Many cultures believe that death
is not the end of life; however in Buddhism it is believed that death brings merely
the end of the body and another chance at Nirvana. Only through the extinction
of all desire and attachment can one reach Nirvana, or freedom from the
suffering caused by endless reincarnations and death, old age, sickness, and
birth. Until Nirvana is reached, dying is another step at trying to purify accumulated
karma, the good and bad actions a person makes in their lifetime. It is
important for Buddhist practitioners to understand dying in order to remove the
fear of death and to ensure a good rebirth.
In the Tibetan tradition, there are two common meditations to help practitioners with their fear. The first involves looking at the certainty and imminence of death, followed by a reflection on how to make the best use of life. The second meditation requires a simulation or rehearsal of the actual death process, imagining the body dying and decaying over time. This process is meant to end attachment to the body. Traditionally one is also encouraged to visit a cemetery or burial ground to spend time contemplating death.
The Tibetan Buddhists believe that those around the dying person must be sensitive to their needs. It is important to encourage positive thoughts of love, compassion, and remembrance. It is even more vital for the dying person to be undisturbed by noise or shows of emotion from their loved ones. Loved ones should instead mentally let the dying person go and urge them to move on to their next life without fear. One Tibetan Lama, Sogyal Rinpoche, asserts that for up to twenty-one days after death the person is more connected to their previous life than to the next one and loved ones can use this period for final goodbyes, prayer, and other silent communication with the deceased person.
It is also a custom for loved
ones to retain part of the remains of the deceased person, such as their ashes,
hair, or nails. After the remains have been blessed, they are put into a
tsa-tsa, which is an image of Buddha made of clay or plaster, or a stupa, a reliquary
monument representing Buddha’s body, speech, and mind. This act is regarded as
highly meritorious, both for the person who has died and for their loved ones.
After death, Buddhists believe that they are reborn into one of six realms: the hell realms, the preta (hungry ghost) realm, the animal realm, the jealous god (asura) realm, or the god (sura) realms. The hell realms guarantee intense suffering, while the god realms promise unimaginable pleasures. However, all of these realms are viewed as unsatisfactory in that the ultimate goal is not to be reborn even as a god, but to escape the cycle of rebirth altogether by developing the mind in order to put an end to the cyclic existence. Only through the extinction of all desire and attachment can one reach Nirvana, or freedom from the suffering caused by endless reincarnations.
Sources:
www.buddhanet.net/deathtib.htm
www.urbandharma.org/udharma5/viewdeath.html
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