The Service Practice

Preparing for Your Death

writingWrite down in your diary book [that tonglen is the best meditation to do when you are dying] so that you will remember that. In Singapore, I told people to write down in a book what they want to do and what they want to meditate on when they are dying. Besides your will, write down the meditations that you are going to do and how you are going to think when you die. You must write it down. In Singapore I told the students there to write this down now to prepare their minds. It is very important![1]

If you are a Dharma practitioner, you have to prepare like that so you have no worry or fear about being born in the lower realms and all those other things, such as separating from your family and friends, your girlfriend or boyfriend, from your possessions, and even from the body that you have cherished most among the sentient beings. Even leaving this body, you will have no worry. Your mind will very happily leave it and your consciousness will transfer from this body to a pure land and so forth.   (Lama Zopa Rinpoche, in chapter 5 of this course)

Begin preparations for your death by writing down in a diary, notebook, or computer file what you want to meditate on and what you want to do when you are dying. Make sure that you will be able to find the diary, notebook, or computer file easily, when it comes time to make use of it.

(To qualify for the Certificate of Achievement write down what you want to meditate on and what you want to do when you are dying.)

[1] Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to a group of monks and nuns: “You must write down what you are going to do [when you are dying], such as the five powers, tonglen, or whatever. Write down “remember the guru” and all that. Write it down and then make sure that at your death you do that.
   To stop the violence at death time, it is very important to recite those mantras.* Otherwise, you will die with tears. You will be sad and you will make your family and friends sad. The other way, oh, they will be so surprised.” (Singapore, 14 March 2016)
(*The two mantras to recite are those of Sarvanivaranavishkambhin: OM SARVA NIVARANA VISKAMBINI HUM HUM PHAT and OM SHVETAVARI VIJALINE SVAHA. These mantras can be recited every day, seven times each or however many times you want, to avoid experiencing a painful, violent death and instead experience a peaceful death.)

Colophon for the Service Practice
The service practice was compiled by Ven. Joan Nicell, FPMT Education Services, August 2017, for Living in the Path.