There are three stages discussed pertaining to death in many Buddhist readings. The actual procedure of dying, the rebirth, and the intermediate connection between the two. The karmic residue passes from the death of one life into the birth of the next. As the body elements (earth, water, fire, and wind) cease, consciousness is no longer supported within the body. This is the first section of death. The next section is also fourfold.
In the fifth stage, thought vanishes, but consciousness remains. It is likened to a whiteness. The next stage is when an orangey-redness comes about. The penultimate of the eight stages of the dying process is that of blackness. Awareness leaves at this point. Finally, the totality of clear light exists. The four final stages can take any length of time from minutes to weeks to occur. To know when the stages of dying are ended, you need to observe the body for signs of decay. Until it begins to smell and decompose, the former being may still be in the process of dying, if already clinically dead according to a doctor.
The best known source of information concerning death from a Buddhist point of view is the Tibetan book of the Dead. This not only explains the stages in great depth, but gives a commentary, suggested speech to offer to the dying person whilst in the act of dying to assist them, and explanations of each stage. Some versions are written especially for the Westerner trying to understand from a non-Buddhist viewpoint and leave much of the Buddhism and detail out. Other versions give the full Buddhist account and do not center their offering towards the Western market. It is therefore a good idea to check to see which version you are obtaining, if planning a purchase.
No comments:
Post a Comment