpoche receives many requests for prayers and help for people who are dying … the requests come every day. Very often people / students are not prepared for their own death or for that of those close to them—it comes even as a surprise or shock when it happens. It shouldn’t be, and Rinpoche is always trying to emphasize the need to be ready. Today an old student came to Rinpoche with a request about what to do because a relative is dying, so Rinpoche wanted to send this message out.

Rinpoche:
My very dear brothers and sisters,
There are so many unbelievable circumstances for death; it can happen at any time, especially as more diseases such as cancer seem to be increasing.

Some people are very happy at the time of death because of their good heart: they experience even death for the benefit of numberless suffering sentient beings, thinking that even at this time this is the best thing that they can do in their life. Other people are not so happy at the time of death, but are OK. Most people, however, are very unhappy at the time of death.

Irrespective of the conditions, such as cancer and so forth, the state of your mind is the actual cause of happiness and suffering, even at the time of death.

With much love and prayer,

Lama Zopa

Note: Lama Zopa Rinpoche has given extensive advice on preparing for death and caring for others at the time of death. Heart Advice for Death and Dying contains all of Rinpoche’s most essential advice, while Caring for the Dying is a short brochure with information that may be needed on short notice. For more information, please go to FPMT's Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche and in particular, Death and Dying: Heart Advice and Practices.