witnessing unpercedented death in a gloomy year?

Death is always a dreaded subject and people avoid talking about it. Those who work in the hospital doctors, nurses and paramedics encounter deaths on daily basis and it is their profession. Today hundreds of them have died serving the corona victims all over the world.

On the other hand the Ven’ble monks too encounter them while attending the religious ceremony of  ‘Choga’ the last Buddhist funeral rites according to ‘Sutra of the Bardo Thodrol’ (encountering the in-between stage after death and realizing liberation of different degrees).

As per this Sutra the dead attends ‘Rigpa Gogyur’ (the mind or consciousness of the dead becomes 9 times more intelligent) and for next the 49 days it is in the in-between stage before it take the new life form as per his/her karma (actions).

The Buddhist ardent aims to avoid taking birth in the ‘Nyansong Soom’ (three lower realms i.e world of animals, hungry ghost and hell) and wish for taking birth in the three upper realms i.e. Our world, world of Gods and demi Gods) often depicted in the ‘Wheel of life’ painting by traditional artists on the wall of an entrance to ‘Gompa’ (monastery) many visitors would have seen them.

It is stated that the dead begins to understand that he or she had indeed died for the first time on the fourth day which is described as ‘Zhitsigs’ until then it feels it is still alive and may be sleeping?

On the fourth day, it wakes up and tries to test itself by watching its shadow by standing in the sun. It hits hard on the ground with its foot to see if imprint comes out. Likewise it does many tests going very close to dear ones touching him or her not getting respond it assures itself that it has indeed died?

During the day long ceremony the Ven’ble monks repeat part of the ‘Sutra’ several times. Special food is prepared for the dead and it is served by laying it on a fire bowl of burnt cow dung. In scent of burning food is relished by the dead. The food is offered for next 49 days three times a day in the same way. Butter lamps too are lighted during this period of 49 days and night which helps the dead.

The ‘Choga’ ceremony can be very simple also very elaborate as per the status of the family. It can last from a day to a week to fortnight or even a month. Therefore, the ‘Sutra’ of the ‘Bardo Thodrol’ is most helpful ‘Sutra’ during such occasions as death of dear one at home or outside for the followers of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism.

During such occasion family members engage a person to undertake the recitation of this ‘Sutra’ which is very helpful to the decease. While it being read even we understand the regarding the ‘Sutra’ as it indirectly informs the dead that now it having completed this life’s journey hence it must follow the white light among the five colours that it encounters and set itself to liberation avoiding the veil of dark passage condition by Karmic forces during its journey on earth.

More learned adept follow the profound steps indicated in the ‘Sutra of BardoThodrol’ and pass out as if entering new journey so simple but these are extremely rare case unless one has thoroughly understood the text and learnt it by heart for a persistent genuine seeker so to state.

This ‘Sutra’ became very popular in America in the 1990’s when its translation surfaced yet once again authored by late H E Sogyal Rinpoche founder of the Rigpa International Centre. Also with his teachings on the subject helped many elderly people in America, Australia, and Europe to shed fear of death and pass out peacefully taking death simply as culmination of one’s business in world! Bye for now.