Generally, whenever
physically embodied beings die, they first experience the twenty phases of
coarse dissolution, which are as follows:
1.
As the aggregate of form dissolves, the limbs
twitch, and the body loses its strength and power.
2.
As the mirror-like wisdom dissolves, the mind
grows unclear and hazy.
3.
As the earth element dissolves, the body grows
dry.
4.
As the eye faculty dissolves, sight becomes
unclear and the eye takes on a rounder shape.
5.
As the object form dissolves, the body loses its
vitality and weakens.
6.
As the aggregate of sensations dissolves, the
dying person can no longer detect feelings.
7.
As the wisdom of equality dissolves, there is no
longer any awareness of the three types of sensation (i.e., pleasant, painful
or neutral).
8.
As the water element dissolves, the lips, sweat,
urine, semen and ovum all dry up.
9.
As the ear faculty dissolves, external and
internal sounds can no longer be heard.
10.As the object sound dissolves, the sounds of the body itself can
no longer be heard.
11.As the aggregate of perception dissolves, it is no longer
possible to distinguish between different creatures.[1]
12.As the wisdom of discernment dissolves, the dying person forgets
the names of his or her own parents, siblings or children.
13.As the fire element dissolves, proper digestion of food is no
longer possible.
14.As the nose faculty dissolves, upper respiration[2] slows.
15.As the object smell dissolves, the person can no longer detect
the odours of their own body.
16.As the aggregate of formations dissolves, the person is unable
to carry out physical activities.
17.As the all-accomplishing wisdom dissolves, the person can no
longer remember ordinary mundane tasks or their purpose.
18.As the wind element dissolves, the ten internal winds shift from
their usual locations.
19.As the tongue faculty dissolves, the tongue feels thicker and
shorter than usual and turns blue at its base.
20.As the object taste dissolves, the person can no longer detect
the six kinds of taste.
Following the twenty coarse
forms of dissolution, which unfold in this way, comes the process of subtle
inner dissolution:
As earth dissolves into
water, the person is unable to move the body and can no longer maintain its
strength.[3] It
feels as if the body is sinking into the ground. As an inner sign, there is a
shimmering expanse of blue, and the impression of softly drizzling rain and
flowing water.
As water dissolves into
fire, the mouth and nostrils dry up, and the tongue becomes lodged against the
palate. As an inner sign, there is an appearance of a smoky haze swirling on a
plain.
As fire dissolves into
wind, the body loses heat in its extremities, and the stomach’s digestive
energy grows weaker. As an inner sign, shimmering red sparks crackle and
flicker like fireflies.
As wind dissolves into
consciousness, exhalations become longer, and, as the coarse outer breathing
ceases, the person is unable to inhale. As an inner sign, there is a vision of
a burning lamp, and many torches arranged in a row.
As consciousness dissolves
into space, as an inner sign, awareness is very clear, and as an outer sign,
there is an experience like the sky devoid of clouds.[4]
Then, as space dissolves
into luminosity, four visions gradually unfold:
1.
The white essence obtained from the father
descends from the crown, and when it reaches the heart there is what is called
‘appearance’. As an outer sign, this is accompanied by an experience of
whiteness, as when moonlight fills a completely clear sky that is entirely free
from clouds. As an inner sign, there is a clear experience of the self-clarity
of consciousness devoid of any coarse thought states focused on perceived
objects.
2.
As the subtle red element of the mother ascends
from the base of the central channel, the wisdom of appearance fades into
‘increase’. As an outer sign, a red vision unfolds like a cloudless sky
pervaded by sunlight. As an inner sign, there is an extremely clear state of
mind devoid of any coarse thought states focused on the perceiving subject.
3.
As the subtle white and red essences meet at the
heart, the wisdom of increase dissolves into ‘attainment’. Through this, as an
outer sign, there is an experience of blackness, like the thick darkness, which
falls when the sky turns completely black. As an inner sign, extremely subtle
thoughts involving perceived objects and perceiving subject become completely
absent, and all distinct concepts based on the appearance aspect of mind fade
away, so that, as the ordinary dualistic mind ceases, the wisdom of attainment
dawns.
4.
When the subtle essences of blood and breath,
the bindus A and HAṂ[5] and
so on, which are inside the white, silken thread-like channel in the heart, all
dissolve completely, the ground luminosity of the moment of death arises. As an
outer sign, there is an experience of emptiness and clarity without centre or
periphery, like a cloudless sky when it is completely clear. As an inner sign,
you remain in co-emergent, non-conceptual wisdom that is entirely without
elaboration. If, having recognized this, you can settle into an ongoing
experience of the present moment, mother and child luminosities will meet
together, and you will be liberated in the first bardo.
In this context, empty
luminosity is explained according to the general approach of the tantras,
whereas how the forms of the deities arise out of clear light, how the tikles
of light and so on appear are explained in the Dzogchen tantras. Nevertheless,
it would seem to be rare for these to unfold in a way that provides an
opportunity for liberation.[6]
Next, out of the luminosity
into which the three visions dissolved, appearances unfold gradually once
again, and the body of the bardo of becoming is formed. For the first half of
this bardo, however long that might be, you have the form of your preceding
life, and for the second half you take on the appearance of your eventual
rebirth. All sensory faculties are intact, and you can travel anywhere but the
mother’s womb, miraculously and without obstruction. You are invisible to all
except those of the same class (i.e. other bardo beings) and those who have
obtained divine vision. Since you have taken on something like a body in a
dream, for example, which is generated in an instant, and knows neither light
nor complete darkness, this is known as the ‘bardo of semi-darkness’.
It is difficult at this
time to realize that you have died, so certain indications that you are in the
bardo have been taught. For instance, you do not see the sun or moon when
looking into the sky, and you leave no footprints and cast no shadow.
All manner of experiences,
both positive and negative, arise at this stage, as a result of both good and
bad karma. In particular, there are the four so-called ‘fear-inducing sounds’,
which are:
·
the sound of a mountain collapsing, which comes from earth
prāṇa,
·
the sound of waves crashing in the ocean, which comes from water
prāṇa,
·
the sound of fire ravaging a forest, which comes from fire
prāṇa, and
·
the sound of a thousand simultaneous claps of thunder, which
comes from wind prāṇa.[7]
The so-called ‘three
terrifying abysses’ are the three white, red and black abysses, which are the
spontaneous forms of the three poisons. When seeing them and falling into them,
you enter the womb.
This is also the stage at
which you undertake a search for a birthplace, feel craving for a home and a
body, and so on. Various visions, which are indications of the entrance to a
birthplace can occur, with appearances such as wheels of light, caves, empty
hollows, male and female animals, male and female human beings and so on.
At these times, the crucial
points of practice are as follows:
At first, when you are
certain that you are going to die, you must cut all ties and attachment to this
life. Confess from the depths of your heart any downfalls and breakages of
samaya, harmful actions and so on. Devote not even so much as a single moment
to feeling guilty about your own negative actions, fearing death, or being
attached to this life. Instead, feel happiness and joy, and say to yourself:
“Now I shall recognize the clear light at death. Or, if that is not possible,
since I shall certainly use the bardo as an opportunity to travel to a pure
realm such as Akaniṣṭha, Zangdokpalri or Sukhāvatī, I shall be joyful.”
Maintain, without ever letting it slip away, the strong intention and thought
“I shall travel to the pure realms!”
Gently, in a relaxed way,
as you settle into an experience of whichever practice is the clearest and most
vivid for you, let go of the constituents of this life. Since you will be
unable to practise any unfamiliar pith instructions, rely only on those practices,
which are clearest for you at the moment. These two points—settling into a
practice in this way, and aspiring to travel to a pure land such as
Zangdokpalri—are unsurpassable. In particular, it is absolutely crucial that
you repeatedly form the intention to travel to the pure land of your choosing.
It is exceptionally important to understand that even now, both day and night,
you must never let go of this thought.
by Patrul Rinpoche
| Translated by Adam
Pearcey, 2010. With gratitude to Alak Zenkar Rinpoche, who kindly clarified
many points of the text.
1.
Literally “there is no awareness of bipeds and
other creatures.” ↩
2.
This is the same as the ‘supporting wind’ ('degs
byed kyi rlung). Alak Zenkar Rinpoche ↩
3.
zungs mi thub. zungs refers to something like the body’s
vital constituents. As an indication of their degeneration, the person can no
longer support himself or herself and remain upright. Alak Zenkar
Rinpoche ↩
4.
The text may be incorrect here and the outer and
inner signs confused. ↩
5.
A (ཨ) and HAṂ (ཧཾ) here symbolize the white essence received from the father (an
upside-down HAṂ) and the red essence received from the mother (A), which meet
at the heart. ↩
6.
In other words, for most people this process of
subtle dissolution unfolds so quickly it is almost impossible to
recognize. ↩
7.
In Tsele Natsok Rangdrol’s Mirror of
Mindfulness (dran pa'i me long) these are referred to as
the ‘four enemies’ (dgra bzhi), indicating there has been some confusion
at some point over the homophonic syllables sgra/dgra. ↩
