Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 50-minute teaching, Geshe Dhawa Gyaltsen traces the four visions at death—white, red, black, and clear light—explaining how they arise from the dissolution of inner winds and subtle consciousness at the heart. He then addresses the intermediate state, when consciousness travels in subtle form seeking rebirth for a maximum of seven weeks. A central theme is the importance of the mind’s state at the dying moment, which directly determines the next rebirth. He discusses how virtuous thought and ritual support help secure a better rebirth, and addresses questions on suicide, child death, karma, and how advanced practitioners consciously direct their own rebirths. For serious practitioners.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 01 DaD no date.mp3
UUID: f156e1ba-f2e1-4b9f-8257-23048c84b48d
Teacher: Geshe Dhawa Gyaltsen
Collection: Death and Dying (Geshe Dhawa Gyaltsen)
Date: 1982 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 49.8 minutes
Words: ~4,511
Feet. Same as that. So because of our mother’s seat, it comes up to the to from okay. From what’s called this? Three three different upward, up to the and then becomes untied, and then he experience this sort of, what’s called, vision by his subtle consciousness.
Then what vision person receives a black vision because his white vision, which is derived from the father’s seed, descending from the head crown to up to the heart. And the mother’s seat, which was called come upward from what’s called? From lower part of body up to the navel. So now that is sort of covered by two objects. So it becomes like a complete dark complete dark during the, what you call, space at evening or night.
So that what’s called cloudy or foggy or darkness appearance appeared by that person when those two, what’s called, colors are what’s called joint at heart and the network between these two places of self conscious image, and he feels very what’s called dark or black vision due to all that. It’s clear? Clear? Okay. I’ll repeat anyway once more.
Our third vision. The name of that vision is called vision or it’s called black vision. Alright? So that black vision comes when the white vision, which descend from our heart, what we call head crown, up to the heart, derived from the father’s seed, the ceiling, remains up to the heart. And red vision, which is derived from mother’s seat, comes up up to the navel.
Okay? The heart and navel, there’s between these two, there’s space. So all subtle consciousness remains in that space between these two visions, and it feels somewhat very black or blank. So that vision looks like the darkness in the clear night of in the clear space at night. Now it’s clear.
So when that black vision vanishes, then we experience just empty, like, cloudless or stainless space, just empty vision because of that what’s called extinguishment of black vision. Extinguishment. For that, clear vision is called clear light. So this will this has happened because because because of the extinguishment of that former vision, particularly our own so-called subtle wind, which passes through the central nadi, becomes more subtlier than it was before. As well as the very subtle consciousness, the very very subtle, the subtlest one, they also became what’s called stainless by other any contaminations.
So these two subtlest thing, the inner wind and subtlest consciousness become as clear as crystal. They become very clear without any sort of pollution, any con sort of contamination. So when they become very, very clear in the nature, without any pollution, then it gives the real what’s called its own nature, which is clear light. So our what’s called other inner winds, they dissolve into the two other chain of other nadis, and that too dissolves into the center one. And center one becomes more subtly.
And then the, what’s called, wind, which passes through that nadi, becomes very, very subtle. And on the other hand, our subtle consciousness, which goes unceasingly from time to time becomes or shows its own real nature, which is clear light. So here comes our last subtlest one, clear light. So these visions are not external visions, but are internal visions only. So when point comes on the subtle mental consciousness, it remains just for a few minutes or just for a few moment, then it leaves our physical body and it enters into intermediate state.
If one has accumulated a great merit in his during his lifetime, and he he is supposed to be taking a human rebirth again in next life, then his mental subtle what you call? mental subtle consciousness we enter into the intermediate state of human. So our subtle mental consciousness leaves our body. And suppose that a person has to be taken a human rebirth in next next life, then his mental consciousness enters into the intermediate state of human. So the form of intermediate state is unlike our physical gross physical form, this physical form.
Our physical form is very, gross, but that form is not like us, ours. That physical form is very sudden, clear, having all other requirement, what’s called, organ or sense powers. So he his mental consciousness enters into such form. So the form of that intermediate state being is very, what’s called, subtle, clear, and light unlike ours. So suppose if that person who died has to be has to take human in his next life, he’s the, what’s called, the form of that intermediate state being will be what’s called?
Will be will be in the same shape of human, having all what’s called this sense powers or you may say organs. But distinction is the other form is very clear, light, and what’s called can enter even through the walls without, what’s called this, feeling of contact. So they can go anywhere without contact. So this is their unique quality during the period of intermediate being. The form is not a physical gross form.
It’s sort of like a subtle, clear. So he can enter into the various objects such as walls, rocks, trees, and so on and so. So therefore, he can enter in different ways and have other senses all complete. So it is the intermediate being who takes our future life, what’s called, completely. The lifespan of intermediate being is indefinite and uncertain.
The maximum lifespan of an intermediate being is seven weeks, which is which comes forty nine days. So but still, due to the variation of that intermediate being, some intermediate being can take rebirth after completing one or so after completing completing seven days or two weeks, three weeks according to their own accumulation of action. So that intermediate being search out their proper what’s called? Okay. I will put in the grammar.
That intermediate being always trying to enter in order to find out, alright, in order to find out their proper parents who have relationship due to their previous action. So once they find out some parent who are related to his intermediate being by the power of this previous action, they enter or he enter into mother’s womb. So maybe I will stop up to here and you just think over those points again. And if you have some questions or doubts, you may ask. And also, I want some of your own opinions on that, and you may discontinue some of your own opinions.
That the discussion will be on birth. That’s a very lengthy one because we have to deal how the intermediate being first enters into the mother’s womb, how he enters, how long he stay, and how he develops in mother’s womb, how he’s taking birth, and how he has to be nourished, and how he receives human form, shape, and so on and so forth. That is very lengthy. So this will be our what’s the next discussions. And the same visions, the visions about visions will be almost all same what we have already discussed except few.
So that will be our next session’s subject of discussion. Somewhere that people are ready for rebirth in six hundred years. People already? Are ready for rebirth in six hundred years. It seems to be quite different.
No. Not that. As I said before, the last pain of the intermediate being is indefinite and uncertain. The maximum lifespan of intermediate state state being is seven weeks, which becomes forty nine days. And the minimum will be one week.
So each week, the intermediate state has to be rushed for rebirth. If he couldn’t enter, then he have to be what’s called he he becomes sort of unconscious. He becomes unconscious. And the next week, again, he what’s called rushed for rebirth. So in this way, the maximum the maximum lifespan of intermediate being is only seven weeks.
That is forty nine. After completing forty nine, each and every single what’s called intermediate being have to be and must take some rebirth according to their previous creation of karma. That is definite, but the lifespan of intermediate being is indefinite. Some, they take rebirth after one after a week or some two week, three, and so on. Yes.
Wasn’t born for a year or two. Yes. Well, forty nine days maximum, it would meet me at this stage. Yeah. Nine months of the conception.
Yes, Lord. Good. What were they doing the rest of the time? Okay. That’s good.
Because of they have got in dependence on their own taking rebirth, they go other places where they found suitable disciple to be taught. Yes. Because they have got the power to take rebirth independently, so they go other places where they find suitable disciple to be taught. In the in the immediate states. Is there any higher form than human?
Oh, you mean just asking, is there any higher forms than human? Yeah. Oh, okay. I see. Yeah.
I see. There are many higher form than this human, what we call pure land, which is obtained by accumulation of very, very strong virtuous action. So we’ll take rebirth and that pure land. Yes. Oh, I see.
I see. Sorry. These are. We will take rewards as lower than humans such as animal and other things when we just create only the nonverduous or negative actions such as killing, taking what is not given, and so on and so memory of the previous life is take over. And so our this mental consciousness is unseasonably journeys from life to life.
So it never stops. So it always continue its journey from life from life one life to another. So this is the point. What we want to be what we want to discuss about. So why we are feeling this old sufferings, dissatisfactions, shortcomings, disasters, and so on.
We experience them because of our commission of negativities through body, speech, and mind. Now if you recognize it very clearly, the commission of the negativities through body, speech, and mind are the causes of the suffering, shortcoming, and so on. So then we will check. Can we eliminate or can we purify or can we abandon those negative deeds which we have accumulated through those actions. This must this thought might be coming one’s in one’s mind if we identify them clearly.
So here comes the point. We did all the bad predispositions, negative actions because of engaging ourselves into the negativities through body, speech, and mind. So among these three, the action of mind’s principle, chief, whereas the action of body and the mind are like a sort of servant of the mind. So if you really and sincerely and honestly confess what we have done wrong in the past and try to purify them by means of applying appropriate antidote to those negativities. Definitely, we will able to purify them clearly.
So we need to apply the appropriate antidotes through engaging ourselves into the virtuous action through body, speech, and mind, which are the actual antidote to our negativities of body, speech, and mind. So when we relinquish the possible completely, it will be excellent. Definitely, we will receive high reward in next time. Even we are not able to relinquish completely, but if we have weakened our, what’s called, energy or the action of negativities, we will receive or we will, what’s called, progress our mental stage in great existence. So by making what’s called better and better through applying actual antidote to our negativities.
In such case, we are not certain what he possess and what his mind is Because that child who dies, what’s called, very young, he might have very strong virtuous effect from his previous lifetime. So due to power of that, there’s very strong possibility that he may not experience any sufferings or he may have put better reward next time. Especially even when he was small or child, we have to understand the nature of his mind. If his nature is quite good, positive, no doubt he will what could take very good reward in next time. Even he dies, but what’s what?
At age of very oh, when even he dies, he’ll be very young. That child Mhmm. They have to experience that? The part of that child. Oh, you mean if the child dies Very young.
Very young. Yeah. As was mentioned. Yes. Yeah.
Would there be something in the the karma of those parents? karma of the parents? Yeah. To experience that child. You mean the karma of the parents will have been by child?
Yeah. Oh, I see. Oh, unfortunately, the karma of parents will have to be experienced by, yeah, by his parent, whether or non. But due to the relationship of child and parent, plus parent can do some virtuous things after his death. Something.
He wants to know if he comes back for the amount of years to make up what he would have lived if he hadn’t taken his own life. Oh, I see. So your question was, if a person commits suicide, he will come back again to experience remaining lifespan. That was your question. It’s your question.
Okay. It’s completely or indefinite because when he commits suicide, of course, then he he have to die. So when he dies, we are not sure whether he will experience other result from his other actions or he will come again to experience his remaining lifespan. So that is an answering. Okay.
Now another EGD. So in that case, he will not able to experience all the, what’s called, gradual process and mutual signs as we have discussed above. But his consciousness will definitely leave his body and they have to go in order to take rebirth according to his, what’s called, commission of action during his speech. If a person does very voluntarily, it really affects his future rebirths. Because if a person does very voluntarily and very violently, angrily, because that very moment of that period, that very moment becomes completely and totally non virtue.
So during the last continuum of consciousness carries the seed of non virtue along with that continuum of consciousness, then his rebirth will be very horrible in another sense. Bad. So therefore, we always emphasize at the time of dying or death, last continue should be virtuous consciousness or virtuous mind. For that purpose, we always instead admonish to generate some sort of virtuous mind in order to have better rebirth in his, what’s called, next rebirth and to have good rebirth quickly by the power of that positive or the virtuous mind. Therefore, we always try very carefully and attentively not to generate any sort of violence, any sort of negative mind during the last continuum of consciousness.
In this in this case, it’s completely dependent or dependent depend upon this also person’s mind who is going to die. Okay? Because even if somebody wantly murdered someone, if that what’s called? The body, the victim, that person, if he feel no angry with that murderer or he generate no evils, then for him, nothing. Because he just normal and very, you know, I mean, in for sure.
His mind is quite even. No? So for him, no, I mean, special or extra negativity will be achieved during that particular time. But if that victim or that person really feels kind hearted even to that murderer, definitely he will have very good rebirth next time. So it completely depends on that person how he relate during such situation at such moment.
Yes. Them I’m dying. Could we ask the question perhaps from the Buddhist point of view, how would they handle it when they know they’re going to die? And how would a Buddhist So from the Buddhist point of view, during that period one person knows certain signs that he’s going to die now, sooner or later by receiving those signs. If that person is a great practitioner, okay, If he that person is a great practitioner, he graciously try to develop those signs very precisely or more clearly.
And when he received those signs, he will relate those signs according to his meditative stabilization. He will put those signs according to his experience. So he will try to mix those two. The sign as well is what’s called meditative stabilization. So from the very beginning, from receiving the sound from the very beginning up to the clear light, they will try to go what’s called?
Together. Whatever they receive sign, they will meditate on that, and then we try to put their meditative stabilization, oneness to the signs. So they very graciously, they try to receive or try to generate that sort of signs. Sorry. Sign yeah.
Signs in according or according or according to their, yes, meditative stabilization. So when they reach up to the clear light by what’s called conjunction with those signs and their mental stabilization, at the last point clear light, then they receive the real, what’s called, power to take rebirth independently. So that’s why some people these people ask, you know, what about Tibetan? tulku means incarnated lamas. So how they take rebirth and how this happens when those people are able to conjoin different signs according different signs to their negative stabilizations.
So we hear sometimes, oh, he he was dead. What’s good? He was dead, but he left such and such signs, such these days, such and such days. This happens when he’s meditated stabilization. It’s a very, what’s called, truth point and receiving all signs and mental stabilization putting together.
This is the best or the greatest person’s way of dealing with those signs. Okay. Now if a person is not that very relaxed, but is even a middling middling person, he will always try to have signs. Although he may not able to implement those signs and he may not able to conjoin those signs according to his meditative stabilization. But still he will try to generate and try to receive more clear signs so that he may meditate on those when he reach a lastly and up to the clear lines.
This is the way of dealing with those signs by meeting person. Now smallest person who have no, I mean, who have no what’s called rich knowledge on those signs, but still when people know snow, he will die soon, they will always try to generate some sort of virtuous mind so that, you know, they can take rebirth next life in better way. So in this way, they try to generate some sort of virtuous mind during those period. Could I just add one more question? Perhaps one.
If any person of any religious state lives a virtuous life, well, then they shouldn’t be afraid of dying Mhmm. And therefore have to have a not so better relive. But if we take perhaps the Catholic religion, who if they thought they were dying Mhmm. They would want to have the last by their priest against the last minute effort to die virtuously so they can have a better rebirth. Is that necessary or was it called upon in the Buddhist religion as well?
No. A person would ask for their priest to omit last minutes before they die, so they have no fear or worries. Okay. Could you please explain the last part of your question? The question really was, would a Buddhist to know that I’m going if I thought they’re going to die in three hours’ time, call for last rites or whatever it is as the Catholic people do.
Mhmm. Sometimes I feel that that is a a last minute call to try to plog their sins and divert for a rebirth. Mhmm. I see. Somebody of of this faith, they put they might die in three hours’ time, want a large rite, or do you have large rites?
I don’t know that. I’m like, no. Mhmm. Very similar. So there’s a very very strong similarity between this what you said, this last rite.
So even though Buddhist person who believes in the Buddhist faith, so he normally practice Buddhism, so he has some faith towards Buddhist. So when that person about to die, he requests some of the what’s called monks to perform some of his what’s called intestate rites. I’m using your own word, rights or to them some ceremony, religious ceremony in order to generate stronger what’s called virtuous mind. So that is very similar in both cases. Those those who are very highly religious person have Bosco sorters have some power to take liberties independently.
Willingly they find out their own rebirth. So this is the what’s called measurement whether such person is a tulku that is incarnated Lama or not. So here we come to know if that person is real incarnated or real tulku, what is very word is called tulku, real incarnation of his place life, then he must have some power to choice, what it’s called, to choose his birth and to take rebirth according to his own wish, not by through the contaminations and afflictions which we have done, not through that, but from his own wish and from his own, what’s power. So that’s why no. Perhaps you might heard many in what’s called?
Instances which was happened in India as well as in Tibet. Many no realized person, they really what’s called meditate on those different types of signs, which we have discussed already, and they put their own energy into the meditative stabilization. Then they always try to conjoin their material experience with those signs. So when they reach up to the clear light, so then their body becomes very small. Sometimes people’s body becomes invisible.
That’s what we see the achievement of rainbow body, which becomes invisible like a rainbow. Just becomes like that. So this was the case whether that person has got realization on such topic or not. So that’s why in Tibet two, when we recognize someone as the incarnation of previous life, we first ask him to recognize his own previous particular things. Partic of his previous things.
So we ask him to recognize. If he is real, not true, or real, picks his own property. Then we ask him to prove his mental, what’s called, realizations through various ways. So when that person was quite successful in what’s called indicating the mental realization as well as sorting out with all previous things, we regard him as tulku. Basically, say he’s the incarnation of such and such lamas.
So here comes tulku or incarnated Lama. So this is the main point. This is the very stage whether that person is a tulku or not is what’s good? Decides from his point whether he takes rebirth independently through his own choice or he takes rebirth through the contaminations and afflictions. So this is the measurement of whether a person is, what’s called, incarnated or ordinary being as we are.
But are there some people who don’t want to be? Sorry? Are there people who don’t want to be? Generally speaking, those people will come into those realized person I mean, those realized person come into this world who have some relation with us through karmic relation, and we don’t have any relation, then perhaps they might go other where they have some relations to benefit others. Yes.
Does forty day intermediate, they tend to be seen symbolically, or if not, how do you measure time when you’re dead? I see. On this particular case, firstly, Buddha has told very clearly the lifespan of intermediate states. Secondly, people who stays behind, they watch and they calculate the days, and we came to know it was the lifespan of the, what’s called, intermediate beings. How how does the intermediate person how the person who is in the intermediate life how does he know that he’s been out that long?
Sorry? But when I’m in a strange country and I don’t see the date, I cannot count for myself seven seven weeks. I’ll forget the time. I’ll come back. You mean the person who is in the Who is in the intermediate state.
How does he rec how does he recognize his time? Oh, you I see. How does he recognize his own lifespan during the intermediate spin? That’s right. Yeah.
Okay. They do realize their lifespan because all the intermediate beings, they are what’s called see one another as we see each other. They have all sense organs, and they what’s called die or become unconscious after every week if they are not able to take live birth. So we count weeks and days, although what’s called? What’s called this?
Oh. We count days and then weeks. The same way, although they have got no watch, but still they have their own measurement how they count their lifespan. So they do realize because of their intimacy of one another. The mode of alright.
Now the mode of dying during the intermediate stage is like if we if we blow, what’s called, breath on a mirror, so it comes with a hope, then comes no. It can blow slowly slowly just comes, you know, what’s it called? Shrimp. I don’t know if this word is proper or not. No.
No. It’s just shrinks. You mean the spot on the mirror? Yes. We just Yeah.
Shrimp. You do this now. It’s gonna then it comes slowly shrinks. So in same way, that intermediate, what’s called consciousness or what’s called anime, that intermediate. When what go he rush forth river and he doesn’t found, then it starts shrinking.
Then slowly, slowly, it’s all I don’t know. Dissolves up to his, what’s called, subtle mental consciousness. Again, it goes up. So that is done. This is done in a week.
So this is the mode of dying in the intermediate state, not like us. Do you to get a rent through all these continual waivers? All these continual rebirth? Sorry? Do you ever get a rest from all these continual rebirths?
Or Do we ever we do we ever get rest? Yeah. A rest from a continual rebirth. Ah. Do you have to achieve the state of enlightenment before that happens.
Oh, I see. Answer. Yes. We’re taking a rest at this very minute. This present this present zebras, which we have taken already, is very, very important and precious.
If you like to take rest, we can take rest very comfortably in this rebirth. And if you want to do some job, you can do very comfortably job in this rebirth. So this present rebirth is very, very precious and very, very important. And if do if one do realize its importance, must utilize it in proper way to achieve our ultimate goal. And if he who wants to what’s goal?
I take rest. They can also take rest very comfortably in this present life. Okay. Sorry.