Benefits of the Seven-Line Prayer 3

HH Penor Rinpoche

If you recite the Seven-line Prayer from the very depths of your heart with your body, speech, and mind, having single-pointed faith and devotion, it has great blessings. If you make supplications single-pointedly, the obscurations of karma and afflictive emotions will be purified, and it will become the fundamental cause to attain the fruition, the state of enlightenment. Moreover, when some people were severely afflicted with tuberculosis and faced great difficulties such as having no medical treatment, they had no other option but to recite the Seven-line Prayer. Then, after completing the recitation two or three hundred thousand times, all of them recovered from the disease.

To practice the Dharma, you have to strive for it and put it into practice by contemplating from the very depths of your heart. Otherwise, just paying lip service will have no effect. For beginningless lifetimes, you have been committing only unwholesome negative actions. Therefore, just practicing a little bit of Dharma will not purify your karmic obscurations. Thus, when you practice the Dharma, be steadfast, completely eliminating all the conceptual thoughts from the very depths of your heart. Then, if you can practice the Dharma day and night, the fruition will ripen.

~~

His Holiness Sera Yangtrul Rinpoche

The prayer of seven vajra verses is commonly known as Guru Rinpoche’s prayer. The Vajra refers to something that is stable, unchanging and indestructible, which can destroy all negativities, adverse circumstances, obstacles and be all-victorious. There is no (obstacle) so firm that (the vajra) cannot remove.

The prayer of seven vajra verses has an exceptionally strong blessing. It is the most sublime amongst all the various supplication prayers to Guru Rinpoche. In Tibet, those great accomplished masters would mostly recite this prayer while giving blessings to the devotees. As Guru Rinpoche once said, “Reciting this prayer will invoke and invite all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.”

When oneself or others feel any discomfort in the body, or if the environment is unclean, or when meeting with any obstacle or negative provocation, just reciting this prayer of seven vajra verses with a completely sincere mind, all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Gurus, Triple Gems, virtuous protecting Dharmapalas would be sure to arrive and render help or give blessings.

~~

Yangthang Rinpoche

If you really recite this prayer from your heart, then there’s no way that you can avoid bringing Guru Rinpoche forth and invoking him. So it’s extremely powerful. And you should practice it at all times continually. . . If you really focus on the Seven-Line Prayer, then it is certain that the blessings will come. The blessings of Guru Rinpoche will spring out and be born in your mind stream.

~~

Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye 

The way to accomplish oneself as Guru Rinpoche, is all rooted in the Seven-Line Prayer.

~~

HH Dudjom Rinpoche (Jikdral Yeshe Dorje) Teaching On The Seven Lines Prayer

Extract of His Holiness’ teaching on Guru Pema Trötengsel Paris 1984

…Then we come to the invocation prayer known as “The Seven Line Prayer”, because it has seven lines.

This prayer appears a lot and will come again and again as an invocation. The reason why this prayer comes so often is because at the very moment Guru Rinpoche was conceived, in a lake in the North-West corner of Uddiyana, realization was achieved simultaneously. When this happened many millions upon millions of dakinis sang this praise in one voice as a praise to the Lotus-born Guru. These dakinis sang from three most sacred places. Therefore, it has great blessings.

To go just briefly through these lines, it says that: ‘being born in the North-West corner of the country of Uddiyana, in a heart-center of a lotus, endowed with the most marvelous attainments, you are known as The Lotus-Born Guru, surrounded by many hosts of dakinis countless in number, I will follow in your footsteps’. This is basically what it means.

This Seven Line Prayer should not be considered as just another supplication or invocation prayer. Instead it should be understood to be the principal prayer calling for Guru Rinpoche which itself carries tremendous blessings. Due to the power of the essence of this prayer and the blessings it holds, when you have obstacles or hindrances, if you recite it with confidence 100,000 times, normally these can be immediately removed. Moreover, when I was young, I did this practice several times and found that you can do 10,000 recitations a day, which means that you can complete 100,000 recitations in ten days. Since countless millions of dakinis have uttered this profound prayer it has remarkable blessings. So, we should consider this not only as an invocation but also a means to bring about the essential blessings of Guru Rinpoche himself.

Rinpoche’s root-teacher Gyurme Nyedun Wangpo, (otherwise known as, Podpong Tulku or Zapong Tulku because he was coming from Za region), would give this Seven Line Prayer practice to all his students and disciples to do. He would even give it to the mothers and children. Whoever came to him to ask for teachings, he would simply say: “Just recite this and have devotion while reciting this prayer. Recite this, that is enough”. Therefore, His Holiness’ root-teacher himself essentialized all practice down to this Seven Line Prayer. So, there is no need to get bogged down in the complexities of the kyerim and things like that which we don’t really understand. Simply doing this practice alone is sufficient.

~~~

Namkha Drimed Rinpoche

We face a time of mara-activity, with the wars and the fighting raging on, with the negative forces, terrorism and such, and people acting under the influence of the five poisons. All of this happens because beings have not tamed their five poisons of mind. And so, they obey the impulses of their five poisons, make evil aspirations and such, and many people are under this influence, many people rely on them, which causes huge problems. And this is a very big mistake.

So to counteract all these atrocities, there is no one who surpasses Guru Rinpoche. If you pray to Guru Rinpoche, especially in this degenerate age, it is said that Guru Rinpoche's incredible compassion, blessings and power are swifter and more powerful than any other Buddha, and are stronger even in these degenerate times.

So if you pray to Guru Rinpoche, accumulate the Seven-Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche and the Vajra Guru mantra, there is nothing more powerful than this. This is the very best thing you can do.

~~~

Bhakha Tulku Rinpoche

This supplication prayer is the most supreme of Guru Rinpoche’s supplications. Before Guru Rinpoche’s emanation manifested, the wisdom dakinis invoked the wisdom-realization of Sangye Yöpakme (Buddha Amitabha) and Chenrezik (Avalokiteshvara) through the Seven Line Prayer; his emanation then was miraculously born.

The teachings of secret tantra are proclaimed to beings possessing devotion and pure perception. Therefore, receiving its blessings is solely dependent upon one having faith or not. Reciting this prayer with the altruistic motivation to benefit others will pacify plagues and diseases. Chanting and accumulating this prayer will certainly be a cause for peace in this world. Guru Rinpoche promised that chanting it one hundred thousand times with intense yearning desire, faith, and devotion, one will take birth in Zangdok Palri (the Coppered-Colored Mountain Pure Realm of Guru Rinpoche).

~~~

Terton Pema Trinley Drodul

Among the many different prayers to Guru Rinpoche, one begins with “Dusum Sangye Guru Rinpoche”. When this text says Dusum, it means of the three different times—past, future and present—the teacher of all of these three times is Guru Rinpoche. This shows that every single Buddha throughout all of these three times is included within Guru Rinpoche. So reciting Guru Rinpoche's mantra, the Seven Line Prayer, and any kind of practice on Guru Rinpoche is so important. And the Seven Line Prayer is especially important, as in so many different termas (treasure revelations) every terma contains these same lines. 

Although there are a great variety of terma practices and sadhanas based on Guru Rinpoche with many different forms and aspects, in all of them the Seven Line Prayer remains the same. That is a sign of how fundamentally important this Seven Line Prayer is. There are many different explanations of the Seven Line Prayer in these termas, and there are so many ways it can be understood. And so, in a sense, we can consider this Seven Line Prayer as the mother of all the terma texts. So chanting this Seven Line Prayer is so important, so powerful, and it can remove obstacles. 

In the world these days there are so many obstacles, particularly arising from the five poisons (the five negative emotions). These five poisons nowadays have been getting worse and worse in the world, and so this dark time has come over us. By this I mean simply that these poisons have gotten thicker, and heavier, producing this challenging experience of a dark time. For example we can see these days in the world that everyone is in competition, wanting to win, causing many people to wage war, which shows powerful pride: just one of the five poisons. So if we can focus on practicing the Seven Line Prayer and accumulating it, it is so, so, so very beneficial for this world. This is my real inner feeling that I want to share with you, that it is so very important to accumulate the Seven Line Prayer. And it's not only my vision, or my thought, it is said all the time in the texts, the termas, it was expressed by Yeshe Tsogyal herself, by so many tertons who have come since, by many high Lamas, all emphasizing how important this Seven Line Prayer is. So I wanted to humbly share my own inner feelings of faith and encouragement.

~~~

Story of a practitioner of 7-line prayer

Before the year 2000, there was a Mahasiddha in the Namdroling monastery of the Nyingma Palyul tradition established by the lineage holder His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. He mainly recited the ‘Seven Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche’. This accomplished master had white hair and a hunched back; he went about everywhere on bare feet and his name was Yama Gonpo.

Yama Gonpo was illiterate and had absolutely no idea about writing or reading the scriptures because he had not been taught in school. From his youth until he was old, he had been Penor Rinpoche’s layperson attendant. In his late years, he started wearing monk’s robes and became ordained. He did not know how to recite any scripture or prayer apart from some short mantras, thus, the only practice he was familiar with was the ‘Seven Lines Prayer to Guru Rinpoche’.

About 40 years ago, when the Tibetans fled to India, he followed His Holiness Penor Rinpoche out of Tibet and became Penor Rinpoche’s attendant and guard. It was after much life-threatening dangers that they arrived in India. For his entire life, he was Penor Rinpoche’s unwavering and devoted disciple, serving his Guru like a servant.

After following Penor Rinpoche to South India, because they were beginning to build Namdroling monastery, Yama Gonpo participated in the work of building the monastery. He endured long hours of toilsome labor. For instance, about 40 years ago, there was a large river flowing between the site of the monastery and the neigbouring town of Gusakar. The Indian workers, in order to save time, forced their cows to cross the river but there was no bridge at that time and it was extremely difficult for the cows who were bearing a large load to cross the river. Their Indian owners lashed their whips at these cows, often cutting deeply into the flesh on their backs. Penor Rinpoche decided that, in order to help the cows and everyone involved, it was necessary for him to spend his own money to build a mud bridge over the river although it was extremely expensive by the standards of that time. Yama Gonpo, by a single order of His Holiness, spent three years accompanying the workers to construct this bridge. By night, he slept alone in a grass hut at the construction site as it was his responsibility to watch over the building materials. At that time, his hut was located near the forests and grasslands where many wild animals lurked.

As narrated above, Yama Gonpo’s entire life was that of following the instructions of his Guru, Penor Rinpoche. In his late years, he received the Dzogchen essential pith instructions from Penor Rinpoche personally. From then on, he did not lie down to sleep but always remain sitting, whether during the day or night, becoming an extremely assiduous meditator. His level of realisation was very high and profound, his meditation was liberated and free, he was able to communicate directly with Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) or the Dharma Protectors.

However, externally, he seemed to be just a weak and ordinary old monk…

In his late years, he stayed outside Penor Rinpoche’s special protector hall, in a very simple hut made from mud. This hut was so small that most people could not stand up straight within it. There was an extremely simple altar inside – so simple that the only way to describe it would be ‘unbearably old and broken-down’. It consisted of several pieces of aged, hole-ridden pieces of Buddha images that had turned yellow.

Yama Gonpo personally had few belongings. It consisted of one strand of prayer beads and several pieces of cushions that looked like pieces of rubbish. There was also one small coffee-coloured fat-bellied bottle that had been abandoned by someone. And this was the ‘precious vase’ which Yama Gonpo used to contain his blessed pills mixed with water.

Yama Gonpo had infinite faith in His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) and kept doing his practice without making a display of it. At first, no-one realised that this hunched-back old man was a great practitioner until something happened. Once, when they were setting up the first Buddhist college in the Namdroling monastery (reenacting the tradition of Buddhist studies in the Nyingma tradition for the first time in India), many students were painting the main hall. At that time, Yama Gonpo’s hunched figure appeared in the vicinity despite the fact that he had not been asked to come. Gonpo told the students in a kind and yet serious tone, “Last night, Guru Rinpoche said that the students who are painting the college have an obstacle coming, it would be better to temporarily stop painting tomorrow.

The college students thought that the old Yama Gonpo was mentally unhinged and merely pretended to agree with him with a smile. Then they invited him politely to leave. Before he left, Gonpo said again, “If you are not willing to stop work tomorrow, then please remember to recite the Seven Lines Prayer to Guru Rinpoche or his heart mantra or Tara’s mantra!”

On the second day, one of the students was reciting Tara’s mantra in a half-believing manner while standing with other students on the high structures for painting. In the end, there was an accident. All of a sudden, the high structure collapsed. Everyone was hurt when they fell on the ground. The only person who went unscathed was the student who had been reciting Tara’s mantra. From then on, many people started to ask Yama Gonpo about matters of the future and Gonpo never failed to help them. The future invariably worked out just as he predicted. There was even one situation where someone came to ask about some matter in the future and Yama Gonpo replied him saying, “Please, there is no need for you to ask me about any future problems, because you will soon die in seven days.” When this person heard his prediction, he was very nervous, but he was also half-doubting it. Finally, the prediction came true and he died in seven days.

This matter caused everyone to wake up and many people praised Yama Gonpo for his ability to accurately foresee the future. But somehow, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche was appraised of this matter and became extremely displeased. He simply said one sentence to Yama Gonpo, “Why are you saying so much?” Thereupon, Yama Gonpo kept silent for about one year and refused to reply to anyone’s enquiry.

It was until much later when His Holiness Penor Rinpoche left the monastery to spread the Dharma that the sangha were unable to find anyone to help them when they had particular difficulties that they petitioned Penor Rinpoche to allow Yama Gonpo to help everyone with clearing their doubts and answering their questions with his special abilities. Under His Holiness’s permission, Yama Gonpo started to speak to help the masses.

Before Yama Gonpo answered anyone’s question, he will always meditate for a moment with his eyes open and then he will see the answer without need to recourse to any divination tools or any special preparations. The writer of this article once had the fortune of witnessing the way Yama Gonpo answered questions beside the eight great stupas of Namdroling monastery. It was truly rare and astounding!

Once, Namdroling monastery had a huge case in its hands. An Indian was murdered and his corpse was discovered beside the monastery. One of the monastery’s monk was suspected by the police of being the culprit and apprehended. At that time, Penor Rinpoche was away overseas and could not immediately return to solve this problem. Therefore, in a telephone call, he instructed that the monastery immediately begin to practice the Dharma protector rituals. The next day, Yama Gonpo told everyone, “Last night the Dharma Protector appeared to me and told me, ‘The real murderer has been caught, he is an Indian. Now the Dharma Protector has possessed the murderer and caught hold of his heart and mind, he will be leading the real murderer back to the area of the monastery. As the distance is far, he can only reach the monastery in 3 days.’”

Eventually, after 3 days, the true murderer was really caught. He was an Indian who had performed the killing act in the spur of a moment because of a mere 50 rupees. When the murderer returned to the monastery, his entire being was confused and dazed, and he turned himself in by confessing that the murder was done by him. Of course, he was not spared a beating by the people around him there and then when they heard his confession.

Everyone now knew that Yama Gonpo was an authentic Druptop (realised master). They liked to come by and ask him many questions. But his main reply was, “Recite the Seven Lines Prayer, then there would be no obstacles.” This was often his advice to people.

Although he was so accomplished, he continued his previous style of living, notwithstanding others’ respect and trust in him. He continued staying in his dilapidated hut, his living conditions did not improve, and all day and all night long, he continued to supplicate the Guru Triple Gems. Anyone who saw him felt that he was truly a very diligent practitioner who never had a respite. When anyone offered him money, he would ask the benefactor to offer this money directly to Penor Rinpoche. Even if he took the money to allow the benefactor to accumulate merits, he would still unstintingly offer the whole amount to His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. About 2 or 3 years before he left this world, he often said, “Human life and samsara is simply too much suffering… when the Lord of Refuge Penor Rinpoche has completed the building of the Guru Padmasambhava Hall, I will depart from this world.”

In the remaining days, he continued to behave like his role as an attendant and guard to Penor Rinpoche, he surreptitiously watched over the entire process of building the large hall whether it was a large or minute task. Once, he told some monks who were close to him, “For His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s project of building the hall to be smooth and successful, countless Dharma Protectors have surrounded the boundaries of the hall in the space and on the ground to prevent any large obstacle from occuring.” Everyday, he would circumambulate the monastery bare-footed at least once. Everyone said that Yama Gonpo had not wavered in the slightest from his past role as the protector and guard, and used all his utmost strength to protect the beneficial activities of his Guru, Penor Rinpoche, in a quiet manner.

When the Guru Padmasambhava Hall in Namdroling monastery was completed. It was said that on one day, during the puja, Yama Gonpo was accidentally pushed to the floor by some young lama. He never recovered from that fall and finally, in the year of 2000, he demonstrated entry into parinirvana. Several days before his parinirvana, his body was thin and weak, and he was lying in bed but his mind was still extremely clear. After his parinirvana, His Holiness indicated that Gonpo was to be buried in the earth and that his body was to be placed in the vicinity of Namdroling, behind the nunnery. Penor Rinpoche also snipped a lock of white hair from Gonpo and kept it for memory sake.

The author (of this article), for fear of forgetting all that has been seen, heard or remembered with the passage of time, decided to pen down everything concerning Yama Gonpo diligently. Afterall, the author has had the karmic affinity of meeting Gonpo several times and had even held his hands while walking together around Namdroling monastery. We stood where would be behind the present elementary school for Namdroling, and enjoyed the scenery of Namdroling monastery from afar in the soft breeze of that afternoon… now that the Venerable one is no longer here, the author, in order to remember him and encourage others to do the practice of Guru Rinpoche, decided to write these notes on 23 August 2007 in Taipei, Taiwan.

~~

Teaching on 7-line prayer by Yangthang Rinpoche :
https://bodhiactivity.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/seven-line-prayer-yangthang-tulku.pdf

Sedation at the time of dying

Dharma Master Jingjie

Our present life, in the context of the alaya consciousness, is merely like a single bubble in a vast ocean (of countless past lives). If this ocean is polluted, does it matter even if this single bubble is clean? Therefore, your present life is just a snapshot of your entire existence, do you understand?

From the perspective of the alaya-consciousness, practicing well in just this present life is merely one pure bubble among countless (impure) karmic seeds. Truthfully, if you do not rely on Amitabha’s power and maintain right mindfulness (at the point of death), your virtue in this life can become utterly insignificant (in the face of these karmic seeds). Of course, when I say this, I hope it will not damage your faith, but it is the truth.

No matter how well you practice in your life now, you must prevent deluded thoughts from arising at the point of dying.  I am being very practical here.  You cannot afford to be confused or deluded when dying. 

The reason is that while you are creating many karmic seeds for rebirth in Sukhavati now, you have astronomically more karmic seeds for samsara (lying dormant in your alaya-consciousness), far outnumbering the seeds for Sukhavati by many orders of magnitude. Should the (seeds in the) alaya consciousness manifest, then it is no longer a contest limited to this present life, do you know that? That is when accounting for all past lives is laid out before you.

Do you know what the alaya-consciousness is? It is a vast storehouse where every act you have done, every word you have spoken, every thought you have given rise to over countless eons of past lives are unerringly and completely recorded… Do you think the thoughts of aspiration directed towards Sukhavati could ever outnumber those directed towards samsara? I think it is quite unlikely. Let alone past lives, it is quite unlikely even if we only consider our present life. 

Therefore, we cannot compete with the alaya-consciousness in terms of karmic force. If you try to compare by the sheer quantity of seeds, you have no hope of winning this battle! Right now, what we need to rely on is the sixth consciousness (mind-consciousness), which is to say that I must maintain control (mindfulness) at the point of dying. Although my seeds for rebirth in Sukhavati are few, I must not trigger the latent negative (samsaric) karmic seeds or karmic forces lying dormant in the alaya-consciousness.

Hence, if a person enters a state of deep sleep or coma at the point of death, it is quite disastrous. They must not be allowed to fall asleep. This is why morphine (or painkillers) should not be administered. If the mind-consciousness enters a sleep state at the end of life, it is over. You have completely lost your advantage or bargaining chip, the alaya-consciousness takes over complete control and it becomes next to impossible for you to go to Sukhavati.

Let me tell you, if your mind-consciousness enters a state of deep sleep, I am definite that there is a 99.9 percent chance that you will not attain rebirth in Sukhavati. That last 0.1% is just to console you! Without the mind-consciousness to direct them, your seeds for Sukhavati cannot be activated! When it comes to karmic strength (in the alaya-consciousness), if you want to compare which is stronger, the karmic force of birth and death (samsara) is infinitely stronger than the karmic force for Sukhavati.

Therefore, you must not allow your mind-consciousness to be lost at the end of your life! Because you need it to direct your karmic force and to propel your aspirations. The mind-consciousness must remain clear. If the mind-consciousness is absent, I am sorry to say, you are finished, you have no hope—frankly speaking, it is hopeless. If a person falls asleep at the end of their life, it is over; entering a coma means it is completely over (in terms of taking rebirth in Sukhavati).

Although in terms of the strength of karmic force and the quantity of seeds, our karmic seeds for Sukhavati are at a disadvantage, you can leverage the use of the mind-consciousness to be mindful (at the crucial juncture of dying). By utilizing the mind-consciousness to recall and recite Amitabha, you activate seeds for Sukhavati even though they are outnumbered— that is your only hope.

Therefore, this is called 'rebirth by the force of mindfulness', rather than 'rebirth by the force of karma'. Why must the mind sustain the practice of concentration and introspection all the time? It is because everything depends on the mind-consciousness at the end of our lives.

Note: There are cases where the comatose patient retains subtle consciousness.  Such cases should be considered separately. What is referred to above is a total black-out of consciousness in a comatose patient.

True Accounts of Going to Pureland (18-25)

 Record 18

Losang Dondrup from Xinlong County (Householder, 1935-2016)

Summary

Losang Dondrup lived a simple and virtuous life. Before his passing, he said, "Amitabha Buddha has arrived. I am going to the Pureland. Take these clothes away, offer butter lamps, I am going to the Pureland." Then, he passed away.

Life Story

Losang was born in the 16th Tibetan Rabjung Wood Pig year (1935) in Ségü Village, Lata Township, Xinlong County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. In his hometown, it was said that he was one of the best examples of having lived a life strictly observing cause-and-effect. In terms of virtues of body and speech, he completed five million recitations of Amitabha Buddha’s name and approximately thirty million recitations of other mantras, including the Mani mantra. From the age of seventeen until his passing, he recited the Stainless White Lotus Confession Text one hundred times daily without interruption (amounting to about 2.5 million recitations in all).

Signs at the Time of Passing

He told his daughter, the nun Tsering Drolma, "Child, I will pass away this year due to this illness. But I have sincerely recited Amitabha Buddha’s name, so I have nothing to fear. After discarding this body, I will no longer need to wander in samsara."

That autumn, in the Tibetan eighth month, he suffered from a lung disease and became unresponsive for about ten days. His family invited Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche of Linglung Monastery and other lamas to perform phowa (transference of consciousness), guidance for the dying, Guru Yoga, and the Akshobhya Buddha empowerment.

With his hands joined, Losang said to the nun Tsering Drolma, "Child, did Buddha Amitabha come to our home today?"

The nun replied, "Father, are you referring to Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche?" He replied, "No, child, I’m referring to Buddha Amitabha. Today, Amitabha has come to our home. Since that’s the case, the true Pureland is right here."

One day, he said: "Today, clean the entire house thoroughly and adorn the room with bright colors. I must also bathe properly. Today, the compassionate Amitabha Buddha has come to me. Tomorrow, the lamas will also arrive."

At one point, Losang said, "I need to use the restroom." His family supported him on both sides and helped him to the door of the toilet, but he said, "I cannot relieve myself here. This is a pureland, filled with flowers, a pure and pleasing place. I won’t go now." His children said, "Father, this is our home’s restroom, so it’s fine." But he insisted, "No, not now." They had no choice but to help him back to his bed.

When they tried to dress him in a yellow shirt, he said: "Child, I don’t need to wear this now. I am going to the Pureland. When going to the Pureland, one does not need to wear their own clothes. I won’t wear it." Thus, he refused to let them dress him.

Later, he took his daughter-in-law Tsering Paldron’s hand and said, "Child, I am grateful to you. Our family is large with many elders, you have worked very hard. After this is done, everything will finally be over. Soon, I, your father, will go to the Pureland. Although I cannot offer you any material benefit now, I will make the aspiration before I die that you too will be reborn in the Pureland where I am about to go." Holding her hand tightly, he made this aspiration.

Then Losang said, “We will not meet again in this world, but we will definitely meet again in the Pureland. So do not grieve. There is no one who grows old and not die. All of you should not be sad when I die. I am going to the Pureland."

The next evening, during dinner, Losang said, "If there is a shawl, place it over me. As for my other clothes, blankets and whatever belongings—take them all away." Once everything was arranged as he instructed, he said, "Now, light a butter lamp. I am going to the Pureland."

Following his words, they lit a butter lamp. Then, gripping the edge of the shawl covering him, Losang said, "Time to go. Let’s go to the Pureland." His children and relatives, gathered quietly around him, remained silent. He repeated, "Let’s go now. What’s the matter? Are you not coming? We go to the Pureland now."

So the family held on to the edge of the shawl, gently shook it back and forth while replying him. Losang then said, "Oh! Now we are going." When the family members stopped moving the shawl, Losang said, "Now we’re not moving again!"

In this way, Losang’s family continued to sway the edge of the shawl covering him for the entire night, while Losang remained certain that he was going to the Pureland. At eleven o’clock the next morning, without any signs of pain or distress, he peacefully ceased breathing.

Investigation and Verification

On July 22, 2020, we personally visited the home of the deceased in Xinlong County, Ganzi Prefecture, and interviewed his son Gara Dondrup, nephew Jampa, daughter-in-law Tsering Paldron, and others connected to this event. Later, on August 18 of the same year, we also gathered additional details from his daughter Tsering Drolma. All testimonies were consistent. After rigorous cross-verification from multiple sources, we have included this record here.

Record 19
Bulo from Rangtang County (Householder, 1934-2006)

Summary

Bulo was a nomadic herder who had faith in the Three Jewels and a deep belief in cause-and-effect since young. At the time of her passing, she said, “Amitabha Buddha has come. Clean the house, offer butter lamps and water bowls.” Then, without any suffering, she passed away.

Life Story

Bulo was born in the 16th Tibetan Rabjung Wood Dog (1934) in Kalong Village, Wuyi Township, Rangtang County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. She was married and childless. As she approached seventy years of age, she hired a worker to manage the family’s livestock. After her husband passed away, she was quite elderly, her relatives said to her, “You shouldn’t take care of these livestock anymore. It would be better to sell them.”

However, Bulo said, “No, if these animals were sold, they are likely to be slaughtered, so all of them should be offered to Larung Monastery.” According to her wishes, apart from the eight or nine yaks she relied on for daily needs, the rest of the animals were offered to Larung.

Bulo was a kind-hearted person. Although she never attended school, she learned the King of Aspiration Prayers and Chakme Rinpoche’s Aspiration for Rebirth in Sukhavati from others and recited them as her daily practice.

There was also a remarkable incident. When she was around fifty years old, she picked up a single page of a story about King Gesar’s horse race in the tent. By studying it on her own, she learned to recognize some characters and later was able to recite texts such as The Seven Chapter Supplication to Guru Rinpoche and The Extensive Biography of Guru Rinpoche. From that time until her passing, she regularly recited the Seven-Chapter Supplication Prayer to Guru Rinpoche and other texts.

As long as she had even a small amount of wealth for her own use, Bulo would devote it entirely to virtuous deeds. A sheepskin robe was Bulo’s most valuable possession, yet she joyfully offered it to fund the carving of the Sutra of Great Liberation in stone. She commissioned the carving of this sutra many times and was a person diligent in virtuous practice.

Signs at the Time of Death

Bulo was unwell for some time. One morning, six or seven days later, when the sun had risen, she said to her husband’s younger sister, Dola, “Go and call Lama Trinley Osel.” When the lama arrived, she said, “Protector Amitabha Buddha has come. Clean the house and arrange the butter lamps and water offerings.”

Lama Trinley Osel later told Lama Tsenlo and others, “We saw that she could barely contain her excitement and joy.” Lama Tsenlo later communicated this to us. Shortly after saying this, Bulo passed away without any pain or fear, like a butter lamp going out when the oil is exhausted.

Investigation and Verification

On December 24, 2020, we, the editors, went to Kalong Village in Rangtang County to conduct detailed interviews and investigations with local grassroots cadre Desang and Lama Tsenlo. They had previously researched on this story in the village for some time. In particular, the cadre Desang is regarded as a person of high moral character in the village. We also verified the story through other sources before including this account here.

Record 20
Buku from Banma County (Nun, 1979 – 2007)

Summary

Buku was ordained as a nun at the age of seventeen and passed away at twenty-nine. Before her death, her last words to her elder brother and others were, “Tell Father and Mother that I am going to Sukhavati. They do not need to offer Sur (smoke offering for bardo beings) for me. Although I am not able to bring much benefit to sentient beings in this life, but I have sufficient accumulation of merits for next life. HH Jigme Phuntsok has come to fetch me.” Then, she passed on.

Life Experience

Buku was born in the Tibetan 16th Rabjung Earth Sheep year (1979) in Dengta Village, Banma County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Her father was named Acho, and her mother Zangri.

In 1995, she was ordained at Larung Monastery’s Khandroling in Sertar. In 2006, she contracted tuberculosis and sought treatment in many places, but did not recover. Eventually, she returned to Larung Monastery.

Buku said to her younger sister Chokyi, “I need to go into retreat now to recite Amitabha’s name. You should temporarily move to somewhere else. I have not completed my recitation of Amitabha’s name yet. During this retreat, I may die.” Buku thus entered retreat and practiced recitation of Amitabha’s name for about a month.

Signs at the Time of Death

(1) Final Words for Her Parents

After returning to her hometown, she stayed at her uncle’s home. One night, she said to her brother, Khenpo Thegcho, “Brother, come and sit by me.” After he was seated, she said, “HH Jigme Phuntsok has come to take me. I must go now. I won’t be able to see Father and Mother, please tell them that I am going to Sukhavati. They do not need to do Sur smoke offering for me. I can’t bring much benefit to sentient beings in this life, but I do have the necessary merits for the next life. Brother, these are my final words to you.”

Before this, she had also made similar statements to her uncle Dache and his wife.

(2) Conversations Between Siblings

Khenpo Thegcho told us, “At that point, I thought that people do get confused and say similar things like ‘I’m going to die,’ but in the end they don't die. Such things happened before frequently. So I thought our nun was the same case —saying this type of things but later getting embarrassed. I never imagined that she was really going to die.

“Later, she said, ‘Ah! HH Jigme Phuntsok has come. He is going to take me, he has come to receive me!’ As she spoke, she joined her palms and stared straight ahead, saying, ‘Display HH Jigme Phuntsok’s photo.’

“For a long time, I believed that she was just delirious and did not think that HH Jigme Phuntsok had truly come to receive her and that she was dying, so I did not put up HH Jigme Phuntsok’s photo.

“After a while, she said again, ‘Ah! Now HH Jigme Phuntsok has come for the second time. He will only come to take me three times.’

“That night, she said many things like ‘I am going to Sukhavati,’ but I only wanted her to go to sleep and tried to stop her from talking so much. Other than that, I did not do anything else to help.

“There was a small image of Amoghapāśa (a form of Avalokiteshvara) on the upper part of the wall. After looking at it, she called me, ‘Brother! Brother!’ When I responded, she asked, ‘On top of Avalokiteśvara’s head, there is a red Buddha—what is that?’

“I said, ‘That is Amitabha Buddha.’

“She said, ‘That Buddha is radiant red, sometimes becoming bigger, sometimes smaller. That Buddha is moving—what’s going on?’

“I replied, ‘That’s because you are staring too intently.’

“She said, ‘If it’s because I’m staring, then why isn’t Avalokiteśvara moving?’

“I repeated, ‘It’s not moving. It’s just a difference in size.’

“Another time, she called out, ‘Brother! Brother!’ But I didn’t respond and fell asleep. After a while, her breathing became unusual. I got scared and was about to call a doctor.

“Buku said, ‘If you are going to look for a doctor, you should go after dawn. You won’t find one before daybreak. Wait until dawn, I’m fine.’”

That day, she endured intense pain. The more intense the pain became, the louder she recited the prayer to HH Jigme Phuntsok,

"In the great pure land of the sacred realm, Five-Peaked Mount Wutai,
The one into whose heart Manjushri’s wisdom entered,
At the feet of Jigmey Phuntsok I sincerely pray:
Please transmit realization from your wisdom mind."

She also recited, ‘Jigme Phuntsok, look upon me with compassion!’ While reciting, she sat upright with her body straight and her palms joined.

Chokyi also told us: ‘Not only that time, usually, whenever her pain became unbearable, she would fervently pray to HH and aspire to absorb the sufferings of all sick beings, wishing that these sufferings might ripen upon herself.’ This was how she practiced the exchange of suffering and happiness—giving her own happiness to sentient beings and taking their suffering upon herself.

At another time, she said excitedly, ‘HH Jigme Phuntsok has come! Have you seen him? Chokyi, did you see him?’ She also scolded Chodo and others, saying, ‘Why didn’t you clean the place where HH is staying?’ etc.

In short, from her behavior it became very clear that, in her own perception, HH had truly come to receive her. There were about six or seven people present who personally witnessed this.

On another occasion, while enduring pain, she said to Khenpo Thegcho, ‘Brother, recite the Guru Yoga liturgy.’

Khenpo said, “So I recited the supplication prayer to HH. But Buku said, ‘That’s not what I meant, I am referring to the entire Guru Yoga liturgy.’ I brushed it off casually, saying, ‘I can’t recite it from memory.’ Buku remarked, ‘Aren’t you a Khenpo? How useless! Go call Chodo, he can recite it.’”

As she instructed, Chodo was called over. When the pain was intense, Buku could only remember the Guru Yoga liturgy in a fragmented way. This went on for a day or two.

On the night of the 29th of that month, the siblings all stayed by Buku’s side. Around two o’clock in the morning, she said, ‘Chokyi says my illness is very serious, but I don’t feel sick at all. I am very well.’ Everyone chatted together like this until dawn.

Buku then said, “Now I should go. I have sufficient merits to leave now. I should leave now.’

After that, she could no longer speak. Everyone prepared to send her to the hospital, but before they could leave, Buku slowly stopped breathing and passed away.”

Khenpo Thegcho said, “If I were not someone who doubts everything, then at that time I could have properly helped and reminded her, and it would certainly have been beneficial. But I did nothing at all, and I deeply regret it.”

Investigation and Verification

On March 26 and May 30, 2022, we interviewed Khenpo Thegcho and the nun Chokyi at Larung Gar in Sertar, Ganzi Prefecture. We compiled this account based on their testimony, and they verified its accuracy. After checking thoroughly and determining it to be reliable, we included this account here.

Record 21
Kunga Ta from Luhuo County (Monk, 1998 – 2019)

Summary

Kunga always kept Tiktsa Rinpoche and Guru Padmasambhava in his mind, apart from them, he thought of little else. Before his passing, he told his mother, brother, grandmother and his relative Ani Yangzom Drolma, “I am going to Sukhavati.” He also said, “Tonight I will die.” That evening, Kunga was so happy that he could barely contain it. He passed away from this life in a state of happiness.

Life Story

(1) Tiktsa Rinpoche and Guru Padmasambhava

This young monk was born in the Tibetan 17th Rabjung Earth Tiger year (1998) in a nomadic family in Lower Lokhema village, Luhuo County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. His mother’s name was Tsola.

When Kunga was about two or three years old he suffered from lung disease and as he grew older he would occasionally lose consciousness. Since childhood, his mind was set only on Tiktsa Rinpoche and Guru Padmasambhava and nothing else.

Kunga always carried pictures of Rinpoche and Padmasambhava wherever he went. His hobby was to write their names on every piece of paper he could get hold of, continuously writing until it was very late and refusing to go to bed. When he woke up in the morning, he would say, “Good morning, Tiktsa Rinpoche and Padmasambhava. I am a child who can’t do anything well. I woke up late this morning.” He was a person like that.

(2) Main practice of virtue— Observing the Mahayana Fasting Precepts

Kunga loved to uphold the Mahayana fasting precepts. In his village, the precepts were usually transmitted on the tenth day of each month. He often lamented, “Guru Rinpoche’s auspicious day takes so long to come, it is so hard to wait for it!” His family, fearing that he might faint during the fasting due to his poor health, did not allow him to go receive the precepts. But he went secretly anyway. He often said to his mother, “Mother, I want to observe the fasting precepts. It is fine even if I die while observing the precepts. ”

Every morning, Kunga would wake up at 5am to make prostrations and recite the King of Aspiration Prayers and The Aspiration Prayer for Rebirth in Sukhavati. He completed all his practices before dawn. His mother thought that winter mornings were especially cold and told him, “Child, you are sick and it is very cold in the morning. You need not get up so early. You can prostrate and recite at other times too.”

But Kunga always replied, “Mother, if it benefits sentient beings in the six realms, then it does not matter whether I am cold or not. Being cold is fine.”

Signs at the Time of Passing

About two months before his death, he said, “Mother, I want to go to the Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain when I die. The Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain is a Nirmanakaya pureland. Tiktsa Rinpoche and Padmasambhava are there. That is Tiktsa Rinpoche’s pure land, isn’t it?” and so forth.

His mother replied, “My child, if you go to Sukhavati, you can visit any Buddha in their pureland in the morning or afternoon as you wish and then return to Sukhavati, isn’t that so? You can also go to the Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain to request empowerments. Isn’t that said in the Aspiration Prayer for Rebirth in Sukhavati that you often recite?”

Kunga said, “Ah! That’s true! In the Aspiration Prayer for Rebirth in Sukhavati by Chakme Rinpoche, it says,

“In the morning, may I go to Abhirati, Shrimat, Prakuta and Ghanavyuha to receive empowerment as well as vows and blessings from Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amoghasiddhi, Vairochana and the other buddhas there. May I make many offerings and go back to Sukhavati that evening without weariness.

“In Potala, Alakavati, Chamaradvipa, Uddiyana— a billion nirmanakaya pure realms— I will see and make offerings to a billion emanations of Chenrezig, Tara, Vajrapani, and Padmasambhava. May I receive empowerments and profound spiritual advice and thereafter return swiftly to my home, Sukhavati without delay.”

He then explained these verses in detail.

Another time, he said, “I truly want to go to Sukhavati!”

Normally, he liked to save money, but during those days he said, “Don’t put any money into my wallet at all.” Once, Karma Tso came to visit him while he was ill. She handed to Kunga’s mother the money she had brought from his aunt Bawu along with her own money, saying, “Give it to the child when he wakes up.”

When his mother gave him the money, he said, “Mother, please tell sister that I don’t want this money. I have no use for money now.” His mother said, “Your sister came all the way from Luhuo County to see you. Just thank her and accept it.”

Kunga replied, “Alright, mother. Is this money from my aunt and sister meant to be an auspicious interdependence for my rebirth in Sukhavati?”

Tsola replied, “Yes.”

Kunga said, “Then that’s fine, I’ll accept it. Give all my money to my uncle, Sogyapo.”

On the day of his passing, he said to his mother, “If I die, will grandmother be heartbroken and cry? Since I will die tonight, should we tell grandmother? It would be better if grandmother came today.”

They called his grandmother over. Tsola said, “Good child, when grandmother comes, don’t say things like ‘I’m going to die.’ She is old and her heart will be sad.”

Kunga replied, “Mother, can I mention just a little to grandmother?”

Tsola said, “Child, you decide for yourself.”

Kunga said to his grandmother, “My dear Grandmother, I am going to Sukhavati. Please don’t be sad for me. In truth, there is no cause for sadness— it is just time for me to give away my body.” He said many such words.

His grandmother replied, “Grandson, when you recover, come happily to my home.”

Kunga said, “Grandmother, it’s not that I will come to your home, today it is you who have come here. Now my heart is at peace.”

At that moment, there was a special feeling of joy.

That same day, he also said to his brother, Gonseng Dondrub, “Brother, behave well. I am going to Sukhavati now.”

Kunga said to his mother, “Mother, after I die, don’t cry. It is really time for me to go to Sukhavati. I am very happy. After I die, don’t be sad, live on happily.”

He also said to Sonam Yangdrak and Aunt Yangbu, “Live well. I am going to Sukhavati.”

Usually, Kunga had a habit of calling his mother now and then. Yet that day, apart from repeatedly saying “I am going to Sukhavati,” and showing great joy about leaving, he displayed no attachment to his mother at all.

In the evening, as the sun was setting, the nun Yangzom Drolma made a video call to Kunga from Larung Gar. He said, “Ani-la (honorific for nun), I am going to Sukhavati, I am going to a pure realm. Grandmother came today. Ani, Tiktsa Rinpoche and Padmasambhava… Tiktsa Rinpoche and Padmasambhava…” After repeating this several times, he fainted again. His breathing became faint and he never regained consciousness. At around 12:50 am, he stopped breathing and passed away.

By right, his mother Tsola should feel the deep pain of losing a son. However, the circumstances of those last days deeply moved her heart. She felt that her son had certainly gone to a good place. She displayed no emotion of sorrow or grief.

Investigation and Verification

Regarding this account, we, the editors, contacted and questioned Khenpos, Khenmos, family members, and local people who were acquainted with Kunga in Lokema village. Moreover, on October 21 2020, we personally went to Mechen Kado in Lower Lokema Township and interviewed the deceased’s mother Tsola, Khenpo Joden, Sogyapo and others. Khenpo Joden had previously questioned the family about the detailed circumstances and made audio recordings, all of which were provided to us. Based on these materials, we compiled this written record. After judging it to be reliable, we finally included this account of his passing here.

Record 22
Tsering Palmo of Nangchen County (Householder, 1930 – 2014)

Summary of Her Passing

In her earlier years, Tsering Palmo committed heavy negative karma. Later on, she repented with intense remorse and did diligent purification. Before her death, she said, “Today, the protector Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Guru Padmasambhava etc have all come. I see Amitabha Buddha everywhere.” After this, she passed away.

Life Story

Tsering was born in the Tibetan 16th Rabjung Iron Horse year (1930) in Jinisai village, Nangchen County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

In the early part of life, she divorced her husband and abandoned their infant child, leaving the child behind with the father. After that, she became homeless with no relatives who could help her. She survived by working as a servant for other families. Tsering committed many negative deeds such as killing and did not perform a single virtuous action.

Later, when she was old and could no longer work as a servant, she went to Demo Monastery. While there, during a period of more than ten years, she recited four to five million Amitabha’s name, two hundred thousand Vajrasattva Hundred-Syllable mantra and performed the Nyungnay practice (2 days 8-precept fasting retreat) of the 11-faced Avalokitesvara more than a hundred times. In this way, she strove diligently to practice virtue.

When she was eighty-four years old, she fell seriously ill. The illness lasted a long time and there was no one to care for her. Tsering felt deeply despondent. Her teacher, Khenpo Tenzin Gyaltsen, came to her home and guided her, “Do not feel too sad. You have excellent faith and aspiration. You have recited several million Amitabha names and observed the Nyungnay fasting retreat more than one hundred times. Therefore, the suffering you are enduring now before you die is a sign that past negative karma accumulated are ripening (earlier in a lighter form) in this life now. It is not a sign of misfortune, it is a good sign. You should cultivate a joyful mind.” He gave many such advices.

Tsering had enormous faith in Khenpo’s words. Therefore, when intense pain arose, she did not complain but instead prayed loudly, “Protector Amitabha!” The more painful it became, the more fervently she prayed. When the pain subsided, she said, “My negative karma is extremely heavy. It is good that I can now experience its result. This is very good! Through this illness, my karmic obscurations will definitely be purified.” After saying this, she became cheerful and her mental state improved day by day.

Tsering also said, “By right, I should suffer greatly from the dissolution process during death. I committed all kinds of negative deeds in the past and killed many animals. When I worked as a field guard, I beat and abused animals as well. My negative karma is beyond imagination. In particular, I abandoned my own infant child with my husband. Later, the child died, therefore my karmic burden is extremely heavy. Even so, thanks to the kindness of Khenpo Tenzin Gyaltsen and others, I observed the Nyungnay fasting precepts many times, also recited many times Amitabha's name and the Hundred-Syllable mantra.

“Especially, when I recited the Hundred-Syllable mantra, I did so with proper motivation, visualization and concentration. Therefore, I feel sure that the intense suffering of leaving my body at death (literally, the suffering of severing the energy channels) will not arise.”

Signs at the Time of Death

At sunrise on the morning of September 13, 2014, Tsering said, “What is happening to me today? Protector Amitabha, Avalokitesvara and Guru Padmasambhava have arrived. Lama Sangdrak and others have all come.”

At that time, her niece Jangchub Palmo was present and asked her, “Where are they?”

Tsering replied, “They are everywhere. They are filling up all the space.”

Her niece pointed to the curtain on the balcony and asked, “Do you see Amitabha there?”

Tsering answered, “Yes, I see him. I can see him everywhere.”

After a while, Tara Chodron arrived and asked Tsering, “I heard you saw Amitabha Buddha. Can you see him now?”

Tsering replied, “I can see him. I can see him.”

Not long after that, without experiencing the suffering of death dissolution, Tsering passed away with a big smile. This was related by her care-givers and several fellow practitioners.

Investigation and Verification

This account of Tsering’s passing was collated when several Khenmos invited Khenpo Tenzin Gyaltsen to Larung on November 27, 2020. We took the opportunity to ask about the entire story from beginning to end. Khenpo shared everything he had personally seen and heard. He also said, “I am still in contact with some of the practitioners who took care of her at that time.”

Therefore, on January 22, 2021, we, the editors, personally went to Nangchen County in Qinghai Province to interview Jangchub Palmo, who had cared for the deceased, as well as the fellow practitioners Tara Chodron and others. Their accounts were completely consistent. We also verified the information rigorously from many angles before finally including this account here.

Record 23

Tse Sogyal from Xinghai County (Householder, 1918-2001)

Summary

Tse Sogyal had a pure faith in the Buddhadharma from a very young age. At his passing, he said, “I am feeling a joy unlike anything I have ever experienced before, it is very strong. Alak Nyima has come to receive me. The body of Amitabha Buddha and the steps to his pureland are red in color. Our house has also become red in color, very beautiful and pleasant. I am going to the pureland of Protector Amitabha!” After this, he passed away.

Life Story

Sogyal was born in the Tibetan 15th Rabjung Earth Horse Year (1918) in Ziketang Town, Xinghai County, Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

When he was 16, his mother passed away. After that, he did a pilgrimage of full prostrations all the way to Lhasa. Starting from that time, he recited the Mani mantra 10,000 times and the Confession Sutra of the Thirty-Five Buddhas 17 times daily without interruption.

Later, during the politically turbulent period, he was imprisoned. He was forced to do manual labor during the daytime and had no free time. At night, he used his fingers to count and recite the Mani mantra. By the time of his passing, Sogyal had recited more than 300 million Mani mantras.

By the time religious controls were relaxed, Sogyal was already 62 years old. From that time till his death, he would often turn two prayer wheels by pulling them with a string while simultaneously spinning another two prayer wheels by hand. In this way he turned four Mani wheels at the same time. He did this every day without stopping until the end of his life.

Signs at the Time of Passing

On the morning of the Tibetan 24th day, when it was time for breakfast, Sogyal said, “Bring me to the balcony and cover me with a blanket.”

His family followed his instructions and moved him to the balcony, covering him with a blanket. He made many prayers and remained silent for a long time. Finally, as if waking up from some state, he displayed unusual joy and began speaking of various things.

In particular, he said, “Alak Nyima has come to receive me while riding a white horse. The face of Protector Amitabha Buddha is red and the body of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is white. The steps leading to Amitabha Buddha’s pureland are also red. Our house has also become red—extremely beautiful and pleasant. I am going to the pureland of Protector Amitabha Buddha!”

At this time, unlike his usual demeanor, his face was filled with joy and bliss.

Three days after this happened, once, Sogyal said to Ngawang Dondrub, “I am not afraid of death at all. But there are some obstacles, please recite the Chod practice.”

Ngawang Dondrub recited the Chod as requested. Afterward, Sogyal said to his children, “You should not create negative karma. I have created many negative karmas myself but I have also done my best to sincerely confess and purify them.”

Sogyal continued saying, “You are worldly people and may not understand well what to do. You might rearrange my body when I die. I may die while sitting upright. If I die while seated in an upright posture, do not move my body casually. Be quiet and wait. Do not make noise; do not walk back and forth noisily; do not talk loudly or shout and do not touch my body. Make aspirations to practice virtue. I may also die while lying down. If I die lying down, one of you present should check whether my two legs are of uneven length.”

His daughter Tsori said,“Father, I vow to recite ten million Mani mantras every year.”

Sogyal replied, “Very good, that is excellent!”

Later on, Sogyal assumed the full vajra posture and entered meditative equipoise, leaving this life in an seated posture.

On the first day following his death, the family followed Sogyal’s final instructions and did not touch or move his body. On the second day, the Guru and monks from Traga Chezong Monastery were invited. After the Guru and monks completed the practice of Lama Chopa (Offering to the Guru) and various aspiration prayers, red bodhicitta fluid flowed from Sogyal’s nostril, his head drooped forward gently and the signs of emerging from Thukdam (death meditative equipoise) became apparent.

Investigation and Verification

On 2nd November, 2020, we, the editors, went to Xinghai County in Hainan Prefecture to conduct detailed interviews with Sogyal’s nephew Ngawang Dondrub, his son Getso, his daughter Tsori, his son-in-law Dokyong and other people connected to this incident. We carefully questioned them about the major events of Sogyal’s life, with particular focus on the circumstances surrounding his death. We collated their accounts, put them into writing and asked the interviewees to review it. For clarity of reading, minor edits were made which we also requested them to verify again. They confirmed that the account was accurate and truthful. In addition to relying on the statements made by the deceased and those familiar with the events, we also made various investigations such as assessing whether the interviewees were of trustworthy and honest characters etc. Finally, this account was included here.

Record 24
Tragyal Phumo of Zaduo County (Householder, 1938-2016)

Summary
Tragyal Phumo had faith in the Dharma and her Gurus. She had a pure and kind heart toward others. Before her death, she said, “After I die, I will not return to this world. Protector Amitabha and his retinue have come to receive me, I am going to Sukhavati. May all of you have peace and happiness!” Later, she passed away in the lion-lying posture.

Life Story
Phumo was born in Tibetan 16th Rabjung year of 1937 in Nacong Village, Sahuteng Town, Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

She would hang thangkas of Amitabha Buddha, Guru Padmasambhava, Avalokiteshvara and such, arranging pure offerings before them. Her regular practices included Refuge prayer, Guru Rinpoche mantra, Amitabha’s name, the supplication prayer to HH Jigme Phuntsok and so forth. Although the total numbers of her recitations are not known, she wore out three to four strings of prayer beads from constant use.

She had particularly deep devotion to HH Jigme Phuntsok. She often held a tiny, old photograph of him in her joined palms, raised it to her forehead, and prayed earnestly saying, “Although I have not met HH Jigme Phuntsok, the Wish-fulfilling Jewel, in this life, I will be reborn in Sukhavati in my next life where he is and pay respects to him there.”

Signs at the Time of Death

(1) “I Will Not Return to This World”

After getting a terminal illness, Phumo said, “I do not need to be injected with these painkillers. They will interfere with my practice.” Her nephew Tashi Paljor invited a Khenpo who told her, “I hear that you are a very kind person. After death, you will go to a pureland, or at the very least, you will obtain a pure human rebirth.”

When Phumo heard this she replied, “Thank you for your troubles but I will not return to samsara at all. I do not need a future human rebirth, so please do not make such aspirations for me, I do not wish for it at all!”

During this period, she distributed the few sacred objects she owned among family and relatives, saying, “After I die, I will not return to this world. I am going to Sukhavati.” She said this with an air of absolute certainty to all her children and relatives.

Tsultrim Lacha recounted to us (the editors), “I visited her about three or four days before her passing and recited The Aspiration Prayer for Rebirth in Sukhavati by Chakmé Rinpoche beside her. Although she could not recite along with me and could only join her palms, she seemed to show an expression of reciting along. Phumo told me, “Amitabha and his retinue have come to receive me. I am incredibly happy and blessed!”

"She even told me, 'Look! They are there!' But I didn’t understand what was happening and wondered if it was real at all. After observing her expressions and behavior, I was convinced that Phumo really was experiencing all that she had described in her inner perception. This affected me deeply.”

Yonten Sangpo said, “The day before she passed away, she told me, 'I saw Amitabha and his two attendant deities. I saw Avalokiteshvara.’ She also said, 'May all the sufferings of all beings, in particular those who live in this valley, be taken away by me through the pain of my illness today.' She was filled with great joy. I saw this myself.”

Her son Budra said, “On the Lunar 14th, after Dzogchen Rinpoche came out of retreat, we invited him to visit Phumo. She said, 'I am now going to Sukhavati. If I happen to hesitate on the verge of entering the pureland, please give me a push from behind. I have been waiting for you, please perform the phowa (transference of consciousness) practice for me.' After making this request, the master performed the phowa ritual."

Phumo then told her children and relatives, “Now it is settled. There is no need to invite other masters to perform phowa.” Even so, her son later invited another teacher to give guidance for the intermediate state (bardo). Phumo said, “There is no need to explain the bardo to me. I will go to Sukhavati. Please instead ask the master to perform the burnt smoke offering (Sur) ritual.” The master did as Phumo requested.

When Phumo’s elder brother came to visit, she spoke to him at length about her impending death and how she would go to Sukhavati where HH Jigme Phuntsok resides. Her brother became very sorrowful and cried. She said to him, “Why are you crying? There is nothing to cry about. You will also die next year.” Just as she predicted, her brother passed away the following year.

(2) Manifestations of Amitabha and Deities

Her daughter Tsoji said, “On the morning of the Lunar 15th, when the sky was just beginning to lighten at dawn, mother suddenly sat up on the bed without putting on her clothes. She placed her legs in the full lotus posture and formed a mudra. I thought to myself, ‘Will she fall off the bed?’ So I went forward and asked, ‘Do you need anything?’

"Mother replied, ‘Oh! What would I need? I have seen Protector Amitabha, Guru Rinpoche and HH Jigme Phuntsok. I am so happy! So happy! I see them just before my death, do both of you see them too?’ She also described five-colored canopies of rainbows filling the sky and listed the many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Gurus that have arrived such as the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche. She talked excitedly to herself.

“She also said, ‘Before this, I have endured the greatest sufferings. I have wandered in samsara for such a long time until today, but never have I been more joyful than I am today. Now I am really going to Sukhavati.’ Then, on the evening of Lunar 15th, mother said again, ‘Daughters, come here. Help me wash my body with saffron water and dress me in yellow clothing.’ We followed everything exactly as she instructed.”

Phumo also told Yonten Sangpo, “When I am about to die, if I can arrange myself into the lion-lying posture, I will do so. If not, please help move me into that position.”

That evening, Phumo said, “I will lie on my right side.” Without asking for help, she adjusted her body herself into the lion-lying posture. Then she said, “From now on, no one should enter my room. It is not good to hear noises.” After that, she did not speak again. By the next morning, she had passed away in the lion-lying posture.

Investigation and Verification

Those who personally witnessed these events include her daughters Tsoji, Rinchen Lhamo, and Pema Tsedan; her son Budra, her nephew Tashi Paljor and the teachers Tsultrim Lacha and Yonten Sangpo. On January 20, 2021, we, the editors, personally traveled to Zaduo County in Yushu Prefecture to conduct detailed interviews with them. Their accounts were all consistent. We also carried out careful verification from multiple sources. After confirming the reliability of the story, we finally included this account of Phumo’s passing here.

Record 25
Tsering Wangmo of Garze County
(Took ordination in later part of her life, 1951-2021)

Summary

Tsering Wangmo was very diligent in practicing virtue. Before her death, she said with immense joy: "The entrance to Sukhavati is open. I am going to Sukhavati. I am so happy! The pugs (dogs) are running over here to welcome me." Saying this, she faced the west and passed away.

Life Experience

Tsering was born in the Iron Rabbit Year of the 16th Tibetan Rabjung cycle (1951) in the 3rd collective of Shari Village, Garze County, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.

She was a kind-hearted person who would become very sorrowful and cry for a long time every winter when the livestock were slaughtered. After she received the novice nun vows around 2006, she completed the five hundred thousand ngondro and performed prostrations regularly even after she completed the ngondro.

Throughout her life, she made one hundred thousand tsa-tsas of Akshobhya Buddha, circumambulated the "Liberation Upon Seeing" Illusory Net (Mayajala) Mandala twenty thousand times, and observed the Mahayana Nyungney fasting precepts 1,100 times. She also turned the prayer wheel one million times, recited the holy name of Amitabha Buddha four million times, the Mani mantra one million times, the root mantra of Vajrasattva one million times, and so forth. She also recited many other mantras.

Signs at the Time of Death

(1) Dream Omens of Death

Tsering passed away on the auspicious day of Lhabab Duchen (Buddha's Descent from Heaven) on the 22nd day of the 9th month (according to the Tibetan calendar) in 2021.

In the summer of that year, when she had minor ailments, she remarked, "I will die this year. I had a dream. In the dream, a fine drizzle was falling and a five-colored rainbow appeared nearby. The blue light within the rainbow seemed to turn into a large yak-hair blanket which wrapped me inside and lifted me into the air. Then I thought: when I was very young, my mother said, ‘Rainbows cannot be caught.’ But today's rainbow is not like that, it can actually be touched and held on to. There were also little pugs, like the little Chinese dogs, all lining up to welcome me. Therefore, I will die this year and I will go to Sukhavati."

(2) An Incomparably Joyful Day

On the 20th day of the 9th Tibetan month, she said: "I need to take a bath. The two Jomos (nuns) have already repaid my kindness, so they do not need to help me bathe. Let my two daughters bathe me." In this way, she cleaned her body.

On the 21st, an empowerment of the Trikaya sadhana was performed. From that moment on, she was in a mood of irrepressible joy, often laughing to herself.

At about eleven o'clock in the morning on the 22nd, she said: "The entrance to Sukhavati is open. I am going to Sukhavati. I do not need any more food and drink. I am simply overjoyed; the pugs have also come to welcome me."

She told her daughter Dega and others clearly, "I will die tonight." She kept smiling happily. She did not seem to experience any pain, illness or fear of death.

The daughters asked, "Mother, how is your illness?" Tsering gestured with the tip of her little finger and said, "I do not even have a fingertip bit of illness. I am just incredibly happy." She laughed as she spoke. Before long, she turned toward the west, her eyes gazing upwards, and slowly stopped breathing.

Investigation and Verification

On December 18 and 22, 2022, we, the editors, went to the county town of Sertar in Garze Prefecture and Larung Gar where we interviewed in detail Jomo Kunsang Wangmo, Jomo Dolma Yintso, Jomo Odtso, Chinese Jomo Yonmen, the deceased's daughter Dega, son-in-law Tsenor and others. We wrote a draft based on what they said and let them review it. After making slight adjustments to the vocabulary and the phrasing for readability, we asked them to carefully check if there were any fabrications or omissions. They confirmed that the report was accurate.

We did not simply rely on what the deceased said before her death or what some interviewees familiar with the matter said, we also verified from various angles to determine if the witnesses were trustworthy. After these checks, we finally included this account here.