Metaphysics Q&A 074 – End-of-Life Chanting for family and friends
Q074: Master Lu, we are currently reciting for my mother who is in critical condition. We would like to know what sutras and mantras we should recite for her. Can we play chanting of sutras and mantras? Is there anything that we should be aware of?
A074:
For elderly people, what to recite for End-of-Life Chanting depends on the individual. Generally, you can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou), or recite in the names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, for example, “Namo Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva” (Na Mo Ta Tzu Ta Pei Kuan Shih Yin Pu Sa)[1], or “Namo Amitabha” (Na Mo A Mi To Fo).
People who pass away with terminal illness tend be reborn into the three lower realms. If you do not perform the transferring of merits to them by performing recitations, it would be very difficult for them to even be reborn into the human realm. For End-of-Life Chanting, you can recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou) to help them to be reborn into the human realm soon.
If the person is well-cultivated, then you can recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching), Great Compassion Mantra, and Amitabha Sutra (A Mi To Ching). You can also recite in the name of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, for example, “Namo Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva” or “Namo Amitabha” to help this person so that this person would be received by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and be reborn into the Asura realm, the Deva realm (known as “heaven” in English), or even the higher realms.
The realm that the deceased person will be reborn into directly depends on how the body is handled. It would be best if family members can stay with the person during the final hours. The body should not be touched or relocated within 8 hours after death, but you can quietly and peacefully perform recitations for the person.
You can play chanting of sutras and mantras for the person. However, it would be best if you can recite the sutras and mantras yourself.
Family members can determine which realm the deceased will be reborn into by judging the temperature of the body parts.
If the head is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the Asura realm or Deva realm.
If the feet are the last parts to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the underworld.
If the naval area is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the animal realm.
If the chest area is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the human realm.
If the remains of the deceased are buried in separate places or are scattered into the sea, Partial Spirits (Fen Ling) or Scattered Spirits (San Ling) of the deceased would be generated. As a result, the souls and spirits would be incomplete, and it would be very difficult for the person to be reborn into the Asura realm or Deva realm.
It would be best if you can recite 49 Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu) within 49 days after your relative passes away. It would certainly help if you can recite more if possible. You can burn several Little Houses together as you finish reciting them. Generally, it would be best to burn them on the 7th, 14th, 21th, 28th, 35th, 42nd and 49th day after your relative passes away.
Q074: Master Lu, we are currently reciting for my mother who is in critical condition. We would like to know what sutras and mantras we should recite for her. Can we play chanting of sutras and mantras? Is there anything that we should be aware of?
A074:
For elderly people, what to recite for End-of-Life Chanting depends on the individual. Generally, you can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou), or recite in the names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, for example, “Namo Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva” (Na Mo Ta Tzu Ta Pei Kuan Shih Yin Pu Sa)[1], or “Namo Amitabha” (Na Mo A Mi To Fo).
People who pass away with terminal illness tend be reborn into the three lower realms. If you do not perform the transferring of merits to them by performing recitations, it would be very difficult for them to even be reborn into the human realm. For End-of-Life Chanting, you can recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou) to help them to be reborn into the human realm soon.
If the person is well-cultivated, then you can recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching), Great Compassion Mantra, and Amitabha Sutra (A Mi To Ching). You can also recite in the name of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, for example, “Namo Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva” or “Namo Amitabha” to help this person so that this person would be received by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and be reborn into the Asura realm, the Deva realm (known as “heaven” in English), or even the higher realms.
The realm that the deceased person will be reborn into directly depends on how the body is handled. It would be best if family members can stay with the person during the final hours. The body should not be touched or relocated within 8 hours after death, but you can quietly and peacefully perform recitations for the person.
You can play chanting of sutras and mantras for the person. However, it would be best if you can recite the sutras and mantras yourself.
Family members can determine which realm the deceased will be reborn into by judging the temperature of the body parts.
If the head is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the Asura realm or Deva realm.
If the feet are the last parts to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the underworld.
If the naval area is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the animal realm.
If the chest area is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the human realm.
If the remains of the deceased are buried in separate places or are scattered into the sea, Partial Spirits (Fen Ling) or Scattered Spirits (San Ling) of the deceased would be generated. As a result, the souls and spirits would be incomplete, and it would be very difficult for the person to be reborn into the Asura realm or Deva realm.
It would be best if you can recite 49 Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu) within 49 days after your relative passes away. It would certainly help if you can recite more if possible. You can burn several Little Houses together as you finish reciting them. Generally, it would be best to burn them on the 7th, 14th, 21th, 28th, 35th, 42nd and 49th day after your relative passes away.
No comments:
Post a Comment