Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 116-minute teaching, Venerable Tony Beaumont guides students through Buddhist approaches to death and dying, grounded in both practical meditation and Tibetan Buddhist tantric theory. He opens with breath-focused meditation to anchor the mind in the present, then explores the five powers of spiritual practice: beneficial intention, familiarisation with virtue, holding a positive view of human nature, eradication of negative tendencies, and dedication of merit. The heart of the talk covers Tibetan Buddhism’s detailed eight-stage dissolution process at death, explaining how the four elements progressively dissolve, gross consciousness fades, and increasingly subtle levels of mind arise. Beaumont draws on the Dalai Lama’s writings to describe the physical and energetic basis of this process, the intermediate state between death and rebirth, and how consciousness enters a new life. Throughout, he emphasises that a virtuous frame of mind at death is crucial because it determines which karmic seeds ripen into the next rebirth. He concludes with a candid discussion on faith, devotion to teachers, and the need to combine intelligent discernment with sincere spiritual practice. Suited for practitioners with some familiarity with Buddhist concepts.
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File: 2015 08 27 Ven. Tony Beaumont Healthy Living Healthy Dying 27-8-15.mp3
UUID: 59b8d10a-ccd9-4b46-a456-de4811b88a0e
Teacher: Ven Tony Beaumont
Collection: Healthy Living Healthy Dying (Ven Tony Beaumont)
Date: 2015-08-27
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 116.1 minutes
Words: ~7,852
Okay. So then just start session one, spending a few minutes meditating. First part of meditation, breathing, breathing, bringing the mind to the present moment, and then we do motivation and. So then here, just to use the breath, this way of focusing the mind, bringing the mind to the present moment. And when doing this, as best as possible, to let go of the memories that may arise, plans for the future, any other distracting thoughts and other types of distractions like the sounds that we may hear in doing this to be alert, but also relaxed.
And just observe the flow of the breath that passes in through those as it passes out. Give me a sense and aware of the sensation, Yeah. And whatever distractions arise just to allow them to sense that they’re just these events just like bubbles rising from the surface of the pond. They rise and have a period of abiding and they pass away or like clouds passing through the sky. The clouds actually look sky.
The clouds might pass over you, how they change shapes. They arise and they appear, changing shapes and they dissolve away. So so now just some minutes here. Just to reflect on the benefits of taking refuge. This what we say is defines what is if someone takes refuge in Buddhism.
So then, firstly, the idea that when we really establish this quality of life, We become what’s called the. It’s it’s really establishing this idea that we understand. The source of refuge is Then also, the more that we really establish this understand, the same direction of life as foundation for our systems, then it also becomes a foundation, strong foundation for keeping commitments, directing our life. We make decisions to not kill, steal, laugh in order to direct our life very positively. And these commitments become strong, independent, and gain common strength.
So they will refuse to set the basis for people taking the vows Then also by taking strong refuge, it becomes a means to purify our mind of negative energy and negative harming influence. Because in taking refuge and trusting, valuing the Buddha so that Then also taking refuge allows us to accumulate a lot of positive potential. Then not only that way that we think is the more that in any case when you take revenue, positive actions. Then also in type of record, it becomes a way of protecting us. It’s an inner protection because it when we develop this diversion and respectable development, leads to a new lessening of the negative influence, the negative actions, the harmful actions, the angry actions, hatred actions, clinging attachment.
So it protects us from the rise of these actions which cause us so much suffering. But it is also a source of protection externally because when you take refuge and through this gains internal protection, when you’re confronted with difficulties others causing problems, then the peace in your mind will prevent you from retaliate against their harm, which in turn will protect you from the action they might do in response to. So you say I do to them. Then also taking refuge, you know, that means whatever actions you do, strong refuge even if you have a action, that action becomes conditioned in a possible way. And then also by taking refuge, we create more and more virtue So then we can recite this refuge prayer, refuge in generating bodhicitta, with the idea of engaging in this session so that we can develop our heart and mind so as to be of greatest benefit.
So I thought I saw a session. But first, before going into that, what just to say something about what we call the five powers, which can be seen as one way to engage in Dharma practice in general, in a general sort of way, and also the time of death. A way that we integrate Dharma practice from day to day without necessarily being such a formal thing if we understand these these five powers or these five we can use them in order to engage in the Dharma practice. So to go into this then, you might be in a way how they can be used throughout the life, each day. And so the first of these is the power of beneficial intention.
So it’s this idea you know, the best motivation of doing everyday actions. And, of course, this developing the mind isn’t just to think, okay, to the sounds, but we would also meditate right from the very beginning. The reasons why So this beneficial intention is something which will condition the life continuously from moment to moment. Not necessarily an easy thing to do because the various influences that take place in our life, predispositions in our mind can pass away influences early on, all the various external So it can be as well to a constant come back to be aware of how important it is to have this beneficial intention, this altruistic intention that should remain there regardless of what anyone else does. And it can be the case that we may have good heart but because of the influence of everyday life and other people on the basis of people doing things, you know, the tendency that we’re interacting with someone who does something differently, our mind can easily switch to being aware of their motivation to doing things and even talk their motivation to actions and we will very much focus on that.
And that will influence our response and say, okay, they’re motivated by harm or by self interest or whatever. So therefore, that’s justified for me to respond appropriately according to the logic of tit for tat which is Second second power second force is the force or power of familiarity. So that is the idea of as this whole style of karma almost says, anything and to nurture them by engaging in more positive actions and also at the same time we can also purify negative actions. So whatever we can do to this white seed is to encourage it to grow. Often it’s safe that, you know, when our actions are part of the important practices here to purify and accumulate merit, to purify our mind and to accumulate merit.
To purify is like removing the stones and the weeds out of the ground like this. And the accumulated merit is like the sunshine and the rain from the fertilizer. So whatever we can do to accumulate merit to stimulate these positive potentials within us, and whatever we can do to purify the negativities on ongoing basis supports this development of the white seed, the various white seeds of positive potentials already existing in our mind. So that is having the that’s a positive view we have of Buddhism that our nature is essentially although there are negative tendencies existing. But if we engage in spiritual practice, which is not that view that say human beings are essentially bad which can be very harmful.
And they’re, you know, just simply the idea that survival of the fittest like this human beings are essentially bad so you have to have rules. Of course, have rules in our society that you have to do that holds that sense of human beings are essentially bad So you’ve got to regulate this wild energy and because So that’s the third of these powers. The fourth is the power of eradication. And then whatever we can do is to lessen the negative tendencies within our mind, whatever antidotes we can apply towards anger, hatred, jealousy, avarice, whatever our tendencies that we may have reached, has its own influence which is not so positive so that we can work to eradicate this. Whatever we can do to eradicate ignorance, particularly the understanding of phenomena, the mistaken understanding that phenomena exist independently, So rather than holding that mistake and understanding things exist in the way they appear, that is that they appear to exist in the way they exist.
So in that mind, then we have the power of destruction, destroying the ignorance, destroying the ignorance and the angry mind, jealous mind, and so on. And also we work towards eradicating the self centered mind. It’s certainly important to nurture and care for ourselves and have a positive self esteem and self love. But there’s a difference between that and the attitude of I’m number one, I come first. I don’t care what happens to others.
So we work to eradicate that. Even out of self interest to eradicate that because we cultivate that kind of mind that brings suffering to ourselves. And we inflict suffering on others, which in turn, if we do that, we create a negative harm for us to experience suffering. The fifth and last of these powers or forces is the power of power of dedication. So this is the understanding that it’s the way things are with the it’s a factor of karma, I’m not too sure.
But if we perform virtue, we can direct that virtue to ripen in a very positive way, a more positive way, a more powerful way. So we may perform positive action, beneficial action with, say, generosity and it’s going to bring a positive result provided there is no anger to destroy it. But when you actually when you dedicate this towards some people that have positive goals, protect it from being destroyed but not in that it directs it in a more positive way. So it said if we perform a simple action of generosity but dedicated that as a result of this action of generosity, there might be a case that problems that works towards the attainment state of enlightenment in order to remove all beings without exception.
So that’s a really heartfelt wish. It’s profound and it’s fast. It’s profound because it’s directed towards the greatest goal we can achieve which is good and it is a vase because it’s directed towards all beings. Strong. So this is a matter of skillfully using or directing the concept of actions we create to write in the best possible way.
Good human rebirth situation. Meaning being born to parents who are interested in spirituality, born in a condition where I can practice Dharma access, When born into a situation, make prayers to make contact with all the spiritual teachers, follow the grounds and paths of the Dharma mind. You can dedicate it this way. I can’t I can’t remember anything I said last week. I can’t remember everything I said tonight.
So I can’t remember what I said last week about Okay. So maybe we can go into this explanation here. So there is describing Tibetan Buddhism quite an elaborate explanation of what takes place during the death process and the teachings on this come from tantric teachings of Buddhism. Buddha is said to have taught the tantra, but then not only the Buddha taught the tantra, various highly realized beings and they have had over time since passing the word and they have connections with Buddhas who’ve also passed on this knowledge. Also this explanation is said, again, to be said to be understood by beings around us now who’ve developed certain powers and they have the capacity to remember their past life and the process of what took place during their death time.
And particularly, and especially these beings who are highly realized that they can control the death process and control the bardo period. Also as well, within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there are practitioners who’s you can probably say that the most the practice throughout their life, what they practice throughout their life is the practice in simulating the death process, similar to what takes place in the death. And the reason for that is that in the process of dying, the grosser levels of our body mind combination drop away in each process and goes through the stages the more subtle levels arise. The more subtle levels of mind which are free of conceptuality, the more powerful state of mind which is able to understand the nature of the other. Of the other.
So normally when a person dies, this takes place without end of awareness so the opportunity for gaining realization is lost. But it’s said that certain practitioners have the capacity through the power of meditation to simulate the death process in terms of bringing the winds from the body into the central channel and then to allow to arise these powerful states of the body. Mind. And and when they had the and throughout the lifetime, they’re getting some sense that they’ve also had their very death process, possibility that they use at that time to get realization actually during their life. So there’s a whole technology of explanation about it.
You know, I don’t know about something that’s really thing. But what we really are saying that just as that, you know, in the world, certainly in the west, you know, there’s been incredible development material of technology material matter external taking place. But at the same time, in other places and circumstances, But certainly in the Tibetan tradition, there is also been this understanding and maintaining this understanding at a central part of the culture So then I thought to go through this and the outline there, but I also read from a few from Dalai Lama’s book, which is explains also against. So alright. So just to say something first about it.
So there’s an understanding that when we talk about body and mind, so in this Buddhist context, we talk about it can be explained according to three levels of body and mind. So and there’s a gross level of body and also this corresponding to this gross mind. So gross mind, gross body. Gross body is physical. Can see here, including the brain and the nervous system.
I guess also at that level as well, we can also talk about the winds and the system within the body. There’s a corresponding mind as well. And so that the mind, when we’re talking about mind here, is consciousness. It refers to our mental consciousness but it also refers to the sense consciousness. In hearing, we’ve got an auditory awareness here.
To hear something with the wives of knower, an awareness, so it’s an auditory consciousness. There’s a smell consciousness, a higher consciousness, a tactile consciousness or awareness of the system, to know something, to experience something. And then there’s mental consciousness. So we sense a gross level. This sense consciousness awareness is gross.
It also experiences our normal memories and so on associated with this life. And the people we know and so on that brings this knowledge of our world through this. This is a gross level of mind. Then there’s a subtle level of the body. And this includes the winds in general within the body.
The winds is like a, you know, agriculture described the energies. So it’s something that’s existing there. Can’t be seen by the eyes as far as I know. But it isn’t and it’s not matter. It’s not matter.
But it seems as though it’s it’s not made of particles as such. It is all. This is one thing I find difficult but it’s anyway, it’s not certainly not gross. And then there is a corresponding subtle level of mind and this is, say, almost like what we experience during the dream time. It’s also what appears when we go through the death process subtle physical body.
Then there’s a most subtle Or most subtle body, I should say. And so that’s said to be the wind at the time of death, the most subtle wind that goes with the most subtle mind that separates from the body. And that’s what leaves this body. So when our mind goes to the next life, it’s not the gross level between the memories and so on. It’s a far more subtle level.
It’s a non conceptual level, but it is mine. And then discussion of the physical basis, as Hollis talks about it there in that book, he says that the wind that goes with it, one way you can say wind is something physical, but he’s saying no, it’s not actually something physical, but it is the movement aspect next life. When that passes on, meets the sperm and egg of the future parents, then the body forms. But it’s important here to think when we say when we talk about Buddhism and future lives, in some ways we say in Buddhism we say we don’t believe in reincarnation, So I guess Buddhism lies somewhere between being, I don’t know if it’d right to say atheist and believing in God, you know, the soul because we don’t accept the soul as a but we also but at the same time, we assert that there is a continuity and a continuity which is changing at the moment. So so anyway, this process of death and death is separate.
So death is where separation of consciousness holds on. That’s what death occurs. But to go through these stages, how does that lie? So describe here eight stages of dissolution taking place at the time of death, eight levels. And each level has certain things that, as they dissolve or become less prominent.
And these are gross levels that become less prominent and more subtle level following subtle level becomes on the. And amongst these things that you’re talking about at each level are the, you know, the elements like earth, sun, earth, water, fire, and air. First off, the earth goes. Then what we call the aggregates and that’s why I combine that with our being. We say the form aggregates and then we talk about the feeling aggregate, discrimination aggregate, compositional factor aggregate and form aggregate, these things are resolved.
Then as well, the sense and so at each stage, first off you have the visual sense power fades away. Then you have hearing. I think the smell is the next the taste is all about the speech. It’s a process that takes place. I said also this process of death, something similar happens at the time when we fall asleep.
Something similar is said to happen at the time you faint, if someone’s fainted similar to that same way you come out of the paint as well. You go through the reverse of the experience. It’s said also to occur during sexual orgasm and even during time of the season. So then with the first stage So then the earth element dissolves. So as I say, what dissolving means that that element of the earth is like the solidity part of our body, the substance heaviness of this bottle loses capacity and then what becomes more prominent is the water element.
So the earth element is this first stage. If, say, a person is dying of old age, then this earth element crisis could be taking place probably it seems could have been taking place for some years. This is because we see when the earth element dissolves and what happens is the body starts to lose its power, it becomes thinner like this and when it goes through the thing, says the body is actually the person is dying but the body feels like it’s sinking into the bed like this. So as I said here, the element loses its power. The body becomes very thin, limbs loose, and you feel as if the body is sinking under the air.
So if someone who’s old, you know, see my mother, she’s ninety three now. The body is can be less than us or losing his power. And then next level is the oh, no, it’s the same level, sorry. The aggregate of form absorbs so the limbs become smaller and the body becomes weak and powers. And the lust of the body diminishes and all one’s strength is consumed.
And then at this stage also, the basic mirror like wisdom dissolves. So at each of these levels there’s essentially a wisdom existing. The sight becomes clear and unclear and dark. And this basic mirror like wisdom, I think it’s the ability to be able to see many things at one time as an ordinary being we’re able to do this. But at the process of dying, as the body no longer loses capacity to be able to support awareness, then you get the loss of the power of the mind.
The basic mirror like wisdom dissolves. You click down here, the sight becomes unclear and dark. So it is the eye sense how. As it says, the eye sense how one cannot open or close one’s eyes and also the sight becomes unclear and dark. And at this stage, there’s an internal sign, the appearance of mirage, like a mirage in the desert.
Shimmering in the desert. And that’s described, there’s some association with this process of what’s taking place at this level in that as the earth element fades, then the water element becomes more prominent and so there is an appearance to the mind of a mirage. Question? I’ll just read his whole discussion as to how he describes this. The earth element degenerates and dissolves into the water element.
The solid aspects of the body, such as bone, are no longer capable of serving as a mount or foundation for consciousness. The capacity of the solid aspects to do so dissolves into or is transferred to the fluids of the body such as blood and the flame. Now the capacity of the water element to act as a base of consciousness becomes more manifest. Your body becomes dramatically thinner and your limbs loosen. You lose physical strength but the vitality and lustre of the body radically diminishes, leaving a corner.
If your sight becomes dark and unclear, But it is important not to fight, remain calm within a virtuous pantry. What you see in your mind looks like a mirage. So then second level here, the water element dissolves. So that means, as we said, water element dissolves and the fire element becomes more prominent. Okay?
So water element loses its power. Saliva, sweat, urine, blood, etcetera, start to dry out. The aggregates of feeling, so it’s all collection of feeling. That feeling is the feeling is the is mental factor of experience of pleasure and pain. It absorbs the body consciousness and no longer experience the three types of feelings that accompany the sense consciousness.
So the three types, let’s say, pleasure, pain and neutral. The basic wisdom of equality, how ordinary consciousness is mindful of pleasure, pain and mutual feelings these feelings dissolve. One is no longer mindful of the feelings that accompany the mental consciousness. So I guess to imagine what that vindicated So a sense of what it would be like that you’re losing as you’re fading away now from this life of connectedness to this life, this awareness of the feelings of pleasure and pain, which has, you know, driven the life so much in the face of pleasure and pain. And then at this stage, one has no ear sense power or.
One no longer has external or internal sound. It’s internal side, appearance of smoke. Smoke here is because fire element is fading away and water element becomes more prominent. And describe different the whole discussion, I describes it a bit more clearly. Okay.
This states the capacity of the water element degenerates and dissolves into the fire element. The warmth that maintains the body, the fire element’s capacity to serve the space of consciousness is enhanced. We no longer experience feelings of pleasure and pain or even neutral feelings with the senses and mental consciousness. Your mouth, tongue and throat become dry Other fluids such as urine, blood, degenerative fluid and sweat drier. You can no longer hear sounds and the usual in your ear stops.
What you see in your mind looks like puffs of smoke or thin smoke throughout the room or smoke billowing from a chimney. So there are quite a few different options in that because it does describe it differently in different places but it’s almost the same with these. I guess it depends very much on each person’s physical constitution, maybe the physical or their mental thing as well about what appears, some variations. In the next stage, fire element dissolves. Fire element loses power, one can no longer digest food or drink.
So it’s taking the digestion. The aggregate will discriminate and absorbs. One is no longer mindful of the names of close friends. So also now it says, you know, you can no longer recall your friends as to the others. It’s also said, actually at this point where this discrimination, this mental factor of discrimination, this is really where it is that the determining time for the next type of relapse you’re going to have, what we call a throwing karma or a projecting karma.
Right. Because at the time of death, right, that period of time in a certain color of ripens which will determine the type of rebirth that you have. So this is a very crucial time at that point. What ripens of course depends upon your frame of mind. If you’re loving kindness mind at the time of death, it’s very difficult, it seems, for a negative comment to write.
You may have many negative inputs in your mind, but if the state of mind is not consistent with the negative seeds in your mind, those negative seeds can’t ripen. I guess it’s similar to how it is you may have very many seeds in the ground but if the environment isn’t right for them, they won’t grow. So it’s very important that the time of death is the right frame of mind because also at the same time we may have done many virtuous things throughout the whole life but if there’s a lot of anger at the time of death, then it can bring about a ripening of one of those. The basic wisdom analysis dissolves one can no longer remember the names of close persons. In here nose sense, inhalation is weak, exhalation is strong and lengthy and one cannot smell.
Internal sign is appearance of fireflies or sparks like stars. So this is again at this stage the fire element is dissolving and wind element becomes more strong so there is appearance of fireflies or stars. The capacity of the fire element degenerates and dissolves into the wind element. Currents of air or energy that direct various bodily functions such as inhalation, exhalation, burping, spitting, speaking, swallowing, flexing the joints, stretching and contracting the limbs, opening and closing the mouths and eyelids, digestion, urination, defecation, menstruation, and circulation. The warmth of the body diminishes, resulting in inability to digest food.
If you have conducted your life virtuously, the extremities and the lower body become cold first. The ability to smell ceases. You can no longer pay attention to the activities and wishes of friends and relatives around you or even remember their names. You experience difficulty breathing, exhalations become longer and longer, the inhalation shorter and shorter. Your throat emits rattling or gusty sounds.
What you see in your mind looks like fireflies perhaps insights smoke or like sparks in the soot on the bottom of a pot. Okay. Fourth level is this level, the wind element dissolves. All the different winds in the body like responsible for the different functions of body digestion and, you know, respiration. Winds are assessed with all the different parts of the body as well.
And it brings for the functioning of the the sense counts as well. So what’s taking place here is that as a person’s capacity of the physical body to support consciousness, then we have this process of death taking place. So these brains shutting down, nervous system shutting down and then these winds are said to be withdrawing from outer parts of the body towards the center part of the body. So wind element loses power, the ten winds move to the heart and the inhalation exhalation ceases. The aggregate of compositional factors absorbs that stage one can physical actions and one can experience smoothness or roughness.
The basic wisdom of achieving activities resolves and as a result one is no longer mindful of external bodily activities, purposes and so on. So you have a sense of how losing connect with this world that’s been good. And then tongue tongue sense. Tongue becomes it’s not think. It’s thick.
The n should be k. Think and short. Think means consciousness, tongue becomes consciousness. It means thick and short, and the root of the tongue becomes blue. Internal sign is the appearance of sputtering candle light about to go out.
But I think at this this is where it’s okay. So at this stage, wind element is dissolving, the wind element at this point is dissolving into consciousness and this candlelight, the light describes it more but it’s super success. So capacity of the course of wind element degenerates and dissolves in the consciousness. Tongue becomes thick and short, its root becomes bluish. Experiencing physical touch is impossible as is physical action.
The red through the nostrils ceases but there are subtle levels of red or wind. So at this time, right, because the person’s respiration ceases, so we say, you know, what we normally say is this person has died, but in Buddhism we say, death hasn’t come yet because consciousness hasn’t separated from the body. The through the nostril ceases but there are subtle levels of breath or whims so the cessation of breath through the nostril nose does not indicate the condition of death crisis. What you see in your mind is like a flame from a butter lamp or candle or like the flickering light above a butter lamp or candle. At first the light flickers as if the butter or wax were almost consumed.
Then when the winds on which the mental consciousness ride begins to collapse, the flame’s appearance becomes sticky. One get you said, it’s just like just before is when our candle flame goes out. Usually, it appears blue, doesn’t it? But it’s very it’s not actually it can be steady, not flickering anymore, but it’s just about to go out. In general the body of the human is composed of the four elements.
However, due to variations in channels and winds within this framework, different people experience different internal appearances during process of disillusion. This is why there are small variations in the explanations of this process in specific tantras spoken by words such as Gudasimovia. These minor variations mainly come from differences in the channels within the body, the winds and drops, the central fluid that cross through those channels. Because those internal factors differ in individuals, Yogurt practices also differ slightly. Even when internal factors are the same, the internal signs of dying appear to the mind in different ways because Yogurtis put emphasis on different points of the body.
Next one. The aggregate of consciousness absorbs. So the eighty conceptions dissolve. These are subtle conceptions. When they describe these conceptions, you know, they there’s a whole list of different things that occur.
And listed amongst these things. I mean, I would never thought of them. I wouldn’t think of them as conceptions, but might and then I’m quite they can be very instinctive things. Amongst them are that the instinct to, you know, to cycle and then a baby will notice from early on. So this is said to be further conception, but at this stage that tendency, the whole list people from the text, you’ll see some text describing these things that absorb on the same.
So the idea conceptions dissolve. So we can sort of see that up to this point how it is that, you know, the experiences of this life, the gross levels are fading away, and more subtle levels are rising. Another way it’s described is we could be sitting in this room during the daytime, right, and sudden streaming is through this window here. And then for some reason, say, you could even just imagine that it’s a very quick solar eclipse. Back, and it blocks out the sun altogether.
But the room is still illuminated because there’s lights on here. So you weren’t aware of these lights existing until this one. It’s all the sun disappears. When the sun disappears, then that’s manifest. Although they were there all the time, you weren’t aware because this one more gross level was consistent.
Then all of a sudden there’s a blackout. So that finish, there’s no light coming in here, there’s no light there, but you’re still illuminating because there’s candles on here or there’s absorb, there’s more subtle levels of heat. Adiponceptions dissolve, cause of appearance winds in the right and left channels above the heart enter the central channel. So in the description of the spot of the body is these winds within the body. It’s described the channel, the winds group within the channels within the body.
A central channel that runs from here down here to the bottom here. There’s two side channels here and as this process takes place, this test process, the is safe here, the appearance comes as the winds in the right and left channels above the heart enter the central channel. So as a result of that, there’s an internal sign and that is a clear sky filled with white light. It’s a white vision This is also said to be associated with this understanding. It’s explained that at the time of conception, when consciousness enters conception, Buddhism is when consciousness enters into that sperm and egg, that becomes being we became a living being at the time our consciousness enters into the sperm and then we get our life’s work.
And at that point, there’s a living entity and it starts to develop that. Embryo starts to develop. And there’s now that the heart from the father said to be associated formed somehow here in the crown. Something like you can’t see. Can you see?
It doesn’t look like And there’s an element from the mother which forms here in the navel. At the time of death, there’s no longer a support as the wind starts to dissolve. They can no longer support this white drop It’s at the crown of the head. The wind had been holding it there. As ever against the hole, the wind system starts to dissolve.
This light that would renew it then starts to dissolve and then this white drop starts to descend here through the central channel and there is corresponding to this vision that you’re about the white So internal sign clear security, but with white light. And then the next one is the red increase appears and then dissolves so that passes. And then the next thing is winds in the right and the left channels below the heart enter the central channel at the base of the spine. And there’s an internal sign very clear of a sky filled with red light. So this is said to be this red element or red drop coming from the mother after that, the navel, They’re no longer held in place by the wind and then starts to rise up.
And then there’s this red vision. And in the next level, the minor black increase resolves that vision. Black increase. The heart then the winds enter to the drop of the heart, such as the drop in existence since the time of that conception. An internal sign at first, acuity filled with thick dark thick darkness then as it’s swooning into unconsciousness.
There’s this black vision And the next stage, the last stage, eighth one, the eighth one, is all the winds dissolved in the very subtle light bearing wind in the indestructible drop of the heart. All the winds, everything is dissolved here right here in the heart. This is the time of death. When the clear light of death ceases, the consciousness passes back through the stages of dissolution in reverse. So at this stage, you know, this is when death occurs.
And consciousness is the most subtle level of mind compared riding upon wind, often described as like a lame rider riding on a blind horse. So So I described that. The lang jockey is this awareness aspect of the mind because it can see mind’s quality mind is able to see It’s knowing. And the wind is movement. So there’s a knowing quality which is adopted and there’s a movement aspect which is that is this is how it’s described as actually more consciousness.
It’s all mind, but it’s just as a knowing factor in the movement. That’s what it has on the awareness side. But at the time of death when a person dies, this is reverse order of those signs, and this is what we call entering the bardo state, the in-between state, after one dies. So you go through that reverse, you go through those but in reverse, in a much more subtle level and then you’ll rise into the appearance of the being that you will be into the next life. This is father or in between.
Something like it seems described like being in a dream state in that in the father that you If you have certain levels of subtle wind remaining in the brain in the state here, there is a basis, a very subtle level of basis being able to see, hear, and so on. A being can be and after seven days, if they’re not reborn, then they die as a bardo being and then they’re reborn again in a body. They go through the stages of death and then they go through the stages of rebirth again in a The exceptions aside, at maximum. Pre births could take immediate.
Then in that state, you’re actually there’s a strong yearning to be reborn again often around in by the winds of your karma and very much obviously dependent upon the type of rebirth you take. Eventually, I guess, how it works, you become a ripe for rebirth. Then you’re drawn to the element of your mother and father. Mother and father’s sperm are only coming together. Then there’s an appearance to the mind of the mother being of the future parents in sexual unity.
So it’s not actually the it’s not the appearance of the actual body appears to the mind as an appearance to their mind. The teachings are saying description of it is that if you’re born to be more male, you’re born to the female. And if you’re to be more female, you’re attracted to the male. You’re drawn to the sexual organs, and being drawn to those sexual organs, first off there’s an attraction, an attraction element, but then when you draw on that irritation arises in your mind. That irritation combined with the attachment energy then leads your consciousness to project it into that basis So then, for instance, if it’s a case of their organ transplant, then at that point, consciousness could enter because that person’s already died.
Probably. If you couldn’t do it before then. I wouldn’t suggest you could, but I’ve never been I I work in aged care, so I’ve never been around somebody who’s actually gonna be donating the organs. Yeah. Excuse me.
Yeah. I’m I’m not sure, you know, correspondence, you know, about the heart beating or whether the breath is beating. Mean, generally, because I just mentioned the breath thing because I was saying that wind down is absorbed and the breathing stops at that point. But whether people generally, you know, just sit more on the heart than the breathing. So that maybe the case I don’t know.
It’s a bit of both, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because they’re, you know, in the description that they don’t usually talk about the heartbeat, but they do talk about the breathing and stuff.
Mhmm. And that might be because the And I guess there is an issue, isn’t there, of the near death experience to people that have these near experiences and come back. That can happen after the breathing stops and after the heart stops. So if the heart and the breathing stop, does it still occur possible for the person to come back to life? You know, the knee death Okay.
Alright. So there’s a great consequence. Yeah. Yeah. They they Okay.
They’re gonna go closer to Okay. Alright. So it then it is very difficult then, isn’t it, to say that if a girl is greeting and stopped and that heart is stopped to say they’ve died. I guess you could say that it’s come back from the dead, Yes. Well, I guess it just says it’s me.
Well, they often have experiences, though, that they They can’t. They often have experiences, though. They won’t. This is a significant thing that one that that’s sort of all of them do, but the idea that they have positive experiences. They come back at least they come back better individuals.
Yeah. Whether those experiences they describe in the single light and so on, necessarily correspond to this and other thing. It’s not necessarily that. Yeah. At what stage that that changed view of life.
Don’t know. That would contradict the whole attraction to the sperm and egg. Just the body. No. It should be that.
Well, there are I mean, that’s right from that point of view that there could be some strange there’s certainly definitely strange exceptions to what takes place. And in terms of Yes. That’s true. That’s true. Let’s start from that.
Except that it well, I don’t know about that. It’s but remember, it’s the element anyway. It’s still the still the elements. Yeah. But when the this is for the description of the problem, what they’re attracted to is an appearance to their mind.
It’s not the physical body of the parents because there’s a problem if you say that anyway because conception can take place a long time after sexual intercourse, A day, couple of days after. None. So if you were to say that the the the description is taken differently to say that this being sees the body of the future parents, immediately, he’s got a problem because conception can take place in the field. So so they they describe it in terms of its appearance or based on that two elements. But I don’t know.
I mean, it’s still it’s it’s in the test tube. It’s still the two elements. There are so it’s I think there are I think there are definitely things that can happen Oh, what? The indestructible drop in the heart. And they say, I think it’s indestructible drop in the heart.
It’s indestructible during his life. Right? So that’s to remain there, you know, at the time of conception was formed, and I guess the structure remains there while being was living at the time of death, that’s it’s a physical basis they they they come to us and that’s it. Generally, they die there, you know. It’s interesting to me that people can consciously die because I’ve heard Okay.
That’s well, I guess there’s different levels of capacity as well of their capacity to their rebirth. Mhmm. Say, for instance, in the example, the Dalai Lama, there are some indications of going to the previous Dalai Lama, I think it Dalai Lama, way back when he traveled through, I think it was, he turned and pointed in a certain direction. Right? So there can be some indications even like that.
But it has to be held to have this, you know, support. So to know this. So the process of that The the stage of death, the the experiences of the I guess, then that that that they control. Then type of their control and maybe whatever takes place the particular way, but that was an indication of course the direction. Northeast.
So there is an understanding that control reverb. Now this is the one that help me get this right. So that’s definitely an exception to the rule. Mhmm. Now, you know, so one level, you know, one level, we can say, hey.
You too. But another level that I’m saying. Some, you know, well, definitely more people do. Many times, maybe it’s taking a long, long time on me. Since it’s slow learner and opening up to this sort of thing, I’m really quite skeptical.
Part of my mind walks on to too So some students extraordinary have that capacity in short, right, to live that experience. When they’re doing that, even if the lama isn’t, It’s extraordinary that the reverence, the reverence and respect and faith intelligently and devotion is incredible now. And then concerns if you if you do really have like incredible positive in prints and also creating the cause for rebirth again So with me, I have to use a whip to beat myself through a handout, you know? Right. And, you know, but even if I don’t, at least to rejoice in those people.
And the teacher, right, that’s an extreme that people do this. They take faith in this teacher totally without any internal development. And then that teacher turns out corrupt, like, or life can fall apart. So it’s important to have those two together. In Buddhism, we have that.
We have the teachings and the methods to transform that heart. And we say the basis has been a spiritual practice. Spiritual devotion, Buddhist devotion is refuge. Again, every single spiritual practice is basically. Because the people you know, a friend of mine, I know who’s not Buddhist, but devoted to a particular teacher Buddhist tradition, devoted to this teacher who had a lot of charisma and, I think, psychic powers and stuff.
Buddhist teachers obviously point out and the common one these days is that I’ve gotta have intelligence and grow up and learn to point out the wrongful practice. If actions are against Dharma, you don’t follow them. If they’re doing negative things, you don’t follow them. But you understand that this teacher is doing this in order to show them the way. And if you can’t believe that and you believe the teacher is corrupt, then also you shouldn’t turn against him because there should be an object of compassion because if the teacher has taken on that responsibility, it’s got that role and people have trusted the teacher and then maybe can corrupt.
That’s really powerful negative problem that they will suffer for that. So there should be an object of compassion. So either way, So on page nine,