By Ashin Janakabhivamsa
When a person is nearing death, he needs good javana cittas
(wholesome impulses) about half an hour in advance. If these kusala
though processes prevail till the last breath, the being will be reborn
in happy abodes. If he has akusala javana cittas (unwholesome impulses)
before death, he will be reborn in woeful abodes. Just as the finishing
lap is important for a racing horse, the final consciousness is of great
importance to any living being. Whether a person receives good or bad
thoughts depends on the object of mind called arammana.
The Three Types of Arammana
Just before death, a being will see one of the three objects
of mind, namely - (a) kamma, (b) kamma nimitta and (c) gati nimitta.
Here kamma means reflection on good or bad deeds done by him in the
past. Kamma nimitta indicates the utensils or instruments used in the
doing of the good deed or evil. Gati nimitta is the vision of the abodes
or plane of existence he will be reborn in.
a. How Kamma Arammana Appears
Past deeds and actions which are powerful to determine
the next rebirth of a being may appear in vision just before death.
These past deeds may be from past existences; of those done months,
days or just hours or minutes ago.
If pasts deeds are kusala kamma such as observance of
precepts or performance of dana, one will see them as a reflection in
a dream-like vision, or in an illusionary vision. The same goes for
akusala kamma for instance, having committed killing, one remembers
the deed or sees it in vision as if he is doing the killing just then.
b. How Kamma Nimitta Arammana Appears
Those who had killed others will see the weapons they
had used - swords, daggers, nets, arrows, sticks, etc. as death vision.
A butcher is said to see prophetic images of a great heap of cattle
bones.
Those who had done immoral deeds such as stealing, adultery,
etc., will see prophetic visions that correspond to their evil deeds.
Those who had done meritorious deeds such as building
pagodas and monasteries will see vision of the pagodas and monasteries
just before death or they may see offertories they had donated in association
with their meritorious deeds of construction of pagodas and monasteries,
i.e., robes, alms-bowl, flowers and incenses.
For those who had observed sila or meditated on kammatthana
will see visions of beads, clean clothes, meditation centres, sylvan
resorts, etc. Those who had done other pious services will also see
appropriate visions.
c. How Gati Nimitta Arammana Appears
At the proximate time of death, prophetic signs appear
to indicate one's next life. If you are going to be reborn a Deva, you
will see Devas, celestial mansions, beautiful gardens, etc. if hell
is your destiny, then you see black dogs, hellfire, or hell demons.
Those who will becomes petas (hungry ghosts) will see forests and mountains
and streams where they will dwell.
FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
The facial _expression of a dying person indicates his
next rebirth. If his face is clear, cheerful he is sure to be reborn
in higher abodes. A gloomy, sorrowful or stern face indicates rebirth
in lower realms. [Some will smile in ecstasy of past sensual pleasures.
Such smiles cannot be taken as good signs.]
INDICATION BY MUTTERING
Sometimes a dying person mutters or murmurs indistinct
words unconsciously. Once upon a time an old hunter, the father of the
Arahat Sona, was ordained a monk after thirty years of hunting life.
When he was about to die he saw black dogs charging at him in his death-visions.
He repeatedly cries, "O son! Drive away the dogs."
The Arahat Sona knew his father was seeing bad nimitta
and would be reborn in hell. So he took his dying father to the pagoda
platform and laid him on a bed of flowers. He then said, "On your behalf,
I have offered flowers to the Buddha. Father, pay homage to the Enlightened
One!" So his father clapsed his hands in worship and paid respects.
At that time celestial damsels came into his death-visions and he muttered,
"I see your aunts (step mothers) coming. Please give them seats," before
he died. The Arahat Sona knew his father would be reborn a Deva.
ANOTHER KIND OF GATI NIMITTA
Some person on their deathbeds happens to see the actual
scenes of their next rebirth. In the time of the Gotama Buddha, Yevati,
the wife of the rich man Nandiya, was haughty shrew. She had no faith
in the Buddha and used to abuse bhikkhus; her husband was an ardent
devotee. When he died he became a Deva. When Yevati was about to die,
two demons from hell dragged her up to the celestial abode and showed
the luxury being enjoyed by Nandiya. Then they dragged her down to hell
to punish her for her evil attitude.
During the Buddha's time a pious devotee called Dhammika
took refuge in the Three Jewels. He led a group of devotee and observed
Sila. When his time came near, he listened to the sermons of bhikkhus
on his deathbed and saw six celestial chariots waiting overhead to take
him to Deva loka. He also heard the Devas arguing as to who would take
him on their chariot. He soon died and was conveyed in the Tusita chariot
to the heavenly abode where he became a Deva.
For those who had swallowed by the earth on account of
serious evil deeds, they directly felt the heat of Avici Hell fire here
and now. Thus we see now that gati nimitta arammana appears in various
modes. In our times too dying people hear music and get sweet aroma,
also witnessed by those nearby. These gati nimitta together with kamma
arammana and kamma nimitta appear as visions due to the power of good
deeds done before.
HELPING GOOD ARAMMANA TO APPEAR
When people suffering ill health are slowly dying a natural
death, teachers, friends and relatives can help good arammana to appear
in the vision of the dying person. When they are sure that the dying
person cannot recover, they should maintain maximum cleanliness in the
room and surrounding area and offer scented flowers intending for the
Buddha. At night the whole room should be well illuminated. They should
tell the dying person to visualize the flowers and candles offered on
his behalf and ask him to delight in the good deed. They should also
recite parittas (suttas) at a time when his mind can still dwell on
holy subjects. The patient should not feel disheartened and the people
looking after him should show no grief. Recitations and reverential
offerings should not be done only at the last moment before death, but
should be performed in advance many days ahead. Only then the dying
man will be suffused in thoughts of kusala action dedicated to the Buddha
and Dhamma, smelling the sweet scent of flowers. Hearing the sounds
of Dhamma, words of the Buddha for quite a few days.
Thus as the dying moment draws near while seeing the lights
and flowers, smelling sweet scents, hearing the Dhamma words, the death
consciousness will arise before these arammanas disappears. In consequence
of these last minutes wholesome thoughts of kusala deeds, he is bound
to be reborn in good abodes. Therefore teachers, friends and relatives
have the responsibility to help good arammanas appear to a dying person
while he is still capable of directing his mind on these objects. Keep
in mind how the Venerable Sona helped his father's bad nimittas disappear
and good ones appear.
HOW REBIRTH CONSCIOUSNESS APPEARS
Immediately after death-consciousness of one life, rebirth
consciousness arises in new life. These two have no interval between
them. They are spontaneously connected. A new life, a rebirth occurs
instantaneously. Someone who have just departed the human abode is instantly
reborn in some plane of existence, whether it be hell or celestial.
Right after death, rebirth-consciousness appears and conduces to the
formation of a new being, a new existence.
TWO WRONG VIEWS
We must be very careful lest we should view death and
rebirth in the light of two wrong beliefs - sassata ditthi and uccheda
ditthi. The belief that there is a soul which dwells inside the body,
and that soul moves to a new body to become another being is sassata
ditthi (wrong belief in soul). The belief that both mind and matter
of a living being are annihilated at death, and that a new being, created
by God, has nothing to do with any other being in the past, is uccheda
ditthi (wrong belief in annihilation).
THE RIGHT VIEW
The next or coming existences of living beings are determined
by avijja (ignorance), tanha (attachment) and kamma (deeds). Ajijja
conceals the nature of the mind, matter and khanda (bodily aggregate)
if the next existences. Tanha, lust for life, prompts them to cling
to bhava (existences). This Tanha makes them crave for a good life,
even though they see signs of miserable plane of existence awaiting
them. Thus due to the concealment of the sufferings of life and the
craving for a new life, kamma exercises its power to conduce to the
conception of a new being complete with rupa and nama.
Therefore the prime factors that initiate the conception
of a new being that is, new rupa and nama are (a) avijja (b) tanha and
(c) kamma. The belief in uccheda ditthi (annihilism) and the belied
in sassata ditthi (the soul or ego) are both wrong beliefs. Either nama
or rupa can in no way transmigrate to another life. In fact nama and
rupa come into being and spontaneously cease to exist in a very short
time. There is no such thing as a soul or an ego.
We must be very careful not to be misled by the two views.
We must understand that in a new existence, conception, the formation
of rupa and nama is the resultant of avijja, tanha and kamma of the
previous existence. This is the only righteous belief.
When we shout loudly in the vicinity of a mountain, we
hear an echo. This echo is not the original sound produced by the man;
nor it is independent of the original sound. When a candle from the
flame of a first candle, the new flame is not that of the first; nor
it is independent of the first candle. Likewise, a new existence is
not the transmigration of the old one; nor it is independent of the
old. Bear in mind that if the past kamma is wholesome, the present life
will be good, both in mind and matter. If the past kamma is evil so
will b the present life. The good and experiences in the present life
are account by two factors - the deeds done in the past, the one's knowledge
and diligence in this life.
CONCLUSION
Here ends an explanation of the mind processes just before
death. But death does not mean the absolute end of a being. It is in
fact the beginning of a new life, a new being. It is far more important
to achieve a good rebirth than to die. To have a good death-consciousness
is not as easy as one might think.
First, one must die with as little pain as possible, as
mild an ailment as possible; second, there needs be good relatives and
friends nearby to help dying person on his deathbed. Therefore it is
better and more beneficial if that person himself prepares for future
life rather than wait for the last moment. One should live morally and
prepare for his dying days so as to have a good rebirth along samsara
until the attainment of Nibbana
[HERE ENDS THE ACCOUNTS OF WHAT HAPPEN
WHEN DEATH DRAWS NEAR]