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Crossing the Ocean of Life and Death
- Book 163: Crossing the Ocean of Life and Death
- Chapter 15:
The Tantric Teachings on Clear Light
- Written by Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated and edited by True Buddha Foundation
- Translation Team (Cheng Yew Chung, Satch)
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Observing through my spiritual eye, I find that many of the deceased are reborn in Rupadhatu, the heavenly realm of form. What they see is very different from Kamadhatu, the heavenly realm of desire, for the realm of form is a much finer world.
I found the near-death experiences, as recorded by Westerners, often describe a world of light upon which the deceased would reside, or that the deceased would observe the presence of a light in the heavens. The people who have near-death experiences observe many lights, and note the presence of an angel immersed in the light. The angel would inform the deceased that his time is not up, and he should go back and await his time. Then, the deceased would come back to life, and write down his near-death experience.
The doctrine of Tantric Buddhism views the Clear Light as an important revelation, for it leads to enlightenment and liberation, which are attained through the matrix of form. When light is observed, it means one of two things: one being the liberation of the path of nirvana, and the other points to the non-liberating path of the six realms of reincarnation.
The Path of Liberation will definitely reveal a display of dazzling luminous lights. The path of the six realms of reincarnation will certainly reveal a dull hue. According to the view of Tantrayana, the lights displayed in the six realms of Samsara and the lights of the realms of liberation both share the six spectrum of lights in terms of colors. The only difference is that the colors of light in the realms of liberation are luminous and dazzling, while those in the realms of Samsara are dull and dim.
Therefore, the two paths are distinguished through the hues of the light, for the Clear Light displayed by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are brilliant, luminous, and spiritually liberating. On the other hand, the Tantric doctrines consider the dull lights of the six realms of reincarnation to be poisonous and evil.
When the deceased sees the Clear Light, he is in fact looking at his own nature (the light of his state of mind), as the light of his state of mind (the appearance of his mind) either reveals and mirrors the light of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, or any of the lights from the six realms.
What can be done at this point in time? At this juncture, the guidance from a benevolent friend would be crucial, as the benevolent friend would guide the deceased to differentiate between the lights.
* The light of the Buddhas
* The light of the Bodhisattvas
* The light of all the deities
* The light of the asuras
* The light of the human realm
* The light of the hungry ghost realm
* The light of the animal realm
* The light of the hell realm
The lights of the three evil paths are quite poisonous, producing the very characteristics of greed, anger and ignorance which are linked to our misdeeds. Of the six realms of reincarnation, I have only included five, for the light of the heavenly realm belongs to the light of love and compassion that emits from within the heart of the deceased, displaying a shining luminosity. Thus, it is not included in the other five realms of dark and dim lights.
I once wrote about the six ways of authenticating the signs of death as established in the writings of Yogacarabhumi-sastra. This means when a person dies, based on the features and signs of his death, we may know the next incarnation of the individual:
1. When an Arhat and all holy sages enter into Nirvana, the areas of their heart and crown will remain warm for a few days.
2. If it is a person who practices the Ten Virtuous Deeds, his crown will remain warm, and after his passing, he will ascend to the various heavens, such as the realm of desire, realm of form, and realm of the formless.
3. If it is someone who adheres to the Five Precepts, and is about to pass away, his feet would first turn cold, followed by the navel area, while the area above the navel will remain warm. When he finally breathes his last, he will incarnate into the human realm.
4. If the individual`s head starts to feel cold, followed by the navel, while the area below the waist is warm, the individual will incarnate into the hungry ghost realm after his death.
5. If the individual`s head starts to turn cold, and this cold moves down the body towards the knee and stops, while the area beneath the knee remains warm, then the individual will incarnate into the animal realm after his death.
6. If the individual`s head starts to turn cold, followed by the navel, down the waist, then the knee, and only his feet remains warm, then the individual is certain to incarnate into the hell realm.
I feel very strongly that it is very important for a person who studies Tantric Buddhism to constantly think of the three roots (root guru, root deity, and root dharma protector), for at the time of death, we rely solely on them.
If you believe in nothing except money, can money save you in the end? When you have a religious belief and constantly think of the three roots, your guru, principal deity and dharma protector will then show their presence, for their lights are lights that lead to rebirth into the Pure Land.
Therefore:
Namo Gurubhyah. (I take refuge in the Root Guru)
Namo Buddhaya. (I take refuge in the Buddha)
Namo Dharmaya. (I take refuge in the buddhadharma)
Namo Sanghaya. (I take refuge in all holy sages)
Namo Yidams. (I take refuge in all the Yidams and deities of affinity)
Namo Dharmapalas. (I take refuge in the protectors of all sentient beings)
(This is the sixfold refuge as practiced in Tantric Buddhism)
The refuge field of Tantric Buddhism includes the Guru, Deities, and Dharma Protectors in addition to the Triple Jewels of Exoteric Buddhism. Padmakumara, the Root Guru of the True Buddha School, is also one of the principal deities (yidams). Eight principal deities are established in the True Buddha School.
I would like to place special emphasis on the vital importance of staying with one guru and one dharma. This is in line with the principle of one guru, one dharma, one principal deity, as included within the dharma is the presence of guru, principal deity and dharma protector.
The future incarnation of someone who truly believes and cultivates will be determined by the strength of his cultivation within the realms of consciousness. In reality, the deceased person, despite being partially entangled by his karma, is really free in many ways. While his rebirth is largely determined by karma, his own cultivation power and the instructions given by the benevolent friend is crucial to his spiritual development.
In the Sutra of the Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is the great benevolent friend. At the time of passing, if the deceased exercises his power of cultivation, and takes advantage of the guidance of the benevolent friend, then the deceased will unquestionably be inclined to follow his guru, principal deity and dharma protector.
Taking the sixfold refuge thus facilitates the smooth awakening of the deceased`s own spiritual inclination. It is best to develop one`s strength and power of cultivation, while the guidance of the great benevolent friend is seen as:
* The Requiem Mass seen in Catholicism.
* The Fatiha performed in Islam and prayers in Christianity.
* The Preta Shraddha rite in Hinduism.
* The deliverance ritual and chanting seen in Sutric Buddhism.
* The Bardo Thodol (The Great Liberation upon Hearing in the Intermediate State) of Tantric Buddhism.
I feel that individuals that have absolutely no religious belief are the worst of the lot, for they have no one to turn to upon death. They have completely disregarded the power of spiritual response. When someone like this dies, he is affected by both his own karma and the karmic influences of his departed relatives and loved ones. It would be difficult for this category of departed spirits to gain rebirth in the Buddha`s Pure Land.
Even if a great teacher were there to guide him, he remains fixed in his opinions, refuses to believe in anything, and is completely under the influence of his own karma. He even feels that the great teacher is being an irritating nag, and therefore continues his journey towards the dangerous path. A person without any religious beliefs tends to behave this way.
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