THREE ESSENTIALS FOR THOSE CLOSE TO DEATH

by Dharma Master Yin Guang (1930)

Translated by the Buddhist Text Translation Society

(Originally published in Pureland Karma Society Members' Handbook, 1995)

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Death is the greatest tragedy in the world and yet no one on earth can avoid it. Thus if you wish to help both yourself and others, you need to plan and prepare for it in advance. "Death" is nothing more than a fake name. At death, as the retribution from past lives which brings about this one life-term ends, one's consciousness leaves this body and takes on another body. Those who do not know Buddha-dharma have no way to deal with this problem, and must simply endure the process and be reborn according to their karma.

Since we heard about the Thus Come One's (tathagata) Pure Land practice that can save all living beings, we should recite Amitabha Buddha's name with faith and determination, so as to make appropriate provisions for our rebirth in the Pure Land. Then, when the time comes, we will be able to avoid the illusory suffering of the revolving cycle of birth and death and can realize the true bliss of eternal Nirvana.

其有父母兄弟及諸眷屬，Y得垢f，勢難痊癒者。宜發孝順慈悲之心，勸彼念

佛求生西方，並為助念。痧f者由此死已，即生淨土。其為利益，何能名焉。

今列三n，以為成就臨終人往生之據。語雖鄙俚，意本佛經。遇此因緣，悉舉

行焉。

言三n者：

第一，善巧開導安慰，令生正信。

第二，大家換班念佛，以助淨念。

第三，切戒搬動_，以防誤事。

When your father, mother, brothers, sisters, or other family members contract a serious illness and cannot be cured, you should be filial and compassionate and exhort them to recite Amitabha Buddha's name to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Moreover, you may help them recite with a Recitation Assistance Group. When the sick person dies in this situation, he or she can be reborn in the Pure Land. How can we ever give a name to this kind of benefit!

Now I will state three essentials as guidelines for a person near death to gain rebirth in the Pure Land. Although my writing lacks literally elegance, the principles are originated from the Buddha's sutras. Having met these causes and conditions, let's all put them into practice!

The Three Essentials are:

First: Tactfully comfort the critically-ill person and lead him/her to right belief.

Second: Recite the Buddha's name in shifts to help the dying one keep pure mindfulness.

Third: Refrain from crying and from moving the body of the dying one, so as not to ruin any chance for rebirth in the Pure Land.

果能依此三法以行，決定可以消除宿業，增長淨因。蒙佛接引，往生西方。一

得往生，則超凡入聖，了生脫死。漸漸進蛂A必至圓成佛果而後已。如此利

益，全仗眷屬助念之力。能如是行，於父母，則為真孝；於兄弟姊妹，則為真

�；於兒女，則為真慈；於朋友，於�人，則為真義真惠。以此培自己之淨

因，啟同人之信嚮。久而久之，何難相習成極G哉。今為一一條陳，庶不至臨

時無所適從耳。

If you can follow these three points, then you can definitely get rid of past karma, increase pure causes, be welcomed by Amitabha Buddha, and be reborn in the West . Once you have attained rebirth there, you will transcend the ordinary and enter the state of sage and end the cycle of birth and death with gradual progress in cultivation. Eventually you will accomplish the fruition of Buddhahood. All these benefits come from the effort of your family who assists you in reciting the Buddha's name. If you can practice, then you are being truly filial to your parents; you are being truly friendly to your brothers and sisters; you are truly kind to your sons and daughters; and you are truly loyal and helpful to your friends or other people. By doing that, you are nurturing your own causes towards purity, and aiding other people to develop faith. Gradually, with everybody practicing in this way, it will soon become the accepted custom. Now I will discuss each essential in detail, so that you don't have to worry about what to do at that moment.

第一，善巧開導安慰，令生正信。

切勸病人，放下一切，一心念佛。如有應交代事，速令交代。交代後，便置之

度外。即作我今將隨佛往生佛國，世間所有富樂，眷屬種種塵境，皆為障礙，

P受禍害，以故不應生一念繫戀之心。

須知自己一念真性，本無有死。所言死者，乃捨此�而又受別種之�耳。Y不

念佛，則隨善惡業力，復受生於善惡道中（善道即人、天。惡道即畜生、餓

�、地獄。袓鼠h亦名善道，亦名惡道。以彼蛈]感果，均皆善惡夾雜故

也）。

The First Essential:

Tactfully comfort the critically-ill person and lead him/her to right belief. You should exhort the dying person to renounce everything and recite the Buddha's name. If the dying person has something to say, tell him to do it quickly. Once everything is assigned, he/she must not think about those things any more. He/she should simply contemplate: I am now following the Buddha and am going to be reborn in the Buddha's Land. All the states in this mundane world, such as worldly riches, pleasure and one's family are obstacles and bring calamity and harm. For that reason, we should not entertain even one thought that clings to these attachments. One should understand that the mind of one's true nature does not die. What we call death is the renouncing of this body and taking on a different kind of body. If you do not recite the Buddha's name, then you will be reborn in a good or an evil destiny according to the strength of your good or evil karma.(Good destinies are the realms of humans and heavens. Evil destinies are realms of animals, hungry ghosts, and hells. Asuras are found in all destinies, both good and evil, because they mix up in the practice of good and evil deeds, so it reflects on the effects of their causes.)

Y當臨命終時，一心念南無阿彌陀佛。以此志誠念佛之心，必定感佛大發慈

悲，親垂接引，令得往生。且莫疑我係業力凡夫，何能以少時念佛，便可出離

生死，往生西方？當知佛大慈悲，即十惡�逆之極姜o人，臨終地獄之相已

現，Y有善知識教以念佛，或念十聲，或止一聲，亦得蒙佛接引，往生西方。

此種人念此幾句，尚得往生。 又何得以業力哄A念佛數少，而生疑乎？

If at the time of death you single-mindedly recite Namo A Mi Tuo Fo (Namo Amitabha Buddha), then that recitation of the Buddha's name done with deepest sincerity will certainly move Amitabha Buddha, to show his great kindness and compassion. He will personally come and take you to rebirth (in his land). Do not have doubts like this, "I'm an ordinary person who must bear the consequences of the power of karma. How can my brief recitation of the Buddha's name transcend birth and death and help me gain rebirth in the West?" You should know that the Buddha has great kindness and compassion. Suppose a serious offender committed the Ten Evils Deeds and Five Rebellious Acts, but when he is close to death and the hells have already appeared before him, a Good and Wise Advisor teaches him to recite the Buddha's name. He may recite 'ten times' , or even only once, he will be welcomed by the Buddha and gain rebirth in the West. If such a person can gain rebirth by reciting even a few phrases, then why should you have doubts about rebirth because of your own karma being heavy, or the fact that you have recited the Buddha's name only a few times.

須知吾人本具真性，與佛無二，但以惑業深哄A不得受用。今既歸命於佛，如

子就父。乃是還我本有家鄉，豈是分外之事？

又佛昔發願：「Y有眾生，聞我名號，志心信樂，乃至十念，Y不生者，不取

正覺」。

以故一切眾生，臨終發志誠心，念佛求生西方者，無一不垂慈接引也。千萬不

可懷疑，懷疑即是自誤，其禍非小。況離此W世界，生彼樂世界，是至極快意

之事，當生歡喜心。千萬不可怕死，怕死則仍不能不死，反P了無生西之分

矣。以自心與佛相違反故，佛雖具大慈悲，亦無奈不依佛教之眾生何。

You should know that we are all endowed with the true nature which is no different from the Buddhas. It is only because of heavy delusion and karma that we are unable to make use of it. Now that we have taken refuge with the Buddha, we are like sons going to our father and returning to our native village. How could we not have a share in this matter? Moreover, in the past, Amitabha Buddha made this vow, "There may be living beings who hear my name, devotedly believe and rejoice in it. If they were to recite it even ten times and yet were not to gain rebirth, then I will not attain Proper Enlightenment."

Thus the Buddha will not fail to compassionately welcome any living being who, at the time of death, sincerely recites the Buddha's name and seeks to be reborn in the Western Land. Do not doubt it at all. Doubts will hinder you and the harm will not be slight. Moreover, the happiest thing that can happen is to leave this world of suffering and to be born in that World of Bliss. You should be happy. You really should not fear death. Fear of death does not help you escape it. It just ruins your chances of being reborn in the West. If your mind denies the Buddha, then even though he is compassionate, he will have no way to help those who do not follow the Buddhist teachings.

阿彌陀佛萬德洪名，如大冶洪鑪；吾人多生罪業，如空中片雪。業力凡夫，由

念佛故，業便消滅；如片雪近於洪鑪，即便了不可得。又況業力既消，所有善

根，自然增長殊勝。又何可疑其不得生，與佛不來接引乎？

如此委曲宛轉開導安慰，病人自可生正信心，此係為病人開導者。至自己所應

盡孝P誠者，亦唯在此。切不可隨順俗情，求神問卜。大命將盡，�神醫藥，

豈能令其不死乎？既役情於此種無益之事，於念佛一事，便紛其誠懇，而無由

感通矣。

Amitabha Buddha's great name, endowed with myriad virtues, is like a huge smelting furnace. The many karmic offenses that we, living beings, commit are like snow flakes falling through the air. When ordinary beings laden with karma recite the Buddha's name, their karma melts away without a trace, just like snow flakes near a furnace disappear. Moreover, since the power of karma is melted away, all the good roots naturally flourish. Why doubt that you cannot be reborn there or that the Buddha will not come to welcome you?

Instruct dying ones, teach and comfort them with skillful, tactful exhortations such as these, so that they will bring forth their proper belief. These are instructions for the sick person. Your duty of filial piety and sincerity will also be fulfilled in this way.

Don't follow customary practices and seek medicine from the spirits. When a person's life is about to end, how can the medicines of ghosts and spirits help keep him from dying? If you put your hopes in such fruitless things, then the sincerity of your recitation of the Buddha's name will lose its focus, and you will get no response from your efforts.

許多人於父母臨終，不惜資財，請許多醫生來看，此名賣孝。欲世人稱我於父

母為能盡孝。不知天地�神，實鑑其心。故凡於父母喪葬等事，過於張羅者，

不有天災，必有人禍。為人子者，宜注咿騜豸妖姻拲o所。彼世俗稱頌，固不

握H一哂。況極意邀求，以實罹不孝之大咎乎？

第二，大家換班念佛，以助淨念者。

前已開導病人，令生正信。然彼病人心力孱弱，勿道�素絕不念佛之人，不易

相繼長念。即向來以念佛為事者，至此亦全仗他人相助，方能得力。以故家中

眷屬，同應發孝順慈悲之心，為其助念佛號。

When the time of death of parents approaches, many people often will pay any amount in exorbitant fees for medical specialists. This is called buying filial piety. They seek the reputation of being filial to parents. They are unaware that the ghosts and spirits on earth and in heaven can detect their actual intentions. Thus people who make ostentatious funeral arrangements for their deceased parents may in fact bring on either natural disasters or personal misfortunes. Sons and daughters should be concerned about the destiny of their parents' souls. Those who seek praise from the world will not draw as much as a smile from the wise. Seeking desperately to be known as a devoted child is actually making the grave mistake of being unfilial.

The Second Essential:

Recite the Buddha's name in shifts to help the dying one sustain pure mindfulness. We have already exhorted the patient to bring forth the proper belief, but the dying person's mind may be too weak to maintain concentration. Not to mention someone who ordinarily does not recite the Buddha's name having trouble reciting continuously, even those who constantly take recitation of the Buddha's name as their daily business will need the strength of others' assistance to make things successful. Therefore, family members should exercise filiality and compassion by reciting the Buddha's name at the side of the dying one.

Y病尚未至將終，當分班念，應分三班。每班定幾人。頭班出聲念，二三班

默持。念一點鐘，二班接念。頭班、三班默持。Y有小事，當於默持時辦，�

班時斷斷不可走去。二班念畢，三班接念，終而復始。念一點鐘，歇兩點鐘，

縱經晝夜，亦不甚辛W。

須知肯助人淨念往生，亦得人助念之報。且莫說是為父母盡孝應如是，即為�

人，亦培自己福田，長自己善根。實為自利之道，不徒為人而已。成就一人往

生淨土，即是成就一眾生作佛。此等功德，何可思議。

Prior to the event of death, divide the recitation groups into shifts. Make three shifts, and assign certain people to each shift. The first shift recite aloud while the second and the third shifts recite silently. After one hour, the second shift takes over, then the first and the third shifts recite silently. If someone has things to take care, he can go during the periods of silent recitation. When your shift is on duty, you must not leave. When the second shift is over, the third shift picks up the recitation. Thus alternating, from the first shift to the last, everyone recites aloud for one hour, and then silently for two hours. So everyone can continue day and night and still not feel tired.

You know that if you can aid a person to obtain rebirth in the West with pure mindfulness, you yourself will also receive the reward of being aided in the future. Do not say that this is done only when fulfilling one's filial duty to one's parents, for if you help others in this way, you are nurturing your own field of blessings. You are increasing your own good roots as well. This not only benefits others, in fact, it also helps you along. Helping someone to be reborn in the Pure Land ultimately helps one living being to accomplish Buddhahood. Imagine how inexpressibly great this merit and virtue is!

三班相續，佛聲不斷。病人力能念，則隨之小聲念；不能念，則攝耳諦聽，心

無二念，自可與佛相應矣。念佛聲不可太高，高則傷氣，難以持久；亦不可太

低，以P病人聽不明白。不可太快，亦不可太緩。太快則病人不能隨，即聽亦

難明了；太緩則氣接不上，亦難得益。須不高不低，不緩不急，字字分明，句

句清楚。令病者字字句句，入耳經心，斯易得力。

念佛法器，唯用引磬，其他一切，概不宜用。引磬聲清，聽之令人心地清淨；

木魚聲濁，故不宜用於臨終助念。

As the three shifts alternate, the Buddha's name is being recited without stopping. If the dying person has enough strength, he can join in the recitation with a soft voice. If he cannot recite, then he should listen attentively and single-mindedly. In that way, he will gain a response from the Buddha. Do not make the pitch too high when reciting the Buddha's name. If it is too high, it will hurt people's breathing, and make it difficult to recite for long. On the other hand, if the pitch is too low, then the dying person will not hear it clearly. Make it neither too fast nor too slow. If it is too fast, the dying person will be unable to follow along, and it will be hard for him to hear it clearly. If it is too slow, the sound will be broken and it will be hard for the recitation to work. It must be neither too high nor too low, neither too fast, nor too slow. Recite every word distinctly and every phrase clearly, so that the dying person can hear every word and every sentence and take it through the ears into his consciousness. Then it is easy to be ctive.

The hand-bell is the only Dharma-instrument to use when reciting the Buddha's name. Do not play other instruments. The sound of the hand bell is sharp, and when people hear it, their mind-ground becomes pure. The sound of the wooden fish is heavy, and unsuitable to accompany the recitation at the time of death.

又宜念四字佛號。初起時，念幾句六字，以後專念﹝阿彌陀佛﹞四字，不念[南

無]，以字少易念。病人或隨之念，或攝心聽，皆省心力。家中眷屬如此念，外

請善友亦如此念，人多人少均如此念。不可一起念，歇歇又念，P令病人，佛

念間斷。

Y漁氶A當換班喫，勿斷佛聲。　Y病人將欲斷氣，宜三班同念。直至氣斷

以後，又復分班念三點鐘，然後歇氣。以便料理安置等事。

It is more appropriate to recite the four syllables of the Buddha's name. First, start by reciting the six syllables, Namo A Mi Tuo Fo several times, and then switch to reciting the four syllables, A Mi Two Fo (Amitabha Buddha), omitting "Namo". The fewer the words, the easier the recitation will be. The dying person can either join in the recitation or listen while gathering it into his or her mind. In either case, everybody saves energy. Family members should recite like this, and if other good friends are invited, they should also recite in this way. No matter how many or how few people there are, everybody should recite in this way. They must not all recite for a while, and then slack off and then recite again. That will interrupt the dying person's mindfulness of the Buddha.

People should eat in shifts, so that the recitation of the Buddha's name is continuous. When the dying person is just about to take his last breath, it is appropriate for everyone in the three shifts to join together and recite aloud. After the breathing stops, everyone can again divide into shifts, recite for three more hours and then stop, so as to make funeral arrangements.

當念佛時，不得令親友來病人前，問訊諭慰。既感情來看，當隨念佛Y干時，

是為真實情愛，有益於病人。Y用世間俗情，直是推人下海。其情雖可感，其

事甚可痛。全在主事者明道理，預令人說之。免P有礙情情A及貽害病人，由

分心而不得往生耳。

第三，切戒搬動_，以防誤事。

While the Buddha name is being recited, tell the relatives and friends not to approach the dying person to offer their regards, or to chat with him, or to speak words to comfort him. If they really want to express their feelings of fondness for the dying one, they should follow along and recite the Buddha's name for a certain time. That is genuinely offering true affections to the dying person, and it will truly help him/her. If they use the layman's customary sentiments, they are like pushing a person into the deep waters. Their emotions may be touching, but such actions cause irrevocable harm. The person in charge of the household should understand this principle and make it clear to everyone beforehand, so that they will not be embarrassed. Thus they will not cause harm to the dying person by distracting him, making him unable to gain rebirth in the West.

The Third Essential:

Refrain from crying and from disturbing the body of the dying one so as not to ruin any chances of rebirth in the Pure Land. .

病人將終之時，正是凡聖人�分判之際，一髮千鈞，n緊之極。只可以佛號，

開導彼之神識，斷斷不可洗澡，換衣，或移寢處。任彼如何坐臥，只可順彼之

勢，不可稍有移動。亦不可對之生悲感相，或至_。以此時�不自主，一動

則手足�體，均受拗折扭裂之痛。痛則瞋心生，而佛念息。隨瞋心去，多墮毒

類，可怖之至。Y見悲痛_，則情愛心生，佛念便息矣。隨情愛心去，以P

生生世世，不得解脫。

此時所最得益者，莫過於一心念佛；所最貽害者，莫過於妄動_。Y或妄動

_，P生瞋恨及情愛心，則欲生西方，萬無有一矣。

It is decided at the time near death whether a dying person will become a common person or a sage, a human or a ghost. It is the most critical time: the moment when his destiny hangs by a thread. The only thing you should do is to recite the Buddha's name in order to guide that person's consciousness. Do not bathe the person, change his clothes, or move the bed where he is lying. Leave him in whatever position he is in, sitting or lying down. Do not move him, or display grief or weep in his presence. At that time, he is not in control of his body. If you move him, his hands andhis feet or his body would experience excruciating pain. The pain will vex his mind, and mindfulness of the Buddha will cease. If the dying person dies with hatred in heart, he may fall into the realm of poisonous creatures upon rebirth. How frightening! If the dying person sees others grieving and weeping over him, he could become emotional, and his mindfulness of the Buddha would cease. With emotion and feelings of love on his mind, the dying person might not be able to get liberated life after life. The most beneficial thing to do at this moment is to recite Buddha's name single-mindedly. The most harmful thing to do is to move his body without reason or to weep. Then the person would not have one chance in a million of gaining rebirth in the West because of the hatred or passion that arose in his/her mind due to your moving him/her or crying over him/her.

又人之將死，熱氣自下至上者，為超升相；自上至下者，為墮落相。故有〔頂

聖眼天生，人心餓�腹；畜生膝蓋離，地獄腳板出〕之說。然果大家至誠助

念，自可直下往生西方。切不可屢屢探之，以P神識未離，因此或有刺激，心

生煩痛，P不得往生。此之罪過，實為無量無邊。

Furthermore, when a person dies, if the warmth leaves the lower part of his body first and the upper part of his body last, then that is a sign of higher rebirth. If the warmth leaves the head first and the toe last, then that is a sign of rebirth in the lower regions. (It is said that if the final warm spot is on the top of the head, the dead person will be reborn as a Sage; on the eyes indicates rebirth in the heavens; on the heart, indicates rebirth as a human; on the belly, indicates rebirth as a hungry ghost; on the knees indicates falling into the path of animals; on the feet indicates falling into the hells). But if everyone sincerely recites to aid the dying person, he can straight away be reborn in the West. Therefore, do not keep trying to find the warm spot before the dying person's consciousness has left, for that will only cause him/her to become angry, vexed or hurt and thus prevent him/her from gaining rebirth in the West. The offenses incurred by doing such a thing would be infinite.

願諸親友，各各懇切念佛，不須探彼熱氣，後冷於何處也。為人子者，於此留

心，乃為真孝。Y依世間種種俗情，即是不惜推親以下W海，為邀一般無知無

識者，群相稱讚其能盡孝也。此孝與羅剎女之愛正同。經云，羅剎女馱H，

曰：「我愛汝，故髡慼v。彼無知之人之行孝也，令親失樂而得W，豈不與羅

剎女之愛人相同乎？

吾作此語，非不近人情。欲令人各於實際上講求，必期亡者往生，存者得福，

以遂孝子賢孫親愛之一片血誠，不覺其言之激烈也。真愛親者必能諒之。

So I hope all relatives and friends will sincerely recite the Buddha's name and not search for the warm spot or the place on the body ends up cold last. To pay close attention to this point with regard to one's own parents is to be truly filial. If you follow worldly sentiments, then you are deliberately pushing your parent into the sea of suffering. Such behavior earns you praise for being filial only from people lacking in knowledge and understanding. Such filial piety is not at all different from the love displayed by rakshasa women. The Sutras tell us that while a rakshasa woman devouring a person, she will say, "I love you, that's why I have to eat you." Ignorant people who practice filial piety in the above way destroy their parent's chances of attaining bliss and destine them to suffering instead. Isn't that the same as the rakshasa woman's love towards a human being? I don't want to sound inhumane by saying these things. I only want people to do what is practical, so that the deceased will be reborn in the West and the living will receive blessings. Hoping that the utmost sincerity of the filial children and worthy grandchildren will not be in vain, I may be too unintentionally over exuberant in my speech. People who truly love their parents will surely understand my intent.

頂聖眼天生等者，謂人氣已斷，通�冷透，唯頭頂獨熱者，則必超凡入聖，了

生脫死也。眼天生者，Y眼及額顱處獨熱，則生天道。心處獨熱，則生人道。

肚腹獨熱，則生餓�道。膝蓋獨熱，則生畜生道。腳板獨熱，則生地獄道。此

由人在生時，所造善惡二業，至此感現如是，非可以勢力假為也。

是時Y病人能志誠念佛，再加眷屬善友助念之力，決定可以帶業往生，超凡入

聖耳。不須專事探試徵驗，以P誤事也。 至囑至禱。

The matter about the warm spot on the top of the head or on the eyes or other places to verify rebirth for sages and heavenly beings, etc. is to ascertain that once the breathing has stopped, if the whole body is cold but the top of the head is warm, then the dead has certainly transcended the ordinary and become a Sage, ending birth and death. As for birth in the Heavens based on the eyes, this means that if his eyes and forehead are still warm, then he will be reborn in the heavens. If the warm spot is on the heart, then he will be in the human destiny. If only the belly is warm, then he will be born as a hungry ghost. If only his knees are warm, then he will be reborn as an animal. If only the bottom of his feet are warm, then he is in the hells. This is a manifestation of good and evil karma that people create during their lives. It is not something that one can fabricate or force. However, sincere mindfulness of the Buddha at the time of death, aided by the recitation of his relatives and friends, will certainly deliver the dying person to the West, carrying his karma along with him. He can transcend the mundane world and enter the realm of Sages. Do not experiment to prove this or you will make mistakes. This is my advice and my wish.

＊END＊

人 生 之 最 後

晉水大開元寺尊勝院

沙門弘一演聒�z

歲次壬申十二月，廈門妙釋寺念佛會請余講演，錄寫此稿。於時了識律師臥病

不起，日夜愁W。見此講稿，悲欣交集，遂放下�心，屏棄醫藥，努力念佛。

併扶病起，禮大悲懺。吭聲唱誦，長跽經時。勇猛精進，超勝常人。見者聞

者，靡不為之驚喜讚歎，謂感動之力有如是劇且大C。余因念此稿雖僅數紙，

而皆撮錄古今嘉言及自所經驗，樂簡略者或有所取。乃為治定，付刊流布焉。